5.2 Ratios, Group Size, and Qualifications for CCDF Providers

Lead Agencies must have child care standards for providers receiving CCDF funds, appropriate to the type of child care setting involved, that address appropriate staff:child ratios, group size limits for specific age populations, and the required qualifications for providers. Lead Agencies should map their categories of care to the CCDF categories. Exemptions for relative providers will be addressed in subsection 5.8. 5.2.1 Age classifications Describe how the Lead Agency defines the following age classifications (e.g., Infant: 0 – 18 months). a. Infant. Describe: birth to 12 months of age. b. Toddler. Describe: 1-2 year-olds c. Preschool. Describe: 3-4 year-olds d. School-Age. Describe: 5-12 year-olds 5.2.2 Ratio and group size limits Provide the ratio and group size limits for settings and age groups below. a. Licensed CCDF center-based care: i. Infant. Ratio: 1 teacher for 4 infants Group size: 2 teachers to 8 infants ii. Toddler. Ratio: 1 teacher for 6 one year-olds; 1 teacher for 8 two year-olds Group size: 2 teachers for 12 one year-olds; 2 teachers for 16 two year- olds iii. Preschool. Ratio: 1 teacher for 12 three year-olds; 1 teacher for 15 four year-olds Group size: 2 teachers for 24 three year-olds; 2 teachers for 30 four year- olds iv. School-Age. Ratio: 1 teacher for 20 five year-olds (and older single Group size: 2 teachers for 40 five year-olds (and older single-age groups) v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable). Ratio: Infants, 1-year-olds, and 2-year-olds only: 1 teacher to 6 children (no more than two infants per teaching personnel); -Infants and older: 1 teacher to 8 children (no more than two under 2 years of ager per teaching personnel); - 1-year-olds and older: 1 teacher to 8 children (no more than two 1-year-olds per teaching personnel; - 2-year-olds and older: 1 teacher to 12 children (no more than four 2-year-olds per teaching personnel); - 3-year-olds and older: 1 teacher to 15 children (no more than six 3-year-olds per teaching personnel); - 4-year-olds and older: 1 teacher to 18 children (no more than eight 4-year-olds per teaching personnel); - 5-year-olds and older (and older mixed-age groups): 1:20 Group size: Infants, 1-year-olds, and 2-year-olds only: 2 teachers to 12 children; - Infants and older: 2 teachers to 16 children; - 1-year-olds and older: 2 teachers to 16 children; - 2-year-olds and older: 2 teachers to 24 children; - 3-year-olds and older: 2 teachers to 30 children; - 4-year-olds and older: 2 teachers to 36 children; - 5-year-olds and older: 2 teachers to 40 children b. If different, provide the ratios and group size requirements for the license-exempt center- based providers who receive CCDF funds under the following age groups: i. [x] Not applicable. There are no differences in ratios and group size requirements. ii. Infant: iii. Toddler: iv. Preschool: v. School-Age: vi. Mixed-Age Groups: c. Licensed CCDF family child care home providers: i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 infants Group size: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 infants, seven children with no more than two children younger than 2 years of age, or six children with no more than three children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers are required when seven children are in care and more than two children are younger than 2 years of age. A large family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 children of any age; up to 6 children with no more than 3 children younger than 2 years of age; up to 7 children with no more than 2 children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers may care for up to 8 children younger than 2 years of age; or 12 children with no more than 6 children younger than two-years of age. Three caregivers may care for up to 12 children with no more than 8 children younger than 2 years of age. ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to five 1-2-years-olds. Group size: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 children, seven children with no more than two children younger than 2 years of age, or six children with no more than three children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers are required when seven children are in care and more than two children are younger than 2 years of age. A large family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 children of any age; up to 6 children with no more than 3 children younger than 2 years of age; up to 7 children with no more than 2 children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers may care for up to 8 children younger than 2 years of age; or 12 children with no more than 6 children younger than two-years of age. Three caregivers may care for up to 12 children with no more than 8 children younger than 2 years of age. iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 7 children ages 3 years-old and older. Group size: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 children, seven children with no more than two children younger than 2 years of age, or six children with no more than three children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers are required when seven children are in care and more than two children are younger than 2 years of age. A large family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 5 children of any age; up to 6 children with no more than 3 children younger than 2 years of age; up to 7 children with no more than 2 children younger than 2 years of age. Two caregivers may care for up to 8 children younger than 2 years of age; or 12 children with no more than 6 children younger than two-years of age. Three caregivers may care for up to 12 children with no more than 8 children younger than 2 years of age. iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 7 children. A large family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 12 children when the children are 5 years of age and older. Group size: A family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 7 children. A large family child care home with one caregiver may care for up to 12 children when the children are 5 years of age and older. v. Mixed-Age Groups Ratio: When only one caregiver is present, the total number of ages of children in care at one time are: -Seven children, with no more than two children younger than 2 years of age -Six children, with no more than three children younger than 2 years of age; or -Five children of any age When two caregivers are required to provide care when: -Seven children are in care and more than three children are younger than 2 years of age - Six children are in care and more than three children are younger than 2 years of age. Group size: There is no maximum group size for mixed-age groups in a family child care home. Caregivers are limited in the number of children they may care for based on ages of children, number of caregivers present and licensed capacity. d. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt family child care homes? [ ] No. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt providers vary by age of children served. [x] Not applicable. The Lead Agency does not have license-exempt family child care homes. e. Licensed in-home care (care in the child’s own home): i. Infant (if applicable) Ratio: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. Group size: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. ii. Toddler (if applicable) Ratio: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. Group size: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. iii. Preschool (if applicable) Ratio: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. Group size: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. iv. School-Age (if applicable) Ratio: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. Group size: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. v. Mixed-Age Groups (if applicable) Ratio: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. Group size: These programs are exempt from licensing requirements and not regulated. f. Are any of the responses above different for license-exempt in-home care? [x] No. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe how the ratio and group size requirements for license- exempt in-home care vary by age of children served. 5.2.3 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered care Provide the teacher/caregiver qualifications for each category of care. a. Licensed center-based care i. Describe the teacher qualifications for licensed CCDF center-based care (e.g., degrees, credentials, etc.), including any variations based on the ages of children in care: Teaching personnel are at least 18 years of age, have at least a high school diploma/GED/or a licensing approved equivalent or completed 10th grade and are in the process of obtaining a GED for a period not to exceed 12 months from employment. Assistant teacher qualifications are at least 16 years of age, currently enrolled in school or an equivalent or have at least a high school diploma/GED or Licensing approved equivalent or have completed 10th grade and are in the process of obtaining a GED for a period not to exceed 36 months from employment. ii. Describe the director qualification for licensed CCDF center-based care, including any variations based on the ages of children in care or the number of staff employed: Directors of child care centers are required to be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED and have a current Oklahoma’s Director Credential. At a minimum, directors have 6 Early Childhood Education/ Child Development/School Age credit hours or a Child Development Associates/Child Care Professional or Oklahoma Competency Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Directors have administrative management knowledge and skills determined by completing a minimum of 3 administration/management credit hours or approved administration/management credential or 40 administrative/management clock-hours with 12 months experience and 20 hours of job related training. b. Licensed family child care Describe the provider qualifications for licensed family child care homes, including any variations based on the ages of children in care: The primary caregiver must be at least 21 years of age, have obtained a high school diploma or GED. In a Large Family Child Care Home, the primary caregiver must be at least 21 years of age, have at least 6 months of satisfactory experience as a primary caregiver in a licensed family child care home in Oklahoma and meet one of the requirements; a high school diploma/GED and 12 college credit hours in child development or early childhood education, an Oklahoma Competency Certificate, a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, a Certified Child Care Professional (CCP) credential; or an associate or bachelor’s degree in child development or early childhood education. c. Licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care (care in the child’s own home by a non- relative) Describe the provider qualifications for licensed, regulated, or registered in-home care providers (care in the child’s own home) including any variations based on the ages of children in care: The provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facility Licensing Act shall not apply to exempt programs, therefore these programs are exempt from licensing requirements and the qualification requirements. 5.2.4 Teacher/caregiver qualifications for license-exempt providers Provide the teacher/provider qualification requirements (for instance, age, high school diploma, specific training, etc.) for the license-exempt providers under the following categories of care: a. License-exempt center-based child care. The provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facility Licensing Act shall not apply to exempt programs, therefore these programs are exempt from licensing requirements and the qualification requirements. b. License-exempt home-based child care. The provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facility Licensing Act shall not apply to exempt programs, therefore these programs are exempt from licensing requirements and the qualification requirements c. License-exempt in-home care (care in the child’s own home). The provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facility Licensing Act shall not apply to exempt programs, therefore these programs are exempt from licensing requirements and the qualification requirements.