214 R.I. Code R. 214-RICR-40-00-1.10

Download

PDF

Current through December 3, 2024

Section 214-RICR-40-00-1.10 - Enrollment and Staffing

A. Enrollment Age

1. For admission into an Infant program, a child is at least 6 weeks of age.

2. For admission into a Toddler program, a child is at least 18 months of age.

3. For admission into a Preschool program, a child is at least 3 years of age.

4. For admission into a School Age program, a child is at least 5 years of age and in kindergarten.

a. A child in a School Age program must also be under 16 years of age.

5. The program does not enroll children or allow attendance of children who are outside of the ages for which the program is licensed.

6. Under no circumstances is a child in care for over 14 consecutive hours.

B. Staff/Child Ratio, Group Size, and Age Integration

1. Programs must group children according to the following staff/child ratios and maximum number of children:

Age Group	Age	Maximum Staff/Child Ratios	Maximum Group Size
Younger Infants	6 weeks - 12 months	1 : 4	8
Older Infants	12 - 18 months	1 : 4	8
Toddlers	18 - 36 months	1 : 6	12
Preschool 3	3 years old	1 : 9	18
Preschool 4	4 years old	1 : 10	20
Preschool 5-6	5-6 years old AND not in kindergarten	1 : 12	24
School Age K	At least 5 years old AND in kindergarten	1 : 13	26
School Age G1-G3	Grades 1 - 3	1 : 13	26
School Age G4-G6	Grades 4 - 6	1 : 13	26
School Age G7+	Grades 7 and above, under age 16	1 : 13	26

2. In consideration of or required by a child's IEP/IFSP, programs must implement more stringent staff/child ratios if providing inclusive settings for children with disabilities, developmental delays, other special learning, health, and/or social and emotional need.

a. KIDS CONNECT staff are permitted to provide the additional staffing in these circumstances.

3. All staff required to meet staff/child ratios are awake at all times.

4. Any auxiliary staff who provide additional services within the program do not count in the staff/child ratios.

5. Program Leadership cannot count in staff/child ratios when operating in their specific role.

6. Programs may integrate children of different ages in any combination within each of the following options:

Option	Allowable Age Group Combinations
#1	Younger Infants Older Infants Toddlers
#2	Toddlers Preschool 3
#3	Preschool 3 Preschool 4 Preschool 5-6
#4	Preschool 5-6 School Age K
#5	School Age K School Age G1-G3 School Age G4-G6
#6	School Age G4-G6 School Age G7+

7. If age group combinations takes place in any classroom, programs are required to meet the staff/child ratios, and all other associated regulations required, for the youngest aged child in the grouping.

a. For the purposes of determining staff/child ratio and group size, a child who is transitioning may be considered as the same age group of the classroom into which the child is transitioning.

8. Toddler, Preschool, and School Age K groups may integrate at the beginning of the program day (defined as not later than 8:00AM) and end of the program day (defined as not prior to 5:00PM).

9. Programs may combine groups of children within the allowable age combinations, while maintaining applicable staff/child ratios, for activities, which include:

a. indoor or outdoor gross motor play;

b. meals; and

c. rest/sleep.

10. During rest time for Toddler or Preschool groups, there can be one staff member per one group (based on Maximum Group Size) of napping/resting children.

11. There are no exceptions to staff/child ratio for Infants.

12. Infant, Toddler, Preschool, and School Age K programs may combine any age group, while maintaining applicable staff/child ratios, for activities, which include:

a. program assemblies;

b. special activities;

c. field trips; and

d. program-wide group times, not to exceed 15 minutes.

13. Programs must adhere to a precautionary staff/child ratio for field trips, (other activities that may impose additional safety considerations), and swim activities (which include swimming, wading, or sitting in water) as follows:

Age Group	Field Trip Staff/Child Ratios	Swim Activity Staff/Child Ratios
Younger Infants	1 : 2	1 : 1
Older Infants	1 : 2	1 : 1
Toddlers	1 : 4	1 : 1
Preschool 3	1 : 7	1 : 4
Preschool 4	1 : 8	1 : 4
Preschool 5-6	1 : 8	1 : 4
School Age K	1 : 10	1 : 6
School Age G1-G3	1 : 13	1 : 6
School Age G4-G6	1 : 13	1 : 6
School Age G7+	1 : 13	1 : 6

14. In addition to program staff, programs may utilize Substitutes and/or Adult Volunteers to satisfy the precautionary staff/child ratio.

15. All individuals to be included in the precautionary staff/child ratio for swim activities must be in or directly adjacent to the water.

C. Field Trips

1. For all field trips, programs must:

a. provide written notice to parents/guardians of any field trip at least three days in advance;

b. have a signed permission slip, prior to departing, for each child that states the date, time, location, means of transportation, and potential risks, specific to each individual trip;

c. bring emergency information for each child on each individual trip; and

d. adhere to the relevant precautionary staff/child ratios.

2. Outdoor walks around the area of the program are not considered a field trip.

a. Staff must have means to contact the program if leaving program grounds.

D. Attendance

1. Each classroom has an individual attendance sheet that lists the first and last names of all children in the room. This list:

a. is updated every time that there is a change in enrollment;

b. reflects which children are present at any given time.

2. Attendance records are kept for all children.

3. Every classroom has a copy of the emergency information for each child.

E. Classroom Transition

1. A child may begin transitioning to the next age group when s/he is:

a. developmentally ready; and

b. within one month before age-eligibility to be included in the next age group.

2. Programs do not place any child in a classroom above or below allowable age requirements unless a written waiver is granted by the Department.

3. An individualized, documented transition plan is required to be developed:

a. for children transitioning to a new age group at any time other than the start or end of the school year;

b. by the Education Coordinator and/or Site Coordinator; and

c. in partnership with classroom Teachers and the child's parent/guardian.

4. For the purposes of determining staff/child ratio and group size, the transitioning child may be considered as the same age group of the classroom into which the child is transitioning.

5. Transition activities occur for a defined period of time in a program day.

6. Transition plans travel with the child through transitions, and are kept in the child's file upon completion of the transition.

7. During the summer before a child enters kindergarten, a child may be considered as part of a School Age K program.

F. Supervision

1. Classroom staff provide sight and sound supervision during all aspects of the program, which include:

a. indoor play;

b. outdoor play;

c. bathroom use;

d. rest or sleep;

e. meals and snacks; and

f. transitions.

2. Classroom staff are able to intervene if necessary.

3. Furniture does not obstruct program staff from visual supervision.

4. Staff do not use cell phones, personal electronic devices, personal reading materials, or are in any other way distracted while part of the staff/child ratio and supervising children.

5. An Infant or Toddler may never be left unattended in any location that may result in a fall.

G. Staffing Requirements

1. Each program is required to have individuals in Program Leadership roles in accordance with the following:

a. Child Care Administrator (for programs serving Infants, Toddlers, and/or Preschool);

b. School Age Administrator (for programs serving School Age);

c. Education Coordinator (for programs serving Infants, Toddlers, and/or Preschool);

d. School Age Site Coordinator (for programs serving School Age); and

e. Night Time Care Coordinator (for programs providing night time care).

2. One qualified individual may assume multiple roles in one program in accordance with the following:

If a program has 1-2 classrooms, one qualified individual may assume the role of:

If a program has 3-7 classrooms, one qualified individual may assume the role of:

If a program has 8+ classrooms, one qualified individual may assume the role of:

Child Care Administrator

and

School Age Administrator

and

Education or Site Coordinator

and

Teacher

Child Care Administrator

and

School Age Administrator

and

Education or Site Coordinator

and

Teacher

the individual spends less than 50% of time in the teaching role.

Child Care Administrator

and

School Age Administrator

and

Education or Site Coordinator

this individual works full time and the program employs an administrative assistant.

3. In an Infant, Toddler, and/or Preschool program with seven or fewer classrooms, where the Administrator and Education Coordinator are filled by two individuals, at least one of these individuals must be a full-time employee.

4. In an Infant, Toddler, and/or Preschool program with eight or more classrooms, where the Administrator and Education Coordinator are filled by two individuals, both of these individuals must be full-time employees, if the program does not employ an administrative assistant.

5. If one qualified individual will assume a Program Leadership role in more than one licensed program, the program must submit a plan for approval from the Department that includes:

a. a time schedule for each location;

b. an outline of responsibilities; and

c. the staff persons in charge if the individual is not on site.

6. Each program is required to have individuals in Classroom Staff roles in accordance with the following:

a. Teacher, for each group of children (for programs serving Infants, Toddlers, and/or Preschool);

b. Teacher Assistants (for programs serving Infants, Toddlers, and/or Preschool, as needed to maintain staff/child ratio); and/or

c. School Age staff (for programs serving School Age).

7. There are sufficient auxiliary staff to ensure the efficient operation of the program.

a. Program Leadership and classroom staff may perform these functions, but cannot be counted in the staff/child ratio while doing so.

8. A program whose capacity exceeds 20 children and which prepares and serves meals employs at least one part-time or full-time food service worker.

9. Two or more staff are on-site at all times.

a. At least one of these staff are of the level of Teacher or Program Leadership.

10. The School Age Site Coordinator and/or Night Time Care Coordinator is onsite during all times that these programs are in operation, and is only assigned to the respective program.

11. At all times, every staff member on site must have photo-identification available.

12. At least 50% of all staff members on-site, are trained under the most recent guidelines of the American Heart Association in:

a. pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (online training is not accepted); and

b. basic first aid (online training is accepted).

13. One staff member trained in the use of the Heimlich Maneuver for Infants and Toddlers is on-site at all times.

14. The program must have the consultant services of a licensed physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner, who practices pediatric medicine, readily available.

a. The program has access (via phone or in person) to such consultation services at all times when children are in care;

b. maintains a letter of understanding regarding consultation services between the program and the consultant;

15. When Program Leadership is not at the program, a designated staff person, who is knowledgeable in the overall functioning of the program, is in charge and maintains responsibility for staff supervision during the times that s/he is in charge.

H. Substitutes

1. The program maintains a list of substitutes who can cover in the event of the absence of staff in order to maintain required staff/child ratios.

2. All substitutes must complete required employment paperwork and are cleared and approved in accordance with the Department's policies on Criminal Records Checks and Clearance of Agency Activity checks.

3. Substitutes are not required to complete professional development.

I. Volunteers

1. Programs may utilize two types of Volunteers:

a. Adult Volunteers:

(1) are 18 years of age or older;

(2) must be cleared and approved in accordance with the Department's policies on Criminal Records Checks and Clearance of Agency Activity checks;

(3) undergo orientation to program policies and procedures and the volunteer assignment.

(4) are never left alone with or responsible for the supervision of children; except when used as part of the precautionary staff/child ratio.

b. Underage Volunteers:

(1) are at least 16 years old;

(2) obtain a signed consent from his/her parent/guardian approving of the volunteer assignment;

(3) must be cleared and approved in accordance with the Department's policy on Clearance of Agency Activity checks;

(4) undergo orientation to program policies and procedures and the volunteer assignment;

(5) are never left alone with or responsible for the supervision of children; and

(6) are not considered staff members and do not count towards required staff/child ratios at any time.

2. All volunteers work under the supervision of the classroom Teacher and Program Leadership and do not engage in any disciplinary action with a child.

3. Programs maintain onsite emergency contact information for each volunteer.

J. Visitors

1. Visitors/observers are not considered volunteers, and are not required to be cleared and approved in accordance with the Department's policies on Criminal Records Checks and Clearance of Agency Activity checks.

2. Visitors/observers are always under the direct supervision of staff, are never left alone with and are never responsible for the supervision of children.

214 R.I. Code R. 214-RICR-40-00-1.10