La. Admin. Code tit. 67 § III-5127

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section III-5127 - Participation in LA Pathways

A. Any individual working or planning to work in the child care industry is eligible to enroll in LA Pathways by completing an application and forwarding the required documents. An application for enrollment and information about enrollment is available at http://pathways.louisiana.gov/ or by phoning the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education at 225-342-0694.

1. LA Pathways will register child care directors and staff according to requirements based on training and education, experience and professional activities, as approved by the Department of Social Services. Participation is voluntary.

2. The Secretary of the Department of Social Services, in specific instances, may waive compliance with a requirement if it is determined that the economic or adverse impact is sufficiently great to make compliance impractical, as long as the health and well-being of the staff and/or children are not imperiled. If it is determined that the individual is meeting or exceeding the intent of a requirement, the requirement may be deemed to be met. The decision to grant or deny a waiver rests with the sole discretion of the secretary.

B. Requirement for the Administrator Track for LA Pathways

Child Care Career Ladder Titles	Training and Education Requirements	Experience Requirements	Professional Activity Requirements
Assistant Director I	Annual training as required by Licensing Class A Minimum Standards	none	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Assistant Director II	60 clock hours in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas including 6 hours in regulations	minimum 6 months	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Assistant Director III	90 clock hours in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas including 15 hours in approved Administrative Training Categories	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Director	As required by Licensing Class A Minimum Standards	as required by Licensing	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Director I	CDA Credential or approved early childhood diploma and 30 clock hrs. in approved Administrative Training Categories OR related associate degree or 30 hours toward associate degree with 4 college courses in early childhood or child development	minimum 1 year	Membership in an early childhood professional organization
Director II	CDA Credential or approved early childhood diploma and 45 clock hrs. in approved Administrative Training Categories or National Administrative Credential OR associate degree in early childhood or child development OR related associate degree with 4 college courses in early childhood or child development OR related bachelor degree with 3 college courses in early childhood or child development	minimum 18 months	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: serving on a board or committee, presenting at a conference, participating as a CDA advisor or mentor, attendance at a conference or professional event
Director III Administrator Certificate To receive an Administrator Certificate you must have 75 clock hours of instruction in approved Administrative Training Categories 2 college courses in approved administration can be substituted for the Administrator Certificate	CDA Credential or approved early childhood diploma and Administrator Certificate OR associate degree in child development or early childhood and Administrator Certificate OR bachelor degree in early childhood or child development of which 3 college courses focus on infants and toddlers and Administrator Certificate OR related bachelor degree with 6 college courses in early childhood or child development of which 3 courses focus on infants and toddlers and Administrator Certificate	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: serving on a board or committee, presenting at a conference, participating as a CDA mentor or advisor, attendance at a conference or professional event
Director IV	Masters degree in early childhood, child development or early childhood administration of which 3 courses focus on infants and toddlers and Administrator Certificate OR related masters degree with 8 college courses in early childhood or child development of which 3 courses focus on infants and toddlers and Administrator Certificate	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: serving on a board or committee, presenting at a conference, participating as a CDA mentor or advisor, attendance at a conference or professional event

C. Requirements for the Classroom Track for LA Pathways.

Child Care Career Ladder Titles	Training and Education Requirements	Experience Requirements	Professional Activity Requirements
Child Care Staff I	As required by Class A Licensing regulations	none	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Staff II	12 clock hours of instruction in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas	minimum 6 months	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Staff III	30 clock hours of instruction in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Staff IV	60 clock hours of instruction in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Assistant Teacher I	90 clock hours of instruction in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Assistant Teacher II	120 clock hours of instruction in approved core knowledge (CDA) subject areas	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Teacher I	CDA credential in preschool or infant/toddler specialization OR approved early childhood diploma	minimum 1 year	Encouraged to participate in an early childhood professional organization
Child Care Teacher II	CDA credential or approved early childhood diploma and 9 CEU's or 2 early childhood college courses OR 30 hours toward associate degree with 4 college courses in early childhood or child development OR related associate degree	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: committee or board membership, service as a CDA advisor or mentor, attendance at a professional conference or event, conference presentation, advocacy and leadership activities
Child Care Teacher III	Associate degree in early childhood or child development OR related associate degree with 4 college courses in early childhood or child development OR bachelor degree in early childhood or child development OR related bachelor degree with 3 college courses in early childhood or child development	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: committee or board membership, service as a CDA advisor or mentor, attendance at a professional conference or event, conference presentation, advocacy and leadership activities
Child Care Teacher IV	Bachelor degree in early childhood or child development of which 3 college courses focus on infants and toddlers OR related bachelor degree with 6 early childhood or child development college courses of which 3 focus on infants and toddlers	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: committee or board membership, service as a CDA advisor or mentor, attendance at a professional conference or event, conference presentation, advocacy and leadership activities
Child Care Master Teacher	Graduate degree in early childhood or child development OR unrelated graduate degree with 4 early childhood or child development college courses	minimum 2 years	Membership in an early childhood professional organization and service to the profession such as: committee or board membership, service as a CDA advisor or mentor, attendance at a professional conference or event, conference presentation, advocacy and leadership activities

D. Qualification for the School Readiness Tax Credit for child care directors and staff.

1. The Department of Social Services shall provide information necessary for the Secretary of the Department of Revenue to determine and/or verify the director and staff levels for earning the credit.

2. Child Care Director Levels

a. Directors who are classified as Director I by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level I qualifications for purposes of this credit.

b. Directors who are classified as Director II by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level II qualifications for purposes of this credit.

c. Directors who are classified as Director III by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level III qualifications for purposes of this credit.

d. Directors who are classified as Director IV by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level IV qualifications for purposes of this credit.

3. Child Care Staff Levels

a. Staff members who are classified as Child Care Teacher I by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level I requirements for purposes of this credit.

b. Staff members who are classified as Child Care Teacher II by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level II requirements for purposes of this credit.

c. Staff members who are classified as Child Care Teacher III by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level III requirements for purposes of this credit.

d. Staff members who are classified as Child Care Teacher IV or Child Care Master Teacher by LA Pathways are classified as meeting Level IV requirements for purposes of this credit.

La. Admin. Code tit. 67, § III-5127

Promulgated by the Department of Social Services, Office of Family Support, LR 34:95 (January 2008), amended LR 34:2412 (November 2008).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with 45 CFR Part 98 and R.S. 36:474 and R.S. 47:6101 et seq.