Transcript

Child Care Center Operators

Teacher-to-Child Ratios in Child Care Centers

Produced by the Community Care Licensing Division of the California Department of Social Services

[music]

Preschool children and teachers: (singing) A ram sam sam, guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam.

[Children sing and play with teachers present. The series host speaks offscreen.]

Series Host:
Community Care Licensing requirements about teacher-to-child ratios are intended to ensure that every child is monitored by a qualified adult at all times.

[Onscreen, the host.]

Series Host:
In this video, we will address the minimum adult-to-child ratios required for child care centers. There are different licenses for child care centers, including infant, preschool, and school age facilities.

[Two licensing representatives speak.]

Community Care Licensing Representative 1:
Minimum teacher-to-child ratios are necessary to protect the health and safety of children in child care centers.

Community Care Licensing Representative 2:
These teacher-to-child ratios are also designed to provide the developmentally appropriate support children of different ages need from infancy to school age.

CCL Rep 1:
Licensees should also consider ways to increase staffing beyond the minimum requirements to promote positive adult/child relationships and high quality learning experiences for children in care.

CCL Rep 2:
Maintaining adequate ratios can be complex, particularly during transitions and daily routines. Licensees need a clear plan for handling these situations.

CCL Rep 1:
You are encouraged to view the video on supervision for a more complete understanding of the requirements and how to maintain proper supervision throughout the day.

[The host speaks, and the questions she asks are displayed on a white board.]

Series Host:
What are the licensing regulations regarding the minimum ratio of teachers to children?

[As the host speaks off-screen, groups of children and teachers play together in different child care settings.]

Caregiver:
(singing) If you’re happy and you know it, roar out load.

Child:
Roar!

Series Host:
Teacher-to-child ratios are based on a number of variables, including the number and ages of children in your care and the nature of the care you’re providing at any one time, such as naptime or outdoor play.

Teacher:
Put your shoulders back, it’s easier.

Host onscreen:
In addition, it is important to note the difference between a teacher and a fully-qualified teacher when determining your ratios. A fully-qualified teacher has completed additional training in education in accordance with licensing requirements.

Now let’s look at the minimum or baseline ratios needed for each age group.

[On a green background, icons representing adults and children appear in different numbers and combinations to illustrate the ratios and situations described by the host.]

Infant centers serving children from birth to age 2 need to have a minimum ratio of 1 fully-qualified infant teacher for 4 infants. In a room with more than 4 infants, up to a maximum of 12 infants, there must be 1 fully-qualified teacher responsible for the direct care and supervision of a maximum of 4 infants. In addition, that fully-qualified teacher supervises aides with each aide responsible for the direct care and supervision of a maximum of 4 infants.

Host onscreen:
If your preschool center or infant center has been approved by Community Care Licensing to offer a toddler component, you must have the following in place:

[Again, the icons of adults and children illustrate the ratios and situations described by the host.]

— a minimum ratio of 1 fully-qualified teacher for 6 children and a maximum group size of 12 children with 2 teachers or 1 teacher and 1 aide.

[The host appears briefly, followed by the icons of adults and children.]

For facilities serving preschoolers or children over 24 months of age, there must be a minimum of 1 teacher visually observing and supervising a maximum of 12 children at all times. The licensee may use teacher aides in a ratio of 1 teacher and 1 aide for every 15 children in attendance. However, a ratio of 1 fully-qualified teacher and 1 aide for every 18 children is allowed. The aide must work only under the direct supervision of a teacher. During naptime, the ratio can be adjusted to 1 teacher or aide supervising 24 napping children as long as there are enough teachers immediately available to meet the overall ratio.

[The host appears briefly, followed by the icons of adults and children.]

For school age programs serving children enrolled in kindergarten and above, a teacher shall supervise no more than 14 children, and with an aide, up to 28 children.

Host Onscreen:
These ratios are intended as minimum required standards for health and safety. You may choose to increase your teacher-to-child ratio in order to better provide both small and large group activities for the children. Increasing these ratios also allows for more one-on-one time with individual children.

Which adults can and cannot be included in the teacher-to-child ratio?
As described previously, teacher aides may be included in the ratio when certain conditions are met, including direct supervision by a teacher. The center director can be included in the ratio if actively engaged in teaching children. However, adults who provide clerical or custodial services do not qualify to be in the teacher-to-child ratio. This information is especially important to keep in mind as you develop a backup plan for teacher absences.

Key Points:
Children need adults to protect and care for them. As a child care center licensee, you are required to have enough teachers and aides present to provide for these needs. Let’s review some key points about teacher-to-child ratios and centers. Minimum teacher-to-child ratios are dependent upon the ages of children in care.

[Again, the icons of adults and children illustrate the ratios and situations described by the host.]

For infants, the minimum ratio is 1 to 4, for toddlers 18 months or older, the minimum ratio is 1 to 6, for preschoolers, the minimum ratio is 1 to 12, and for school-age children, the minimum ratio is 1 to 14.

Host Onscreen:
Ensuring that qualified adults are present is critical to the safety of the children and it’s important to develop a backup plan for teacher absences so that the minimum teacher-to-child ratios are always maintained.