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Staffing Flexibility for Group Child Care Programs

The Health Department has updated staffing requirements for group child care (center-based) programs. These changes offer more flexibility for Education Directors (EDs) and Group Teachers.


New Flexibility for Education Directors

Education Director hours and coverage requirements have changed as follows:

Shorter Required Hours

  • Education Directors now only need to be onsite during “core hours.” Programs that operate 8 hours or less are required to have an Educational Director present at all times. Core hours are defined by your program and must include at least 8 hours per day of educational activities, experiences, and routines that promote learning.

Education Director Designees

  • More options for Education Director coverage by expanding the pool of Group Teachers that can serve as an Education Director Designee.
    • A preschool Group Teacher can serve as the Education Director Designee for their preschool or an infant toddler program if they have:
      • A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field of study and valid certification issued by the State Education Department or
      • A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field of study and two years of experience in a preschool program.
    • The Education Director Designee for an infant or toddler program can also be a Group Teacher who has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field of study and at least one year of experience teaching children less than 24 months old.
  • The Education Director Designee can cover during:
    • Non-core hours
    • Temporary absences (up to a total of 60 days in a 12 month period)
    • Personal leave such as vacation or doctor’s appointments
  • The Education Director Designee can continue their teaching duties while covering for the Education Director, regardless of the number of children in attendance.
  • Program Education Director Designee(s) and core hours must be listed in your Safety Plan. Complete the Safety Plan Worksheet (PDF) to update your Safety Plan

If your Education Director leaves:

  • The Education Director Designee can serve up to 60 consecutive days.
  • You must notify staff and the Health Department within 5 days and keep a record of the staff notice.

Important Requirements

  • The current requirements for coverage apply when two programs operate at one location (a co-located infant/toddler and a preschool program), you can:
    • have a preschool program’s Education Director Designee cover both programs but they cannot teach while covering for the Education Director or
    • have an Education Director Designee for each program and they both can teach while covering for the Education Director
  • An Education Director or Education Director Designee must be onsite whenever a child is present.
  • An Education Director Designee must have completed the comprehensive background check and cleared to work for your program.

Have a unique staffing situation? Contact your Early Childhood Education Consultant.


Group Teacher Changes

Updated coverage and qualification requirements for Group Teachers are as follows:

  • More flexible coverage for Group Teachers
    • Assistant Teachers and Teacher’s Aides can now cover for a Group Teacher in a classroom for up to 5 days to maintain ratios during personal leave. An assistant teacher needs to be in the classroom. The other staff can be either another assistant teacher or a teacher’s aide.
  • Expanded Group Teachers qualifications

More Information