Running head 8-STEP MODEL18-STEP MODEL7.docx

Running head: 8-STEP MODEL 1
8-STEP MODEL 7
Managing Organizational Change
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Managing Organizational Change
The innovation in the business world has lead to quick change
in numerous Organizations. So as to stay underway, business
associations are confronted with an unavoidable requirement for
change. , the business must embrace innovation and procedures
so as to manage contenders. Changes figure out which
organizations flourish, and that blurs. To impact the move, the
organization faces obstruction since you don't have a clue how
to go about it, who to include, and how might this benefit
representatives (Burnes, B., and Randall, J. 2015). There exist
many theories that try to explain management change, but the
outstanding one is Kotter's 8-step change model. According to
Kotter, successful change in an organization such as Sear
Roebuck cooperation involves systematic steps. These steps are
establishing a sense of urgency, create a coalition, Develop
vision and strategy, communicate the vision, empower broad-

based action, Generating short-term wins, consolidating gains
and producing more change and anchoring new approaches into
the society. These steps and their application in management
change are discussed below.
Creating a sense of urgency
Intelligence urgency refers to communicating with employees
on the importance of acting promptly and without delay. It
describes a positive state of mind that managers should evoke to
those they lead. It is not a tool of pointing how competitors are
better off or showing people poor sales statistics, but, opens a
convincing honest dialogue about the internal affairs of the
business (Centrella, S. 2019). As a leader of a company such as
Sears Roebuck Company, one can do the following to create a
sense of urgency: see probable uncertainties and extend
proposal of what can take place in future, and also requests
outside help from customer and business people to reinforce his
case
Creating a coalition
At this phase of change of an organization, the administration
joins a gathering of individuals who have characteristics to lead
and can encourage collaboration. A solid group from over the
association is a significant instrument for pioneers who are
supporting for new change in the organization. Concluding who
to remember for the group is additionally significant. A
significant instrument in an alliance is decent variety: the group
made must contains people who have immense experience,
aptitudes, and systems in the business world. Character
characteristics likewise assume a basic job in the business
condition and influence our day by day exercises and
association with others in the association. Childishness and
interruptions is a portion of the individual qualities that prevent
cooperation, accordingly easing back the procedure of progress.
Persuading bunch staff that change is significant takes capable
initiative characteristics and noticeable help from the
association. So as to make a solid alliance, one needs to spot

pioneers and partners who submit one to group fabricating and
evaluate the group for more fragile territories.
Vision for change
Change comes about because of the idea that things can be
handled differently. Having a clear vision can help employees
understand why they have to do this and that in the company. If
the workforce sees for themselves what you intend to archive,
the directive given tends to make sense and is followed without
resistance (Lawrence, P. 2014). What one needs to do in order
to archive vision change includes determining the principles
that are essential to change, documenting in summary where you
see the company in prospect, create strategies to meet
objectives in line with the vision, and often memorize you
vision speech.
Communicate the vision
There different forms of communication that one can adopt in
conversing in a business organization. After you develop a clear
vision, you need to communicate it to other personnel in the
organization. Since the company has numerous communications,
emailing your vision alone is not enough. To effect the change,
you must take every chance that comes your way to restate it
(Lawrence, P. 2014).To effectively relay your vision change for
Sears Roebuck organization, you must: speak in convincingly
and persuasively about the vision, attach the idea to every
aspect of the company, clearly showcase the difference between
the current state of affairs and future expectation as per concept
created, and also respond to people issue candidly and publicly.
Remove obstacles
Where a company has been in existence for long, implementing
change is always faced with hindrances. This hindrance results
from employees, the company's processes, or the organization's
structure. The vision bearer needs to remove barriers so as to
empower and facilitate change move forward on the right track
(Goksoy, 2015). To deal with these barriers, one needs to:
identify and hire leaders whose work is to deliver change,
evaluate organization structure and performance to ensure they

are at par with the vision, distinguish and remunerate
individuals for building change and take measures to remove the
barriers.
Create short-term wins
Success is the most excellent motivator. Within one year or
less, appreciating the type of change you intend, you should be
able to point out some achievements that your team can attest
to. Devoid of which, critics and pessimistic thinker can ruin
your advancement. Creating achievable short term goals is vital
in realizing the broad objective (Tang, 2019). Entire labor
forces can be motivated by arching short term wins. Here are
some means to do this: one is to find a short-term achievable
project that needs no sign off from opposition carefully choose
targets that can be met- failing at an early stage can negatively
impact on the proposed change, and consider rewarding
workforce that is important in realizing objectives.
Build on change
Quick wins can mislead you to think that the process of change
has been accomplished. Early gains are not enough to sustain
change (Burnes, B. & Randall, and J. 2015). To reach the top,
you must keep on improving. Thus, to build change on, you
must: Scrutinize what was done right and what was inaccurate
after each win, the set goal that enhances the momentum you
have archived, and bring in more influential change agents.
Anchor the change in cooperate culture
The last step in the change process, as per Kotter's 8-step
model, is to integrate change in the organization's core. It is
vital to make improved efforts in communicating the vision to
newly recruited and existing staff members of the organization
like Sears. Failure to which, you might end up to where you
began. To ensure that the change process remains an integral
part of the company, one must talk about progress at every
possible opportunity, recognize and reward change agents, and
communicate core values of change to new employees.
Conclusion

All in all, executing change won't be simple; however, it is
achievable and significant. The utilization of Kotter's 8-Step
Model is an incredible structure and manual to lead associations
into the fruitful usage of progress. Further, making a desire to
move quickly and adequately conveying the visions key and are
basic factors in the usage of progress. Similarly significant,
imparting the vision effectively gives an image of what the
future will resemble after change has been made. Prendergast
and Lambert (2014) stated, "Authoritative change is hard on the
grounds that you should change something beyond the structure
and activities, you have to change individuals' conduct". As a
last point, following Kotter's Eight (8) steps procedure will
permit the association to adequately impart and make a
promising vision that persuades representatives that the future
looks more splendid and better with change set up. Accordingly,
representatives are currently prepared to grasp, backing, and
make alterations that will enable the associations to move into
the future without obstruction.
References
Burnes, B., & Randall, J. (2015). Perspectives on Change: What
Academics, Consultants, and Managers Think About Change.
NY: Routledge.
Centrella, S. (2019). Hustle Believe Receive: An 8-Step Plan to
Changing Your Life and Living Your Dream. New York, NY:
Simon & Schuster.
Lawrence, P. (2014). Leading Change: How Successful Leaders
Approach Change Management. London, England: Kogan Pag
Goksoy, A. (2015). Organizational Change Management
Strategies in Modern Business. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Tang, K. N. (2019). Leadership and Change Management.
Basingstoke, PA: Springer.

Annette,
I appreciate your work on this assignment but I need you to be
more critical and provide further explanation of your
evaluations, especially with some citations to support your
ideas. Please see feedback as you'll need to integrate that for the
final project.
Dr. Guevara
( 3.80 / 5.00) Evaluates a Staff Manual, Applying Knowledge of
Effective Policies and Procedures, and Provides
Recommendations or Commendations, Each Supported with a
Rationale
Basic - Minimally evaluates a staff manual, applying some
knowledge of policies and procedures, and provides
recommendations or commendation, each somewhat supported
with a limited rationale. Relevant details are missing.
Comments:
Your application of policy and procedures to the evaluation and
rationale are mostly appropriate. More details and a clear
rationale were needed.
( 0.84 / 1.10) Critical Thinking: Explanation of Issues
Basic - Briefly explains the issue to be considered, delivering
minimal information for a basic understanding.
Comments:
The explanation of the issue should be more objective than
personal. This makes academic work more valid.
( 0.84 / 1.10) Creative Thinking: Acquiring Competencies
Basic - Successfully adapts an appropriate exemplar to certain
specifications.
( 0.18 / 0.20) Written Communication: Control of Syntax and
Mechanics
Proficient - Displays comprehension and organization of syntax
and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work

contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to
understand.
Comments:
Good job! Correct conventions facilitate the reading of the text.
( 0.18 / 0.20) Written Communication: APA Formatting
Proficient - Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper.
However, layout contains a few minor errors.
( 0.20 / 0.20) Written Communication: Page Requirement
Distinguished - The length of the paper is equivalent to the
required number of correctly formatted pages.
( 0.15 / 0.20) Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Basic - Uses less than the required number of sources to support
ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the
reference page are used within the body of the assignment.
Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Overall Score: 6.19 / 8.00
Overall Grade: 6.19
Running head: EVALUATING PROGRAM MANUALS
1
Evaluating Program Manual
Annette Williams
ECE671: Management and Administration of Early Childhood
Programs
Instructor Guevara
March 2, 2020
- 1 -

[no notes on this page]
EVALUATING PROGRAM MANUALS
2
Staff Manual
Phrase from
Handbook
Recommendation Approval
Job Description
“apply their
knowledge of
classroom
management and
understanding of a
child’s
development”
(Georgia Learning &
Childcare Center,
2019).

My suggestion is
that more could be
included of what
the actual job
description. To have
knowledge of
something isn’t
enough for families
to feel a sense of
comfort.
Rights and
Responsibilities
“staff member must
accumulate ten (10)
hours of continuing
education each year”
(Georgia Learning &
Childcare Center,

2019).
This phrase is
ideal as it spells
out what
regulations staff
are required to
adhere to in order
to be employed.
Professional
Expectations
“partnership
between parents and
teachers is very
This statement
implies that the
center focuses on
- 2 -
1

2
3
1. could
I agree; what is your basis for
this idea? need a citation
[Frank Guevara]
2. required
this covers 1 responsibility
related to continuing
education; but shouldn't there
be many more?
And what about their rights?
Like safety, workplace free of
discrimination or harassment?
[Frank Guevara]
3. implies
but what about how they
dress, how they act, following

ethical guidelines, etc?
[Frank Guevara]
3
important” (Georgia
Learning &
Childcare Center,
2019).
establishing
communication
between the
families and the
teachers to ensure
they are informed
of their child’s
progress
daily/weekly.
Suggested

Category
Reason for
Termination
Failure to comply to
our center’s goal and
mission and
well as policies and
regulations will
require immediate
dismissal.
Rational
Citation
This is ideal for
all staff
handbooks. To
every cause there
is an effect.
Family
Handbook

Phrase Recommendation Commendation
Programs Mission “Our mission is to
offer you the best in
quality care and
N/A The phrase is part
of the mission
statement for the
- 3 -
1
1. handbooks.
I agree, but what's your basis
for this? [Frank Guevara]
4
education” (Georgia
Learning &
Childcare Center,

2019).
childcare center.
It is ideal because
it the statement
starts off by
addressing what
the center’s
intentions are.
Licensure Status
“you must keep
him/her home for at
least 24 hours after
symptoms are gone
and temperature has
returned to normal”
(Georgia Learning &
Childcare Center,
2019).

N/A
This phrase is
ideal because it
ensures that the
childcare center
is following
regulations in
order to remain
in compliance
with licensing
policies and
regulations.
Commitment to
the Field’s Core
Values, Ideals,
and Principles
(NAEYC Code of
Ethical
Standards)
“Our program
provides children a

foundation of social
development to join
the exciting new
N/A The program is
ideal and shows a
commitment to
NAEYC Code of
Ethical Standards
- 4 -
1
2
1. addressing
and why is this important?
[Frank Guevara]
2. 24
this category is about the
center being licensed [Frank
Guevara]

5
world of education”
(Georgia Learning &
Childcare Center,
2019).
by focusing on
the social
development of
the children and
by providing a
list of those core
activities that the
program offers.
Suggested
Category
Programs day-to-
day operations
See the chart

displayed below that
entails our day to
day functions/
activities and times.
Rational
Citation
This suggested
category is ideal
because some
family
handbooks do not
include a daily
schedule of what
to expect and all
families should
have a schedule
of their child’s
daily activities.

- 5 -
1
2
1. social
that's only 1 part; there's a
LOT more to the NAEYC
[Frank Guevara]
2. should
why? [Frank Guevara]
6
References
Child Care Aware® of America. (n.d.). Developing your
policies and procedures. Arlington,
VA. Retrieved http://childcareaware.org/providers/planning-
for-success/developing-your-
policies-and-procedure
Freeman, N. K., Decker, C. A., & Decker, J. R. (2018).
Planning administering early childhood

programs (11th Ed.). Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/
Georgia Learning & Childcare Center, (2019). Retrieved from
http://www.roswelldaycare.com/our-roswell-ga-daycare-classes/
- 6 -
1
1. Child
where did you rely on this
citation? [Frank Guevara]
7
- 7 -
[no notes on this page]
CHAPTER 3
Understanding Regulations, Accreditation Criteria, and Other St
andards ofPractice
NAEYC Administrator Competencies Addressed in This Chapter
:
Management Knowledge and Skills
2. Legal and Fiscal Management
·

Knowledge and application of the advantages and disadvantages
of different legal structures
·
Knowledge of different codes and regulations as they relate to t
he delivery of early childhood program services
·
Knowledge of child custody, child abuse, special education, con
fidentiality, anti-
discrimination, insurance liability, contract, and laborlaws perta
ining to program management
5. Program Operations and Facilities Management
·
Knowledge and application of policies and procedures that meet
state/local regulations and professional standards pertaining to
thehealth and safety of young children
7. Marketing and public relations
·
Skill in developing a business plan and effective promotional lit
erature, handbooks, newsletters, and press releases
Early Childhood Knowledge and Skills
5. Children with Special Needs
·
Knowledge of licensing standards, state and federal laws (e.g.,
ADA, IDEA) as they relate to services and accommodations for
childrenwith special needs
10. Professionalism
·
Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies that impact profes
sional conduct with children and families
· Knowledge of center accreditation criteria
Learning Outcomes
After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
1.
Describe the purpose of regulations that apply to programs of ea
rly care and education and list several topics they address.
2.

Identify several ways accreditation standards are different from
child care regulations.
3.
State the purpose of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (
QRIS).
4.
List some ways qualifications for administrators and teachers ar
e different for licensure, for accreditation, and in QRIS systems.
5.
Identify laws that apply to the childcare workplace, such as thos
e that govern the program’s financial management and employee
s’well-being.
Marie’s Experience
Marie has been successful over the years in keeping her center i
n compliance with all licensing regulations. She is proud of her
teachers andconfident that the center consistently goes above an
d beyond licensing provisions designed simply to keep children
healthy and safe. She knowsthat the center provides high-
quality care to the children it serves, but has never pursued accr
editation or participated in her state’s optionalQuality Rating an
d Improvement System (QRIS) because of the time and effort it
would require. Her families have confidence in her program and
do not seem to need this additional assurance that it provides hi
gh-quality services day in and day out.
Large numbers of families rely on out-of-
home care for their infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-
age children during the workday. In2011, there were 312,254 lic
ensed child care facilities with a capacity to serve almost 10.2
million children. About 34% of these facilitieswere child care c
enters. They served more than 77% of the children cared for in
out-of-
home settings (National Center on Child CareQuality Improvem
ent, 2013).
Regulations and standards guide all aspects of the life of an earl
y childhood care and education program—
its children and their families, itsstaff, director, and board. The

y are designed to give families that rely on child care peace of
mind that the health and welfare of theirchildren are safeguarde
d while they are away from home. Although regulations and sta
ndards may be defined in various ways, we use thefollowing chi
ld-care-related definitions in this book:
1.
Regulations are official binding rules. Regulations that apply to
programs of early care and education are wide-
ranging and includezoning, land use, and building codes; federa
l tax and employment laws; laws that protect children from abus
e and neglect; and childcare regulations. They describe minimal
levels of performance that no program is expected to fall below
.
2. Quality Standards set higher-than-
minimal benchmarks of performance by measuring how successf
ully programs meet criteriademonstrated to ensure positive outc
omes for children.
Regulations and quality standards are closely linked. Together t
hey address a program’s facility, programming, staffing, and oth
er aspects ofits operation. Child care programs must comply, for
example, with licensing regulations related to child—
staff ratios, that is, the number ofchildren one adult may legally
be responsible for; as well as with federal laws designed to prot
ect employees’ rights.
While state child care regulations set a minimum accepted stand
ard of care, accreditation and QRIS standards identify criteria th
at havebeen shown to improve the quality of children’s experien
ces. For example, your state’s regulations might allow one careg
iver to care for upto five infants, but you will meet the NAEYC
Accreditation Standards if one caregiver is responsible for no m
ore than four infants at a time(NAEYC, 2014b). Regulations and
quality standards play an important role when you are planning
for a new program or refining policiesand procedures that guide
an existing program’s day-to-day implementation.
3.1 CONSIDERING REGULATIONS
Some of the regulations that apply to a particular program depe

nd on the auspices under which it operates. Is it a nonprofit org
anizationthat is part of a public elementary school or operated b
y a faith-
based organization? Is the center a federally funded Head Start
or anemployee-sponsored on-site program? Is it part of a for-
profit chain or operated by an individual entrepreneur? Is it loca
ted in an urban,suburban, or rural setting? The next section iden
tifies some of the kinds of regulations you must be aware of and
, when applicable, abide bywhen you are a center director.
Regulations to Address When Establishing a New Program
The process of creating a new child care program must begin wi
th careful review of licensing requirements related to the facilit
y’s designand layout; local zoning and land use laws; and buildi
ng codes that apply to structures built for this purpose. You will
greatly increase yourchances for success when you have becom
e informed about these laws that lay the foundation for your pro
gram’s successful launch.
Licensing Regulations:
The first decisions licensing regulations will help you make abo
ut your new child care center is what age groups and how many
children ofeach age group you plan to serve. Those decisions wi
ll determine how many square feet you must provide for each gr
oup indoors and out.Some other issues related to the building’s
design that regulations address include the number of toilets and
sinks required for the numberof children you will serve, approp
riate accommodations for infants’ napping rooms, and spaces yo
u will provide for adults. Licensingregulations will also help if
you are preparing to welcome children into your home as a fami
ly child care provider. They will identifymodifications you may
need to make, such as installing gates at the stairs or adding an
additional sink in the diaper changing area.
When you review child care licensing regulations carefully, you
will see a number of sections that help you plan your facility.
We willprovide a more in-
depth discussion of child care licensing regulations and discuss
those that apply to program development andimplementation in

more detail below.
Zoning and Land Use Regulations:
Zoning regulations define how land may be used. States’ zoning
laws allow each city and town to divide its land into districts.
Within thosedistricts, the municipality can enact zoning codes t
hat regulate land use and can include specifications related to b
uildings’ structure andtheir use. Generally, zoning regulations b
ecome more stringent as population density increases; that is, m
ore rules about land use are likelyin the center city than in the s
uburbs, and suburbs are likely to have more regulations than do
rural areas.
Interestingly, child care is frequently treated as a “problem use.
” That means child care centers, and sometime family child care
homes, areprohibited from residential neighborhoods because o
f concerns about the noise and traffic they are likely to generate
. They are also oftennot permitted in commercial areas because
business districts are not considered good places for children. S
ome states are working toprevent localities from enacting restric
tive policies related to the construction and operation of child c
are facilities.
When you are familiar with your community’s applicable zoning
and land use regulations, you will be prepared to select an appr
opriate sitefor your program, one that will not likely require a p
rolonged process of hearings before gaining approval.
Building Codes and Requirements Related to Fire Safety and Sa
nitation:
Building codes and regulations related to fire safety and sanitati
on, including those that address the structure’s wiring, plumbin
g, and thematerials used for construction, are typically included
among communities’ laws addressing public health and safety.
They may be coveredunder municipal ordinances or state regulat
ions that are enforced by local officials.
Fire regulations that apply to child care centers describe allowa
ble types of building construction and set standards related to al
armsystems and fire extinguishers. They specify how combustib
le materials are to be stored and require that building evacuatio

n plans beposted. The Life Safety Code handbook is available at
no cost at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) web
site. It providesguidelines on fire protection and containment fo
r child care centers, group homes, and family child care.
Sanitation codes are mainly concerned with diaper changing and
bathroom facilities as well as food service operations. Sanitatio
nstandards specify, for example, where sinks are to be located (i
.e., in the same area as the toilet and in the central diapering are
a).Regulations addressing these issues are often part of licensin
g standards but are established and are often enforced by state d
epartmentsof social services or local health departments.
Applying for an Initial Child Care Center License:
Once a new construction project has addressed all of the issues i
dentified earlier, it will be time to apply for a certificate of occ
upancy (COO).This is a statement issued by the appropriate loca
l governmental agency indicating a new building is suitable for
use. A new center musthave a COO before requesting the requir
ed inspections that are the first steps toward opening a new cent
er. Administrators of newprograms are likely to begin recruiting
children and provisionally hiring staff as they prepare to apply
for initial licensure and permission tolegally operate as a child c
are program. Review Figure 3.1 for a summary of this process.
Figure 3.1
Overview of the Process of Opening a Licensed Child Care sum
marizes the steps required to plan the construction and launch o
f a new program of earlycare and education.
Licensing Regulations That Guide Program Development and Im
plementation
Licensing is the procedure by which a person, association, or co
rporation obtains from the appropriate state agency a permit to l
egallyoperate or continue operating a child care facility. Someti
mes the state’s process of granting a center permission to operat
e is called certification, permission, approval, or registration.1
The District of Columbia, the Department of Defense, and 49 st
ates (all except Idaho)license child care facilities (AAP/APHA/

NRCHSCC, 2011; National Center on Child Care Quality Impro
vement, 2013). The licensing agency(typically the state’s depart
ment of human services, social services, or health) enforces the
baseline requirements established by its statelegislature and ma
kes the decision to issue or deny license applications.
Child care licenses, sometimes called permits, certificates, regis
trations, or approvals, are valid for varied periods of time.2 Nin
e states offernon-
expiring licenses; in 32 states, a license is good for 1 or 2 years;
and licenses are good for varied periods of time in the remainin
g ninestates (NARA, 2013). Caring for Our Children: National
Health and Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for Out-
of-
Home Child Care,3rd edition (AAP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011), d
eveloped as a collaborative effort of several organizations devot
ed to children’s health andwell-
being, is a comprehensive discussion of recommended standards
for child care, including the rationale for suggested provisions,
references, and comprehensive appendices. The Caring for Our
Children’s interactive website listed at the end of this chapter is
updatedregularly. It includes responses to frequently asked que
stions (FAQs) and highlights recommendations that have been u
pdated or refined.Its authors, for example, identified steps that
programs of early care and education should take to ensure that
infants’ sleepingarrangements are safe, strategies to prevent chil
dhood obesity, and practices that help to ensure young children’
s oral health when newresearch indicated changes to common pr
actices were needed.
Child Care Center Regulations:
Child care regulations differ widely from state to state.3 It is im
portant to remember that they are intended to establish minimu
m standardsof care designed to keep all children safe, rather tha
n to ensure the provision of exemplary services. They must bala
nce the state’sresponsibility to protect children while they are c
ared for in out-of-
home settings with the pressures of the marketplace, that is, the

abilityof providers to meet these established minimum standards
. Child Care Aware® of America (previously known as the Nati
onal Association ofChild Care Resource and Referral Agencies [
NACCRRA]) regularly compares the child care center regulatio
ns of all states and theDepartment of Defense (DOD), which reg
ulates child care programs serving military personnel. The repor
t released in 2013 follows up onthe findings reported in 2007, 2
009, and 2011. It identifies 11 benchmarks that consider the ade
quacy of regulations related to safety,health, and early learning
and 4 benchmarks addressing the adequacy of regulatory oversig
ht and enforcement. This report indicates thatthe adequacy of re
gulations ranges from 130 (on a 150-
point scale) for the DOD to 23 for Idaho, which lacks state-
level child careregulations. The report’s authors note that the av
erage score was 92, which represents 61% out of the possible 15
0 points. They point outthat in most classrooms, a score of 61%
would earn a student a D. While noting that many states have m
ade progress since the 2007report, the fact remains that child ca
re licensing regulations still do not ensure that all children are i
n safe, high-
quality settings. The authorsrecommend that the U.S. Congress r
aise the standards for programs eligible to receive federal Child
Care Block Grant subsidies, a strategythey believe would motiv
ate states to revise regulations to mandate higher levels of quali
ty (Child Care Aware® of America, 2013).
All states’ regulations are now online. To review regulations of
your state, or neighboring states, follow the links from the webs
ite of theNational Resource Center for Health and Safety in Chil
d Care and Early Education.
Most licensing codes include sections addressing these issues (
AAP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011; NARA, 2013; Child Care Aware
® of America,2013):
1.
Introduction. The introductory section of licensing regulations d
efines terms such as child care center and director; identifies th
eprograms that must be licensed and, when appropriate, those th

at are exempt; describes how applicants obtain and submit anap
plication for a license; identifies required inspections and appro
vals; indicates the duration of the license and describes the rene
walprocess; identifies situations that would result in license den
ial, revocation, or nonrenewal; stipulates how the license is to b
e postedon the premises; and provides other state-
specific general information.
2.
Organization and administration. State licensing laws require an
applicant to identify the program’s purposes and its sponsoring
organization, to indicate whether the program is for-
profit or not-for-
profit, and to describe its administrative structure (e.g., director
,board of directors). They often require programs to have polici
es describing the services they provide children (e.g., eligibility
andadmission criteria, termination policies, nondiscrimination
provisions, and fees) and may also require plans to ensure the c
enter’sfinancial solvency.
3.
Staffing. This section of the regulations describes mandated bac
kground checks, which typically include checks of both sex offe
nderand child abuse registries as well as both federal and state f
ingerprint records; required child—
staff ratios; educational and priorservice prerequisites for direct
ors, teachers, and aides; the minimum age requirements for cent
er employees; and requirements foron-the-
job training. Regulations might, for example, permit a 16-year-
old with a high school diploma or GED (certificate given forco
mpleting tests of General Educational Development considered t
o be equivalent to a high school diploma) to serve as a director i
none state, but might require the director to be at least 21 and h
old a bachelor’s degree in another. Likewise, there are states in
whichan employee enrolled in high school or a GED program is
qualified to be a lead teacher, and in other states lead teachers
must hold, ata minimum, a Child Development Associate (CDA)
credential (NARA, 2013).

Staff qualifications are, in fact, one of the most important chara
cteristics that determine program quality and have a significant
impacton child outcomes (Early et al., 2006; Kontos, Howes, &
Galinsky, 1997; Mims, Scott-
Little, Lower, Cassidy, & Hestenes, 2008; Snider &Fu, 1990; V
u, Jeon, & Howes, 2008). They are of particular importance to d
irectors who are responsible for deciding who to hire, andsometi
mes who to terminate from employment. For that reason, they w
ill be addressed in greater detail later in this chapter.
4.
Facilities, equipment, and transportation. Licensing codes typic
ally require applicants to satisfy health department and firemars
hal requirements before applying for a license to operate a child
care center. All states that regulate child care specify the amou
ntof indoor space (square footage) available per child. Most stat
es regulate the amount of outdoor space, require that indoor and
outdoor equipment be safe and in good repair, and require outdo
or fencing. Almost all states have regulations related to transpor
tingchildren in vehicles. Most specify that the driver must have
a valid driver’s license, address the driver’s minimum age, and r
equire thatthe vehicle be kept in good repair. Many require chil
dren to be secured in safety restraints (NARA, 2013).
When well-qualified teachers work with appropriate-
sized groups of children, they have the opportunity to engage in
meaningful one-on-oneconversations that support learning.
Suzanne Clouzeau/Pearson Education
5.
Health and safety. All states that regulate child care require part
icipating children to have either specified immunizations before
theyare allowed to participate or documentation indicating why
they are exempt from this requirement. Procedures for administ
eringmedications to children while they are in care are required
by most states. In addition, most require children and staff to ha
ve aphysical exam. Other health and safety issues often address
ed in regulations include descriptions of required health forms f

orchildren and staff; requirements for reporting serious injuries,
deaths, and infectious illnesses; measures to ensure children’s s
ecurity,such as keeping daily attendance records and establishin
g procedures for accepting children in the morning and releasin
g them at theend of the day; the existence of emergency prepare
dness plans; plans to conduct regular fire drills; hand-
washing requirements forchildren and staff; diapering procedure
s; the availability of a first aid kit; rules related to smoking and
firearms; storage of hazardousmaterials; and guidelines for keep
ing animals (AAP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011; NARA, 2013). The
recent emphasis on the prevention ofsudden infant death syndro
me (SIDS) has resulted in the addition in many states of regulati
ons addressing infants’ sleeping positions(Office of Child Care,
2013).
6.
Activities and materials. Almost all states have some regulation
s specifying the types of activities that centers must include in a
child’s day, and many require teachers to create daily schedules.
Regulations typically require active and quiet play indoors and
out,nap or rest time, individual and group activities, and regular
meals and snacks. Many states also require programs to explicit
ly addressfine motor, social, emotional, physical, cognitive, cult
ural, and language and literacy development. Specific regulation
s are likely torequire, at a minimum, fine-
motor toys and manipulatives, books and materials to support lit
eracy, props to support dramatic play andmake-
believe, and art supplies (NARA, 2013).
7.
Discipline. Almost all states that license child care centers have
regulations related to behavior management, guidance, and disc
ipline.Many states stipulate that programs use “no harsh discipli
ne” and prohibit specific practices such as forced napping, lock
ed timeout,or yelling at children. Two states continue to allow c
orporal punishment under certain circumstances (NARA, 2013).
8.
Food and Nutrition. All states that regulate child care have requ

irements addressing the nutritional content of the food they serv
e tochildren, and most have specific regulations addressing the
nutritional needs of infants. These regulations are likely to also
addressthe intervals between snacks and meals, require centers t
o post menus in advance, and may indicate whether families are
permitted toprovide meals and snacks for their own children.
9.
Communicating with Parents and Parent Involvement. Most stat
es address how centers are to communicate with parents to keept
hem informed about the program their child attends. Strategies f
or communicating with families include providing them with wr
ittencopies of the program’s policies and procedures, logging ch
ildren’s daily activities, and regularly scheduling meeting with
parents. Almost all states require that centers permit parents to
visit without prior notice, and some also require that parents be
givenopportunities to be involved in the center (NARA, 2013).
Application Activity
Working in small groups, refer to your state’s online child care
regulations to become familiar with requirements related to requ
iredactivities and equipment. (Locate these regulations by follo
wing the link from the National Resource Center for Health and
Safety inChild Care and Early Education website).
Assume you have the basic tables, chairs, resting cots, and book
shelves to equip a classroom for infants, toddlers, and 3- or 4-
year-
olds. What would you purchase if you had $1,000 to spend to en
hance the collection of fine-
motor toys, books and literacy materials,dramatic play, or art ce
nter in one of these classrooms? Use a catalog or the website of
a school-
supply company (see Appendix 1) toidentify what you would sel
ect.
Family Child Care Regulations:
Regulation of small and large family child care remains inconsis
tent. Twenty-
nine states (57%) require small family child care homes to belic

ensed; 34 states (36%) require a license for large family child c
are homes. These regulations are typically similar to those for c
hild carecenters. The main differences in the family child care r
egulations concern:
1.
How the number of children will be counted. All children on the
premises who are to be supervised, including the caregiver’s o
wnchildren, are typically counted in the home’s approved capaci
ty.
2. How keeping infants and toddlers and school-
age children affects the number of children who can be served.
Most family child carehomes have mixed-age groups.
3.
How the inside and outside areas of the home, and the family’s
personal possessions, are to be childproofed to ensure children’s
health and safety. These accident-
prevention regulations are likely to address how children are to
be protected from dangerousfeatures, such as stairs, and danger
ous items, such as weapons, which are found in some homes. (A
AP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011)
Other states offer family child care providers registration or cer
tification as an alternative to licensure. Providers seeking regist
ration orcertification are asked to affirm that they have met iden
tified health and fire standards and, in some instances, that they
have submittedcriminal background checks for individuals who
work with or are around children as well as family members ove
r the age of 10 who live inthe home. In many states, registration
or certification simply involves submitting an application to th
e child care licensing agency, andregulatory staff visit registere
d centers only in the case of complaints. Fifteen states (29%) of
fer small family child care homes this option;six states (18%) of
fer it to large family child care homes (NARA, 2013). When par
ticipation in the regulatory system is optional, becominglicense
d or registered often makes family child care homes eligible to
participate in the state’s professional development and qualityen
hancement initiatives.

Many advocates voice their concerns that the majority of child c
are homes remain outside the state’s regulatory system, and that
regulations remain largely voluntary for family child care (NAR
A, 2013). Others suggest that center-
based regulations should apply tofamily child care programs. In
any case, we know there is a great demand for family child care,
and, in most communities, there is greatvariability in its availa
bility and the quality of the services they provide.
Reviewing and Revising Child Care Regulations:
Most states mandate regular reviews of their child care regulatio
ns. This process is usually led by an appointed child care adviso
ry board.States are encouraged to ensure that this board reflects
the state’s cultural and ethnic diversity and includes representat
ives from allstakeholder groups, including for-profit and not-
for-
profit operators and caregivers; parents of children enrolled in c
hild care; personnelfrom agencies that regulate child care; early
childhood education, child development and health care professi
onals; citizens; and politicians.
This board typically reviews the regulations on a regular multiy
ear cycle and then proposes changes to licensing regulations, if
needed,based on recent research and experts’ advice about how t
o safeguard children’s physical and emotional well-
being. The board thenpresents these proposed changes in a serie
s of public hearings, giving interested citizens the opportunity t
o express their concerns and/orsupport. Changes to the original
proposal may be necessary before revised regulations are submit
ted to the state legislature for adoption.Some states provide a gr
adual phase-
in of new rules, particularly when the changes have economic ra
mifications, as do those affectinggroup size or child—
staff ratios (AAP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011).
Regulations That Apply to Governmental Agency’s Programs:
Publicly funded early childhood programs may not be subject to
state child care licensing regulations. Instead, programs operate
d by thepublic school system often fall within the jurisdiction of

the state’s educational agency (SEA), and Head Start programs
are regulated byfederal guidelines.
Many states have an office of early childhood education within i
ts department of education. That state office works with
·
districts, principals, and teachers providing oversight and techni
cal assistance
·
the public, sharing information about standards, regulations, an
d trends and issues in early childhood education
·
legislators and other policy makers who shape and influence leg
islation that affects early childhood programs
The National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in Stat
e Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) is a national organiz
ation, foundedin 1972, that provides resources and networking o
pportunities for state-
level early childhood leaders such as directors of states’ offices
ofearly childhood education. It also helps unify members’ effort
s to advocate for policies that support quality programming for
youngchildren.
Concerns about Regulatory Policies:
In spite of advocates’ efforts to enact child care licensing regula
tions that set high expectations, concerns about the quality of cu
rrentlicensing’s minimal standards remain:
1.
Some states’ child care regulations exempt a large number of pr
ograms. The most frequent exemptions apply to programs that c
arefor children while their parents are on the premises, such as t
hose located in health clubs and shopping centers; part-
day programs;programs operated by faith-
based organizations; recreation programs such as those offering
dance or karate classes; and day camps(NARA, 2013). After-
school programs have, historically, also been unregulated. This
gap in oversight is closing, however. To date, 23states have ado
pted abbreviated licensing standards for services for school-

age children (NARA, 2013). These less comprehensiveregulatio
ns most often address the physical environment, child—
staff ratios and maximum group size, staff qualifications andbac
kground checks, health and hygiene, and program activities (U.
S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2006).
2.
Licensing codes often fall below standards recommended by the
American Academy of Pediatrics or NAEYC in critical indicato
rs ofquality, such as child—
staff ratios, group size, and the education and training of staff (
AAP/APHA/NRCHSCC, 2011; Child Care Aware®of America,
2013).
3.
Many states’ licensing agencies face challenges providing traini
ng to licensing staff, keeping caseloads at recommended levels,
andhaving adequate resources to provide regular onsite monitori
ng to ensure effective enforcement and meaningful technical ass
istance(NARA, 2013).
Advocates calling for higher licensing standards recommend tha
t states eliminate exemptions and create incentives for all progr
ams caringfor children to be licensed. They also recommend red
uced licensing staff caseloads so that inspectors will be able to
visit programsregularly and provide technical support as needed
.
Additional issues that advocates in some states are working to c
hange relate to staff qualifications, group size, and child—
staff. They call forlicensing standards that reflect current resear
ch identifying characteristics of quality related to positive child
outcomes and for streamlinedlicensure processes (Cost, Quality
, and Child Outcomes Study Team, 1995; NAEYC, 2011; NARA
, 2013).
Application Activity
Compare Head Start Program Performance Standards (found by
searching “Head Start Performance Standards”) with your state’
slicensing standards. (Locate your state’s licensing regulations
by following the link from the National Resource Center for He

alth andSafety in Child Care and Early Education website). Iden
tify some ways this federal program for low-
income families sets a higherstandard of care than is required fo
r many programs operated under different auspices. You might b
egin by comparing theregulations related to group size, require
ments for working closely with families, and teachers’ required
professional preparation.
3.2 ACCREDITATION
Accreditation is a voluntary system of evaluation that measures
a program’s success meeting the accrediting organization’s esta
blishedstandards of practice. Programs that achieve accreditatio
n have demonstrated that they have achieved a recognized stand
ard of excellence.As publically funded prekindergarten (4K or p
re-
K) programs have grown in popularity, some states have enacted
regulations requiringprograms receiving state monies to be accr
edited or to be actively working toward accreditation. States’ in
centives for accreditation includehigher rates of tuition reimbur
sement for children receiving subsidies as well as prioritized ac
cess to state-
supported quality enhancementinitiatives (Education Commissio
n of the States [ECS], 2002; Winterbottom & Jones, 2014).
A study of directors’ perceptions of the benefits of accreditation
found that 55% of directors of accredited programs thought thei
rprograms were more visible, and 38% reported that accreditatio
n made marketing easier. More than 90% of directors reported t
hat theybelieved the quality of their programs increased because
they pursued accreditation. They identified improvements in th
e areas ofcurriculum, administration, health and safety, and the
physical environment. The directors also stated that children be
nefited from betterstaff morale and improved knowledge and un
derstanding of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), and
parents had an increasedunderstanding of the characteristics of
high-quality care (Herr, Johnson, & Zimmerman, 1993).

Accredited and nonaccredited early childhood programs have be
en shown to differ in a number of significant ways, including th
e staffmembers’ willingness to innovate and accept of change; c
onsensus as to the program’s goals; compliance with child care
regulations;opportunities for staff development; economic stabil
ity; clarity about policies and procedures; communication withi
n the program and withparticipating families; and cultural conti
nuity, especially when working with children who are learning
English as their second language(Crowley, Jeon, & Rosenthal, 2
013; Rendon, Harjusola-
Webb, & Gatmaitan, 2013: Rohacek, Adams, & Kisker, 2010).
The NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditati
on was established in 1985 and is generally accepted as the “gol
d standard”of quality programming. It is the most well-
known, most widely respected, and most researched accreditatio
n system in the field. In 1999,the NAEYC Academy for Early C
hildhood Program Accreditation began reinventing NAEYC’s ac
creditation system. Revised Early ChildhoodProgram Standards
and Accreditation Criteria were approved in 2005 and took effec
t in September 2006. Those revisions were designed toincrease t
he reliability of program evaluation, improve the system’s respo
nsiveness and the timeliness of onsite validation visits, and rais
ethe bar of quality. The NAEYC Accreditation criteria are revie
wed on a regular schedule and are revised, as needed, to reflect
recentresearch related to best practices in early care and educati
on (NAEYC, 2014a).
In 1988, just a few hundred centers had earned the recently laun
ched NAEYC Accreditation. By 2007, the public had become m
ore informedabout the importance of quality and what it meant f
or a program to be accredited by NAEYC. At that time, more th
an 10,000 accreditedprograms were serving nearly 1 million chil
dren. The number of accredited programs has declined in recent
years. In 2014, NAEYCreported fewer than 7,000 accredited cen
ters serving a little over 600,000 children. Two possible explana
tions for decreased participationin NAEYC Accreditation are th
e increased rigor and cost of the NAEYC Accreditation process

and the proliferation of alternativeaccreditation systems that put
some of the same benefits (i.e., enhanced payments in states’ v
oucher systems or exemption from sometaxes) within easier reac
h.
This video provides an overview of NAEYC Accreditation and
identifies howchildren, families, program administrators and sta
ff, programs, and communitiesbenefit when young children parti
cipate in high-
quality programming. It alsodescribes where additional resource
s about NAEYC Accreditation can be found.Watch this video to
learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhBBd9Tl4k4
There are four steps to acquiring NAEYC Accreditation. Center
s must:
1. Enroll in a self-
study that helps the program identify the strengths it brings to t
he accreditation process, identify areas in which itneeds to conc
entrate improvement efforts, and make and implement specific p
rogram improvement plans to address all accreditationstandards.
Programs can take as long as they need to complete this self-
study process.
2.
Submit an application for accreditation in which the program in
dicates it will complete the formal self-
assessment, document how ithas met each standard to date, and
describe plans for satisfying all required accreditation criteria w
ithin one year.
3.
Become a candidate for accreditation by submitting the required
self-
assessment report and other documentation describing theprogra
m’s structure and the qualifications of administrators and staff.
4.
Host an onsite visit scheduled for within 6 months of the submis
sion of its candidacy materials.
Fees are assessed at each step of the process and are determined

by the number of children served. The initial cost of accreditati
on forsmall centers (1 to 60 children) totals $1,570, with an ann
ual report fee of $550. Fees increase for programs serving 61–
120 children, 121–240 children, and 241–
360 children and at 120-
child increments thereafter. Accredited programs must submit fo
ur annual reports over the5-
year term of their accreditation and must reapply and successful
ly renew their accreditation before the end of their 5-
year term. Adetailed description of the process of pursuing NAE
YC Accreditation can be found by following links to Accreditati
on of Programs for YoungChildren from the NAEYC website (se
e the inside front and inside back covers along with the first fou
r pages of this book for the NAEYCAccreditation Standards).
Many programs begin the NAEYC Accreditation process but sta
ll during self-
study either when seeking initial accreditation or duringreaccred
itation. Talley (1997) found directors most often reported a lack
of time, problems with high levels of staff turnover, and progra
minstability as the major reasons for abandoning the accreditati
on process. Three other frequently identified barriers to success
were newdirectors who felt ill equipped to successfully achieve
accreditation, saw the application process as overwhelming, and
viewed otherprogram concerns as higher priorities. Although a
few program directors with a strong, stable staff and healthy en
vironments believedaccreditation was not important, most failed
to complete the required self-
study because they were unsure about the quality of theirprogra
m and their chances for success.
Some states have approved a number of organizations’ accredita
tion systems for state-supported benefits, including higher-than-
minimalreimbursement rates and tax savings. These states are li
kely to require approved accreditation systems to address the sa
me attributes ofquality and to set expectations for equivalent lev
els of quality as the accreditation standards of NAEYC, the Nati
onal Association of FamilyChild Care (NAFCC), or the National

Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) Commission
(Winterbottom & Jones, 2014). You maywant to learn more abo
ut these alternative accreditation systems: the Association of Ch
ristian Schools International (ACSI), the NationalAccreditation
Commission for Early Care and Education Programs (NAC), Mo
ntessori School Accreditation Commission (MSAC); theNational
Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA), the National
Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA), and the National Coun
cil forPrivate School Accreditation (NCPSA).
Early childhood programs located in public schools are accredit
ed by their state education agency and possibly by the Southern
Associationof Colleges and Schools (SACS). They may also be
accredited by NAEYC or by some of the organizations identifie
d earlier.
Review Table 3.1 for a comparison of licensure and program ac
creditation. It clearly identifies the differences between licensur
e developedto protect children from harm and accreditation stan
dards setting a high bar for program quality.
Table 3.1
A Comparison of Licensure and Program Accreditation
Licensure
Mandatory
Developed by governmental and funding agencies
Minimal level of quality
Requires full compliance
Enforced at state and local levels
Failure to comply can result in revocation of the center’s
license; it cannot operate legally
Accreditation
Voluntary
Developed by professional organizations
Higher-than-minimal standard of quality
Requires substantial compliance
Nationally validated and enforced

Failure to comply may mean the center loses accreditation but
can continue to operate legally
3.3 QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEMS
Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS) (sometimes called
Quality Rating Systems [QRS]) are systematic approaches to im
proving thequality of child care and after school programs. The
y are designed to increase program quality by bridging the gap b
etween the minimumstandards set by each state’s child care lice
nsing standards and the high standards that reflect research-
based best practices. They provideresources and incentives desi
gned to improve participating programs’ quality and to make pa
rents better consumers by helping themunderstand the characteri
stics of quality programming (NAEYC, 2011; Schulman, Matthe
ws, Blank, & Ewen, 2012). QRIS programs typicallyuse easily u
nderstood symbols, most frequently an increasing number of sta
rs, to identify each level of quality (Mitchell, 2005). Everysyste
m includes two or more levels of quality above the floor created
by mandatory licensing regulations. All but two states link rati
ngs tonational accreditation, sometimes automatically giving ac
credited programs the highest ranking because they assume that
accreditationstandards are at least as rigorous as the states’ rank
ing system (Mitchell, 2005; National Center on Child Care Qual
ity Improvement, TheOffice of Child Care, n.d.; Schulman, Matt
hews, Blank, & Ewen, 2012).
Figure 3.2 identifies the characteristics shared by all QRIS prog
rams.
This video provides an overview of the Massachusetts QRIS. It
describes howthe system, which sets higher-than-

minimal standards, has been designed to assess,improve, and co
mmunicate the level of quality in participating programs of earl
ycare and education. Watch this video to learn more about QRIS
systems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQalDq3fr3w
Figure 3.2
Components of All Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
Since the implementation of the first QRS in Oklahoma in 1998,
they have attracted the attention of communities from coast to c
oast. States’approaches to creating their QRIS vary considerabl
y. Some make their system a statewide venture, while others lim
it their implementationto particular counties or metropolitan are
as, particularly during their pilot phase. In some states, all cente
rs are required to participate; inothers, participation is voluntar
y. By 2014, 42 states had a QRIS in place, and all but one of the
remaining states was in the process ofpiloting or designing a st
atewide improvement system4 (QRIS National Learning Networ
k, 2014). The federal Race to the Top Early LearningChallenge
grants rewarded states that committed to strengthening their earl
y learning systems, which accelerated the process of QRISdevel
opment in several locales (Schulman, Matthews, Blank, & Ewen
, 2012). Follow links from the website of the QRIS National Lea
rningNetwork listed at the end of this chapter for information ab
out each state’s QRIS system.
3.4 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS ADDRESSED IN LICENSING
AND HEAD START REGULATIONS, ACCREDITATION, AN
D QRISSYSTEMS
One factor to consider when making staffing decisions is the ap
plicant’s educational background and previous experience. Reco
gnition ofan administrator’s or a teacher’s expertise is called cr
edentialing, certification, or licensure. High demand for early c
hildhood programpersonnel, inadequate compensation, high staf
f turnover, and the lack of a professional consensus as to releva
nt qualifications haveresulted in many programs operating with
minimally qualified administrators, teachers, and caregivers.

Directors’ Qualifications
The director’s knowledge and skill are increasingly recognized
as essential components of quality (Mims, Scott-
Little, Lower, Cassidy, &Hestenes, 2008; Vu, Jeon, & Howes, 2
008); however, there is evidence that many directors of child ca
re programs (Caruso, 1991), andprincipals (Charlesworth, Hart,
Burts, & DeWolf, 1993; Mead, 2011; National Association of El
ementary School Principals [NAESP], 2005)lack thorough traini
ng in developmentally appropriate instructional strategies that s
upport curriculum reflecting children’s individualneeds, interest
s, and strengths. As a result, teachers continue to struggle with
administrators who lack these understandings (Goldstein,1997;
NAESP Foundation Task Force on Early Learning, 2011; West,
2001). One explanation for this lack of specialized knowledge is
thatmany directors are former classroom teachers. Their trainin
g and experience are likely to have made them familiar with you
ng children andthe fundamentals of developmentally appropriate
instruction. These experiences, however, have not equipped the
m with the expertise inthe organization theory and leadership, m
anagement, staff development, legal issues, fiscal management,
and marketing they need as aprogram administrator (Bloom, 198
9; Mitchell, 2000). For this reason, directors’ qualifications are
addressed in all states’ licensingregulations as well as in accred
itation standards and QRIS systems.
Licensing Standards, Head Start Regulations, and Other System
s That Address Directors’ Qualifications:
There is great variability in states’ educational requirements for
directors, and many states’ child care regulations continue to se
t minimaleducational, age, and prior early childhood experience
requirements for directors working in licensed facilities. Most s
tates requireadministrators to be at least 21 years old and to hol
d at least a high school diploma or a General Education Develop
ment (GED) andprior experience or specialized training to serve
as a program director; however, for ten states, a GED or high s
chool diploma is sufficient.Twelve states require a Child Develo
pment Associate (CDA) Credential, while seven permit individu

als who are working on but have notyet completed that credentia
l to direct licensed centers. Eighteen states require a CDA with
additional training or credit, three require anassociate’s degree i
n early childhood education or a related field, one requires a ba
chelor’s degree, and one requires a bachelor’s degree inearly ch
ildhood education or a related field (Child Care Aware® of Ame
rica, 2013). Current initiatives focused on increasing the quality
ofprograms of early care and education have increased the amo
unt of professional preparation several states require for directo
rs; manyhave increased the amount of annual training hours the
y are required to have (NARA, 2013). Advocates for quality rec
ommend thatdirectors of licensed programs be required to earn a
yet-to be-developed national competency-
based credential that is linked to a credit-
granting institution (Child Care Aware® of America, 2013).
Note that the CDA Credential is currently the most frequently re
quired form of specialized training an individual is likely to nee
d to becomea center director. That means a director must have a
high school diploma or GED as well as the equivalent of 9 to 1
2 credit hours ofprofessional education and demonstrated compe
tence meeting CDA’s six competencies shown in Figure 3.3.
Figure 3.3
CDA Competencies and Functional Areas
From CDA Competencies. Copyright© by Council for Professio
nal Recognition. Reprinted by permission.
Head Start does not require any specific training for directors. J
ust as in other child care settings, most directors come from the
ranks ofclassroom teachers. Those who come from outside Head
Start usually have extensive experience in programs serving chi
ldren living in low-
income communities. Head Start offers workshops for new direc
tors, week-
long regional training sessions, tailored administrativeconsultati
on, and the Head Start Management Fellows program to prepare
new directors to meet Performance Standards and otherregulatio

ns.
Administrators of public schools offering early childhood progr
ams including prekindergarten (or child development) classes, k
indergarten,and primary grades must hold a state administrator’
s certificate. They are required to hold a valid teaching certifica
te, have had teachingexperience, and have taken specified gradu
ate courses in administration. Although public school administr
ators are well educated andexperienced in “school matters,” few
states require specialized knowledge in early childhood educati
on serving children from birth to age 8.They may be ill-
equipped to provide supervision and instructional leadership to
early childhood teachers.
Accreditation and QRIS Standards That Address Directors’ Qual
ifications:
NAEYC’s Accreditation Standards (2007) identify directors’ cor
e competencies (see the first four pages of this book). These co
mpetenciesand the management and leadership functions listed
next are a helpful place to begin building your understanding of
what effectivedirectors need to know and be able to do to lead t
heir program to reach a high standard of quality.
Program administrators of high-
quality programs are successful in managing responsibilities rel
ated to:
·
Pedagogy. Creating a learning community of children and adults
that promotes optimal child development and learning.
·
The Center’s Organization and Systems. Establishing systems fo
r smooth program functioning and managing staff to carry out th
eprogram’s mission, planning and budgeting the program’s fisca
l resources, managing organizational change, and establishing s
ystemsto monitor and evaluate organizational performance.
·
Human Resources. Recruiting, selecting, and orienting personne
l. Overseeing systems for the supervision, retention, and profess
ionaldevelopment of staff that affirm program values and promo

te a shared vision.
·
Collaboration. Establishing partnerships with families, board m
embers, community representatives, civic leaders, and otherstak
eholders to provide quality services for children and their famili
es.
·
Advocacy. Taking action and encouraging others to work on beh
alf of high-
quality services that meet the needs of children and theirfamilie
s.
A number of states offer a director’s credential that qualifies in
dividuals to direct programs of early care and education and oft
en helpstheir programs satisfy higher-than-
minimal accreditation and QRIS standards. These credentials ar
e most often offered through communitycollege or technical coll
ege systems. There are also online director-
credentialing programs; however, not all qualify graduates to as
sume thedirectorship in every state, nor are all approved for dire
ctors in NAEYC-accredited programs.
An increasing number of colleges and universities offer bachelo
r’s and master’s degrees in early childhood administration. Onli
neprograms have proliferated in recent years however, just as th
e quality of credentialing programs vary, so does the quality of t
hese degrees.It is important to investigate them before enrolling
because not all degrees earned through online institutions are r
ecognized as qualifyinggraduates for positions that require posts
econdary degrees. Programs offered by highly respected institut
ions (e.g., National LouisUniversity’s Center for Early Childho
od Leadership) do, however, provide their graduates with knowl
edge and skill and a respected degreethat will qualify them for
many leadership positions. These degree programs represent im
portant steps toward increasing a director’sknowledge, skill, an
d professionalism and should lead the way in efforts to documen
t how his or her level of skill and expertise contributeto quality.
Teachers’ Qualifications

Teachers’ qualifications, including the extent and duration of th
eir preservice field experiences and the characteristics of their o
ngoingprofessional development, have a significant impact on th
e program’s quality and are addressed in each state’s licensing r
egulations,accreditation standards, and QRIS systems. They are
an important factor in determining the likelihood that the progra
m will contribute tochildren’s growth and development and their
success in school and beyond (Early et al., 2006; Kontos, Howe
s, & Galinsky, 1997; Mims,Scott-
Little, Lower, Cassidy, & Hestene, 2008; Snider & Fu, 1990; Vu
, Jeon, & Howes, 2008).
Licensing Standards, Head Start Regulations, and Other System
s That Address Teachers’ Qualifications:
Although child care is still seen by some as an unskilled occupa
tion, there is a rising tide of commitment to increasing the profe
ssionalism ofthe child care workforce. The movement toward pr
ofessionalism was fueled, in part, by Head Start’s 2007 reauthor
ization, which mandatedthat by 2013, at least 50% of all Head S
tart teachers in center-
based programs have at least an associate’s degree (Administrat
ion forChildren and Families [ACF], 2007). Similar requirement
s have been adopted by accreditation and QRIS systems striving
for higher quality.
States’ child care regulations also address teachers’ qualificatio
ns. Most states require teachers to be at least 18 years of age. T
he mostcommon minimum qualification for teachers is experien
ce with or without a high school diploma or GED. A number of
states requiremaster teachers to hold at least a CDA Credential.
Most states also require teachers to be trained in CPR, to be ori
ented to their programwhen they begin employment, and to parti
cipate in ongoing professional development (NARA, 2013).
All states require teachers working with young children in publi
c schools to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and to be certified;
however,states’ requirements vary greatly. Some states’ early c
hildhood certification qualifies teachers to work with children fr
om birth to second,third, or fourth grade, or to age 8; others pre

pare them for work with children from birth to age 5 or when th
ey are in kindergarten; someextend from pre-
K into the primary grades, and still others address only pre-
K and kindergarten age groups. Sometimes states combineearly
childhood with special education certification; others offer only
add-
on certification that builds on preparation to teach elementary-
age children (Jones, Martin, & Crandall, 2009). Some states req
uire certified teachers to hold a master’s degree for initial certif
ication, andmany require candidates to pass standardized tests s
uch as Praxis. Suffice it to say that states’ approaches to early c
hildhood certificationare varied and change so frequently that it
is difficult to keep up-to-
date on the latest regulations (Jones, Martin, & Crandall, 2009).
States also use different terms to describe the same kind of prog
ramming. It is not clear, for example, if pre-
K, nursery, and programs for 3-year-
olds are the same kinds of programs (Fields & Mitchell, 2007). I
n addition, certification requirements vary from requiring an in-
depthpreparation in growth and development, instruction in appr
opriate strategies for teaching young children, and supervised st
udent teachingto add-
on and alternative certification programs that require just a few
courses and little or no supervised practical experience.
Students graduating in good standing from a state-
approved early childhood program can expect to be recommende
d for certification inthe state where their college or university is
located. They are also eligible for certification in states that ha
ve developed reciprocalcertification agreements with the state o
f the institution granting their degree.
The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS
) has been offering early childhood certification since 1987. The
rigorousNBPTS certification process requires candidates to sub
mit a portfolio documenting their teaching skills and to pass a c
omprehensivewritten exam. Many states supplement the salaries
of NBPTS-

certified teachers. NBPTS certification is a nationally recognize
d credential soteachers can maintain their certification if they m
ove from one state to another.
In recent years, the importance of placing appropriately certifie
d teachers in public school early childhood classrooms has beco
me moreimportant than ever. Federal No Child Left Behind (NC
LB) legislation enacted in 2001 requires classroom teachers in p
ublic schoolsreceiving federal funds to be “highly qualified,” th
at is, working with the age group for which they are fully certifi
ed. This is one criterionincluded in mandated school report card
s that evaluates public schools’ ability to reach expected levels
of excellence.
Specialized Teacher Qualifications:
Several additional certification programs may apply to teachers
of young children. The instructional staff of Montessori schools
that belongto the American Montessori Society (AMS) must, in
addition to satisfying state licensing or certification requiremen
ts, meet AMScertification requirements for working with infants
and toddlers and in early childhood (ages 2 1/2 to 6 years), ele
mentary, or secondaryprograms.
The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) out of the WestEd
Center for Child and Family Studies certifies trainers qualified t
o conducttrainings, coach, and provide technical assistance to c
aregivers working with children from birth to age 3. The HighSc
ope Foundation offersspecialized training that qualifies teachers
for HighScope certification. In addition, the HighScope Educati
onal Research Foundation awardsaccreditation to qualified prog
rams that demonstrate their ability to implement the HighScope
curriculum accurately.
A Better Way
In spite of the fact that Marie is confident in the quality of her p
rogram and the center’s enrollment has remained strong, she has
begun toreconsider her decision not to participate in the state’s
QRIS. She has learned that the state has recently made grants to
purchase classroommaterials available to centers that participat
e at its higher levels, and that there are special benefits to beco

ming fully accredited. Thesebenefits are particularly attractive a
s the program recovers from the recent difficult economic times.
For those reasons, she has researched anumber of accreditation
systems that, if she were to earn accreditation, would automatic
ally qualify her center for the state’s highest ranking.She has de
cided that the time, money, and effort invested in pursuing accr
editation would pay off in the long run and has sent for theaccre
ditation self-
study materials. Her decision was made easier by the great confi
dence she has in her assistant director; Marie hopes thatshe will
take the lead in managing the accreditation process by leading s
taff development, describing what they will need to do to becom
eaccredited, completing the required paperwork, and collecting
and organizing documentation.
3.5 MEETING LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Administrators of child care programs have some obligations th
at are not directly related to their responsibilities to protect chil
dren andcollaborate with their families. They concern the busine
ss aspects of early care and education, such as the legal existenc
e of privateprograms, tax regulations, and regulations that apply
to hiring and terminating personnel. Owners and operators of c
hild care programsmust think carefully about the risks and dutie
s they assume when they and their employees become responsibl
e for the safety and well-
being of other people’s children. They need to be well aware of
the financial liabilities they may face due to injuries suffered by
childrenwhile under the supervision of their employees, or even
by their employees while working on the job. They also need to
take care to complywith federal laws designed to protect emplo
yees and ensure their well-
being. It is essential to consult with competent business and tax
professionals to set up a child care center and operate it lawfull
y. Some of the many issues you will need to consider are addres
sed below.

Selecting the Best Type of Business Entity
Proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), an
d corporation are legal categories for four types of private owne
rship. Legalrequirements for operating an early childhood progr
am under any of these categories vary from state to state. If you
are planning toestablish a private early childhood program, you
need to seek advice from a lawyer or a tax advisor to learn abo
ut laws and regulationsthat may apply. They will provide essent
ial counsel and assist in helping to ensure that you chose the rig
ht business entity and establishappropriate operating procedures
. Various forms of business entities are summarized and compar
ed in Table 3.2 which differentiatesbetween sole proprietorships
, partnerships, and three kinds of corporations and summarizes t
he characteristics of each.
Proprietorship:
Under a proprietorship, a program is owned by one person. Anot
her name for this type of business entity is sole proprietorship.
The ownerhas no partners or co-
owners. Sole proprietorships may consist purely of a single own
er-
operator or may have one or more additionalpersons (called “ag
ents”) doing work for the single owner. This type of entity is no
t recommended for owning and operating a child carecenter bec
ause the owner would likely to be required to assume full perso
nal financial responsibility for the liabilities of the business.Bec
ause of the risks inherent to owning and operating a child care p
rogram, the sole proprietorship form of doing business is notrec
ommended, even when the owner carries liability insurance to p
rotect against legal risks. The owner may be held personally lia
ble forcontractual or other liabilities beyond his or her ability to
control, and the liability may exceed the owner’s personal fund
s or insurancecoverage, leading to personal bankruptcy.
Partnership:
In a partnership, two or more individuals join together to operat
e a program as co-
owners. A partnership may involve several individualsor entitie

s as copartners. For example, other partnerships or corporations
may serve as partners in a child care center’s ownership andope
ration. In the case of a general partnership, the partners face per
sonal liability for the debts and liabilities of the center, as is the
case forsole proprietorships. For this reason, use of a general p
artnership is not usually recommended. A limited liability comp
any and the corporation are better options. They are described n
ext.
Table 3.2
Comparison of Business Entities
Entities
Sole Proprietorship
General Partnership
Limited Liability Corporation
S Corporation
C Corporation
Liability protection
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes

Reduced entity taxation
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Business debts separate from owners?
No
No
Yes, unless guaranteed
Yes, unless guaranteed
Easy to form?
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Filing requirements other than business license

None
None
Yes
Yes
Yes
Management
Owner controls
Partners
Either member managed, like a general partnership or manager
managed, like a corporation
Both these entities are usually managed by board of directors,
though special management agreements may be permitted;
directors typically delegate to officers and other agents
Permanence
No
No
Harder to dissolve
Yes
Yes

Transferability of interests
Can assign
Same as GP
Freely transferable; may be subject to agreement
Freely transferable; may be subject to share transfer agreement
Note: The most two important entity choice factors are liability
protection and reduced tax liability. As the chart reflects, the
most favored entities in these regards are the LLC and the S
Corporation. Each entity features different benefits and
drawbacks. State laws vary. You should consult with your tax
advisor before deciding which is best for you.
Limited Liability Company (LLC):
An LLC is a separate legal entity in the eyes of the law. Thus,
owners of an LLC must file with the state government, typically
with the secretary of state, to establish their business. In many
states, an LLC may consist of one or more members. In other
words, if state law permits, a single owner can establish the
business as an LLC.
An LLC has two key benefits. The first is shared with sole
proprietorships and partnerships; the second is not. An LLC
owner has the ability to declare that the business will be taxed
as if it were a partnership, meaning that there is no separate tax
levied on the business entity itself. Alternatively, the owner
may declare that the LLC will be taxed as if it were a
corporation.
The second major benefit of LLC status separates the LLC from
sole proprietorships and general partnerships and is very
valuable. That benefit is limited liability, which frees the owner

from personal liability for wrongs committed by others that lead
to claims against the entity. The owner of an LLC risks his or
her personal investment in the business but does not face
unlimited personal liability for the business’s debts or for
actions of employees or co-owners. On the other hand,
functioning as an LLC (or, for that matter, as a corporation) will
not permit the entity’s owner to escape personal liability for
wrongdoing he or she personally commits.
The LLC is a flexible entity when it comes to management
structure. With multiple owners, the LLC can be operated with
corporate-like formalities (through a board of directors, for
example) or like a partnership, with each member playing a role
in decision making. This latter type of management style, called
member managed, is the standard way LLCs are run, but a more
formal board of directors system can be agreed to by the
members. A competent lawyer or tax advisor can help you
structure an LLC to help protect the owner against personal
liability and to ensure the owner takes advantage of available
tax provisions.
Corporation:
A corporation is a legal entity, just like the LLC. It may be
established on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis. Corporations
typically exist forever unless dissolved by the board of directors
or through court proceedings. Like LLCs, corporations offer
their members the benefit of limited liability.
Because the corporation is a legal entity, several documents
must be filed with appropriate state offices. The forms are
usually somewhat different for for-profit and not-for-profit
corporations. Three documents are required to complete the
incorporation process:
Articles of incorporation or certificate of incorporation. The
organization’s legal creators, or incorporators, use this form to

provide the public with information about the corporation, such
as the center’s name and address; its purposes; whether it is a
for-profit or not-for-profit corporation; its powers, for example,
to own and operate a child care center; names and addresses of
the initial board of directors; initial officers; and the date of the
annual meeting.
Bylaws. The IRS requires bylaws if the corporation is seeking
tax-exempt status. Most corporations have them. They explain
how the corporation will conduct its internal business including
what tasks are to be performed by the various officers and the
board. They may also describe voting and meeting requirements.
Minutes of the incorporators’ meeting. After the incorporators
prepare the articles of incorporation and bylaws, an
incorporators’ meeting is held. The name of the corporation is
approved, and the articles of incorporation and bylaws are
signed. The incorporators elect officers and the board of
directors. Various business actions, such as the authority to
open a bank account, are approved. In for-profit corporations,
the incorporators may vote to authorize the issuance of stock.
Minutes of the incorporators’ meeting and subsequent board
meetings are kept in a Minutes Book.
Some standard procedures guide the operational formalities for
early childhood programs. The owner must recognize that the
entity, whatever the type, is separate and distinct from himself.
Separate bank accounts should be obtained for any early
childhood program. The failure of an LLC or corporation to
maintain financial records separate from those of its owners
may jeopardize limited liability protection. Careful record
keeping for financial and management purposes is a standard
requirement for proper management. Not-for-profit corporations
with a certain income level and other programs receiving
monies from certain funding sources are required to have an
audit. In most states, not-for-profit corporations are required to

file an annual financial report following the audit.
Franchises and chains may fall under any of the foregoing legal
categories of private organizations but are most often
corporations or LLCs. Franchises and chains are differentiated
as follows:
A franchise is an organization that allows an individual or an
entity to use its name, follow its standardized program and
administrative procedures, and receive assistance (e.g., in
selecting a site, building and equipping a facility, and training
staff) for an agreed-upon sum of money, royalty, or both. Two
popular child care franchises are Kiddie Academy and The
Learning Experience.
A chain is ownership of several facilities by the same
proprietorship, partnership, or corporation. These facilities are
administered by a central organization. Kinder Care Learning
Centers is an example of a chain.
Potential Vulnerability to Legal Actions:
Three concepts often apply in legal actions involving
businesses:
An employee is hired to perform certain types of duties, with
expectations as to how she performs these duties. When an
employee is doing what is normally expected, she is said to be
“acting within the scope of employment.” The employer is
liable for the employee’s behavior when she is acting within the
scope of employment. The employer is usually not liable,
however, when the employee is acting “outside of the scope of
employment.”
On the other hand, if the wrong was not committed by an
employee, but rather by someone hired from outside to perform
specific services, such as a karate instructor employed

separately by a karate school, then it is harder to hold the center
responsible for his actions. In general, the center will not be
held liable for wrongs committed by nonemployee “independent
contractors” who usually are responsible for their own behavior.
A supervisor who is in charge of other employees may
sometimes be held personally responsible for wrongs committed
by employees acting within the scope of employment and
subject to the superior’s supervision. In this kind of case, both
the supervisor and the supervisee wrongdoer could be held
liable to the injured party. From the supervisor’s perspective,
this type of wrong is sometimes called “breach of the duty to
supervise.”
Operating a Child Care Center Is a Business
It is important to remember that a child care center is a
business. Program administrators must understand and comply
with regulations related to contractual obligations and
regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. Failure to comply
with business and tax regulations may result in serious
consequences, including the risk of civil or criminal liability.
This is why it is so important to consult with and rely on
competent legal and tax advisors when setting up and running
your program. Regulatory and tax requirements change
periodically. Even after the program has been launched and is
running successfully, it is advisable to perodically ask a
professional advisor to conduct a review of procedures and
policies to insure continuing compliance.
Laws That Protect Employees
You also need to be aware of regulations designed to protect the
employee and the program. Laws that protect the staff include
those that prevent discrimination, relate to minimum wages,
leave for to care for children or close family members, and
access to affordable health care.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and as Amended by
the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972:
Fair employment practices are mandatory for organizations,
companies, and people having contracts with the federal
government. The practices are also mandatory for any company
employing or composed of 15 or more people. Employers
subject to this act and its amendment must not discriminate
against any individual on the grounds of race, creed, color,
gender, national origin, or age. Employment practices must be
based on relevant measures of merit and competence. The
employer must also base job qualifications on bona fide
occupational qualifications (BFOQ); thus, job descriptions must
clearly specify the tasks to be performed.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), P.L. 101–336, was
signed into law on July 26, 1990. The ADA established civil
rights for people with disabilities. The part of the law
concerning employment states that employers with 15 or more
employees must avoid job-related discrimination based on the
employee’s disability. To be protected under the law, the
employee must satisfy BFOQ that are job related and be able to
perform those tasks that are essential to the job with reasonable
accommodations (e.g., making the facility accessible, modifying
equipment, modifying work schedules, providing readers or
interpreters), if necessary. Furthermore, the employer is legally
liable if other employees discriminate or do not make
adjustments to accommodate employees with disabilities (Surr,
1992).
image This video describes the provisions of the ADA and
helps you understand why it is so important for children and
adults. Watch this video to learn more about how ADA
adaptions improve life for individuals with disabilities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns7UY8HdPr8

Fair Labor Standards Act:
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 as amended applies
equally to men and women. Employers subject to this act and its
amendments must pay employees the current minimum wage;
overtime (hours worked over the 40-hour week) at the rate of 1
1/2 times the employee’s regular rate of pay; regular wages and
overtime pay for attendance at training sessions, whether the
sessions are conducted at the place of work or at another site;
and equal wages for equal work. The act does not apply to
members of one’s immediate family.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA):
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 requires
companies and organizations with 50 or more employees to
grant those who have worked for them for at least 12 months up
to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month
period for one or more of the following reasons:
the birth and care of a newborn child of an employee
to care for an adopted or foster child
to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or
parent) with a serious health condition
to take medical leave when unable to work because of a serious
health condition
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA):
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), often
referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ObamaCare
was signed into law in 2010 and took effect beginning in
January, 2014. It was designed to ensure all Americans access
to affordable health care. ACA includes provisions to help both
small and large employers achieve this goal. The Small

Business Heath Care Tax Credit helps centers with fewer than
25 employees afford the cost of providing health care coverage.
There are also specific provisions for programs with up to 50
employees as well as large centers with more than 50
employees. Visit healthcare.gov for up-to-date information and
answers to your questions.
image This video describes the benefits employs are entitled to
under the FMLA. Watch this video to learn more about how this
law works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebA_lESQas0
Legal Responsibilities and Vulnerabilities:
Programs are fully liable for compliance with laws and, in some
cases, employees and even owners may face personal liability
when misconduct occurs. Consider these implications as you
think about the program’s potential vulnerability to legal action.
First, all employees should have job descriptions spelling out
their scope of authority. Second, adequate staffing, safe
facilities and equipment, administrative diligence, staff
awareness and training in care of children, and documentation
will do much to reduce the risk of torts (acts that may result in
legal suits brought against the center and/or its employees).
Third, buying comprehensive insurance against liability is a
sound business investment. Finally, everyone involved in
programs should realize that situations leading to liability are
ever-present concerns and that all employees are vulnerable to
legal actions.
Laws That Protect Children
In every state, child care providers are mandated reporters.
Mandated reporters are professionals who have a legal
responsibility to report suspected neglect or physical or sexual
abuse to appropriate child protective service authorities such as
the state’s Department of Social Services or Department of

Child and Family Services. Failure to report suspected abuse or
neglect can result in criminal or civil penalties. A mandated
reporter who does not comply with this law can face fines
and/or imprisonment and can lose her job or her license. Early
childhood professionals must be familiar with the indications of
child maltreatment and state laws regarding reporting suspected
cases.
Because reporting is mandatory, a director, principal, or other
supervisor cannot prevent an employee from making a report
when he or she has reason to suspect that a child has been
mistreated. Programs should include information about
requirements related to reporting abuse and neglect in
handbooks distributed to families and staff.
Previous sectionNext section
SUMMARY
Competent child care administrators have many responsibilities.
They must lead their program in complying with child care
regulations designed to ensure children’s health and safety, and
should also know about accreditation and QRIS systems
designed to help their programs reach higher standards of
quality. There are also federal laws that apply to the workplace,
and regulations that apply to the center’s legal status and
financial management.
Describe the purpose of regulations that apply to programs of
early care and education and list several topics they address.
Regulations are the rules and laws that govern early childhood
programs. They are designed to give families that rely on child
care peace of mind that the health and welfare of their children
are safeguarded while they are away from home. They include
zoning, land use and building codes; regulations related to fire
safety and sanitation; and child care regulations.

Identify several ways accreditation standards are different from
child care regulations.
Child care regulations are designed to create a safety net for
young children and to identify a level of quality no program
should fall below. Programs operating legally must adhere to
applicable child care regulations. Program Accreditation
standards describe higher-than-minimal standards of care and
are voluntary.
State the purpose of QRIS.
QRIS are designed to increase program quality by bridging the
gap between the minimum standards set by each state’s child
care licensing standards and the high standards that reflect
research-based best practices. They provide resources and
incentives designed to improve participating programs’ quality
and make parents better consumers by helping them understand
the characteristics of quality programming.
List some ways qualifications for administrators and teachers
are different for licensure, for accreditation, and in QRIS
systems.
In most states, child care regulations require administrators to
be at least 21 years of age and to hold at least a high school
diploma or a GED. Many accreditation and QRIS systems
require directors to hold a director’s credential. These
credentials are most often offered through community college or
technical college systems.
Child care regulations in most states require teachers to be at
least 18 years of age. The most common minimum qualification
for teachers is experience. In most cases, a high school diploma
or GED is not required. Head Start raised the bar for teachers’

professional preparation by requiring that at least 50% of all
Head Start teachers in center-based programs have at least an
associate degree by 2013. Similar requirements have been
adopted by accreditation and QRIS systems striving for higher
quality.
Identify laws that apply to the childcare workplace, such as
those that govern the program’s financial management and
employees’ well-being.
Program administrators need to be informed about the
program’s business management; about federal laws—such as
the Equal Opportunity Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave ACT, and
the ACA—that protect employees and ensure their well-being;
and about laws related to mandated reporting of suspected child
abuse and neglect.
USEFUL WEBSITES
National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care
and Early Education
Click on the link for State Licensing and Regulation
Information for information about your state’s regulations and
licensure procedures.
National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC) Academy
Click on the link for Accreditation, then Programs for Young
Children for information about NAEYC Accreditation, costs,
and a list of accredited programs.
QRIS National Learning Network
This comprehensive website includes links describing all states’
QRIS systems and in-depth resources addressing all aspects of
implementation, from planning to gathering data on the impact
of existing programs.

Caring for Our Children
This website includes a link to download this comprehensive
description of best practices to ensure children’s health and
safety in out-of-home settings. It includes the rationale for each
recommendation as well as extensive references. It also
highlights revised recommendations based on recent research.
Head Start Program Performance Standards
The detailed Performance Standards are updated annually in the
spring.
Child Care Licensing Study
This in-depth report prepared by the NARA includes
information about all states’ regulations and includes useful
data tables that compare states’ regulation on varied criteria.
This report is updated regularly, so look for the most recent
version.
Child Care Aware® of America We Can Do Better
This annual ranking of all states’ child care center standards
and oversight is prepared in cooperation with states’ local Child
Care Resource and Referral agencies. It applies 10 program
benchmarks and 4 oversight benchmarks to its ranking of each
state’s child care regulations. This report is updated annually,
so look for the most recent version.
Fire Safety in Day Care Centers: What Parents Need to Know
This handout, developed by the Fire Department of the City of
New York, Office of Fire Prevention, includes questions
families should ask about a center’s fire prevention practices as
well as a fire safety checklist families can use to evaluate the
center’s efforts to ensure their children’s safety while in care.
TO REFLECT
Serving as the director of a program caring for children is a

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