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State Requirements for Minimum Preservice Qualifications, Administrative Training, and Annual Ongoing Training Hours for Child Care Center Directors in 2007
Licensing is a process administered by State governments that sets a baseline of requirements below which it is illegal for facilities that provide child care services to operate, unless the facility is legally exempt from licensing. States have regulations that include the requirements child care facilities must comply with and policies to support enforcement of those regulations. Additional information about licensing is available on NCCIC’s Web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/topics/topic/index.cfm?topicId=2. A directory of all State child care licensing agencies is available on NCCIC’s Web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/display.cfm?title=licensing.
The following includes information about State licensing requirements for early care and education (ECE) preservice qualifications, administrative training, and annual ongoing training requirements for child care center directors. These data are preliminary results from The 2007 Child Care Licensing Study (unpublished), by the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA) and NCCIC. Final study materials will be posted on NARA’s Web site at http://www.naralicensing.org. NCCIC does not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.
| States1 | Minimum ECE Preservice Qualifications | Administrative Training2 | Ongoing Clock Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preservice | Ongoing | |||
| Alabama | 124 clock hours of training and 1 year experience | 20 clock hours of training in administration and management | None | 24 |
| Alaska* | CDA credential | None | None | 45 every 2 years. |
| Arizona | 60 clock hours of training in ECE or child development and 2 years experience | None | None | 12 |
| Arkansas | None | None | U | 10 |
| California | 12 semester units in early childhood and 4 years experience | 3 semester units in administration or staff relations | None | 0 |
| Colorado* | 18 semester hours in ECE and 2 years experience | 3 semester hours in Administration of ECE Programs and 3 semester hours in Administration: Human Relations for Early Childhood Professions | 3 semester-hour course every 5 years in a subject related to the operation of a child care center | 9 |
| Connecticut | CDA credential and 1,080 hours experience | None | None | 1% of hours worked/year |
| Delaware | CDA credential and 2 years experience | None | None | 18 |
| District of Columbia | State director credential and 5 years experience | Administrative training for director credential | None | 18 |
| Florida* | State director credential | Administrative training for director credential | 4.5 CEUs or a 3 credit course in child care management every 5 years | 10 |
| Georgia | None | None | None | 10 |
| Hawaii | CDA credential and 4 years experience | None | None | 0 |
| Idaho | NL | NL | NL | NL |
| Illinois | CDA or CCP credential, 12 semester hours in ECE, and 2 years experience | None | None | 15 |
| Indiana | Associate’s degree in ECE and 3 years experience | None | Unspecified clock hours of training in Administrative Issues as part of required ongoing hours | 12 |
| Iowa* | 75 clock hours of child development related training and more than 1 year experience | None | None | 8 |
| Kansas* | CDA credential and 1 year experience | None | None | 5 |
| Kentucky | None | None | None | 12 |
| Louisiana* | Completion of a vocational child care program and 1 year experience | None | None | 3 |
| Maine* | 135 clock hours of training and 5 years experience | None | None | 30 |
| Maryland* | 90 clock hours in early childhood development | None | None | 6 |
| Massachusetts* | CDA credential, 3 credits in child development, 2 credits in approved ECE topics, and 33 months experience | 2 credits or 3 CEUs in child care administration | None | 20 |
| Michigan | CDA credential and 12 semester hours in child development, child psychology, or ECE | None | None | 0 |
| Minnesota* | 90 clock hours in any combination of child development, human relations, and staff supervision and 1,040 hours supervisory experience | Unspecified number of clock hours in human relations and staff supervision | None | 2% of hours worked/year |
| Mississippi* | CDA or Mississippi Child Care Director’s credential and 2 years experience | Administrative training for director credential | None | 15 |
| Missouri* | CDA credential, 6 semester hours in child-related courses, and 1 year experience | None | None | 12 |
| Montana | None | None | None | 15 |
| Nebraska* | None | None | None | 0 |
| Nevada | CDA credential | None | None | 15 |
| New Hampshire | CDA credential and 4,000 hours experience | None | None | 6 |
| New Jersey | Bachelor's degree and one year of managerial or supervisory experience | None | None | 12 |
| New Mexico | 1-year vocational certificate and 2 years experience | None | None | 24 |
| New York* | CDA credential, 2 years full-time teaching experience, and 2 years experience supervising staff | None | U | 30 every 2 years. |
| North Carolina* | None | None | Enrollment in NC Early Childhood Administrative Credential course within 6 months; credential completion within 2 years | 20 |
| North Dakota | CDA credential and 1 year experience | None | None | 13 |
| Ohio* | CDA credential and 2 years experience | None | None | 0 |
| Oklahoma* | Oklahoma Director’s Credential, Bronze Level | 40 hours of training as part of the Director’s Credential | U | 20 |
| Oregon | None | None | None | 15 |
| Pennsylvania | Associate’s degree with 30 credits in ECE, child development, special education, elementary education, or the human services field and 4 years experience | None | None | 6 |
| Rhode Island | CDA credential, 4 college courses in ECE and/or child development, and 3 years experience | None | None | 20 |
| South Carolina* | None | None | 5 clock hours of administrative training as part of required ongoing hours | 20 |
| South Dakota* | None | None | None | 20 |
| Tennessee* | Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance certificate (requires 30 clock hours of training) | None | 6 clock hours of training in administration, management, or supervisory training as part of required ongoing hours | 18 |
| Texas* | CDA credential and 2 years experience | 6 credits in business management | 6 clock hours of training in management techniques, leadership, or staff supervision as part of required ongoing hours | 20 |
| Utah | NAC credential and 6 courses offered through child care resource and referral | Administrative training for director credential | None | 20 |
| Vermont* | CDA credential and 2 years experience | None | None | 12 |
| Virginia* | 120 hours of training and three years experience including one year in a staff supervisory capacity | None | None | 10 |
| Washington* | CDA credential and 2 years experience | None | 3 clock hours in program management and administration as part of required ongoing hours | 10 |
| West Virginia* | None | None | None | 15 |
| Wisconsin* | 2 non-credit, department-approved courses in ECE and 80 days experience | None | None | 25 |
| Wyoming | 100 approved clock hours of training and 2 years experience | None | At least one half-hour of training each year in program management | 30 every 2 years. |
| Total Number of States with Requirements | 40 | 11 | 12 | 46 |
|
19 (with any administrative training requirements) |
||||
KEY:
NL = Not licensed
U = Unspecified number of hours required
CDA credential = Child Development Associate credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition
CCP = Certified Child Care Professional credential awarded by the National Child Care Association
NAC = National Administrators’ Credential awarded by the National Child Care Association
CEU = Continuing Education Unit
Notes:
For the purposes of this document, a licensed program is required to have permission from the State to operate and must meet specified child care center standards. Several States have county or city licensing regulations which may supercede State requirements; this table does not include such regulations.
1States includes the District of Columbia for a total of 51 entities. Back to data table
2 Administrative training: The States reported in this table require training in administration for center directors. Additional States specify that directors can have administrative training or experience. Preservice administrative training reported is in addition to a State’s listed ECE preservice requirements unless otherwise noted. Back to data table
Many States have multiple alternatives to qualify for roles. This table reports the alternative that requires the least amount of ECE training. If a State has requirements for experience, high school completion, age, or training not specified in ECE (such as first aid/CPR) that can substitute for ECE training, it is reported as "None." Below is the "hierarchy of qualifications," which shows the order in which qualification alternatives are placed to determine the minimum amount of ECE preservice training.
| lowest |
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 |
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| highest |
*Alaska: Administrators with a Bachelor’s degree in child development or equivalent are required to participate in 45 clock hours of training in child development, every three years. Back to data table
*Colorado: Requirements reported in table are for directors of large centers (16 or more children). Regulations also specify less stringent requirements for directors of small centers (5–15 children). Back to data table
*Florida: To receive the foundational level of the State Director’s credential the following must be completed: the Department of Children and Families 30-hour introductory training, eight clock hours in-service training in serving children with special needs, CDA credential, one three-credit hour course in child care management, and one year of experience. All child care personnel must complete 5 clock hours or one-half continuing education units of training in early literacy and language development of children birth to 5 years of age within 12 months of employment. Back to data table
*Iowa: Directors must have a total of 100 points obtained through a combination of education, experience, and child development-related training, as outlined in the following chart, with no more than 75 points from one category, and at least 20 points from the Experience category:
| Education | Experience (Points multiplied by years of experience) | Child Development Related Training | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher degree in early childhood, child development, or elementary education | 75 | Full-time (20 hours or more per week) in a child care center or preschool setting | 20 | One point awarded for each contact hour of training |
| Associate's degree in child development or Bachelor's degree in a child-related field | 50 | Part-time (less than 20 hours per week) in a child care center or preschool setting | 10 | |
| Child development associate (CDA credential) or one-year diploma in child development from a community college or technical school | 40 | Full-time (20 hours or more per week) child development-related experience | 10 | |
| Bachelor's degree in a non-child-related field | 40 | Part-time (less than 20 hours per week) child development-related experience | 5 | |
| Associate's degree in a non-child-related field or completion of at least 2 years of a 4-year degree | 20 | Registered family day care home, group day care home, or group day care home-joint registration provider | 10 | |
| Nonregistered family home provider | 5 | |||
Preservice administrative training or experience is required as follows: one course in business administration; 12 clock hours in administrative training related to personnel, supervision, record keeping, or budgeting; or one year of administrative-related experience.
Ten clock hours of ongoing training in early childhood education is required in the first year of employment; eight clock hours of training is required each year thereafter. Back to data table
*Kansas: Requirements reported in table are for directors of centers serving 24–99 children. Regulations also specify requirements for directors of smaller centers (less than 13 children; 13–24 children), and for directors of centers serving more than 100 children. Back to data table
*Louisiana: Forty-five of the 90 clock hours of preservice training may be in management/administration. Louisiana regulates two types of centers: Class A and Class B. Class B center information is reported in the table; Class A center regulations require higher qualifications and more ongoing training. Ongoing hours are in addition to the required 3 hours of annual health and safety training. Back to data table
*Maine: Requirements reported in table are for directors of centers serving 21–49 children. Regulations also specify requirements for directors of smaller centers (3–12 children; 13–20 children) and larger centers (50 or more children). Back to data table
*Maryland: Requirements reported in table are general requirements for all center directors. There are additional requirements for directors of preschool programs, school-age programs, and combination preschool and school-age programs. Back to data table
*Massachusetts: Directors of large centers (more than 79 children) must meet higher qualifications than those listed for directors of small centers (13–24 children; 25–39 children; or 40–79 children). Back to data table
*Minnesota: If a director also functions as a teacher or develops the program plan, the director must meet teacher requirements; i.e., a minimum of a CDA credential with 1,560 hours of experience. Back to data table
*Mississippi: Directors must take 3 clock hours of director orientation training, 4 clock hours of training on the Regulations Governing Licensure of Child Care Facilities, and 3 clock hours of training in playground safety prior to the issuance of a regular license. Back to data table
*Missouri: Requirements reported in table are for directors of centers for 21–60 children. Regulations also specify requirements for directors of small centers (up to 20 children) and larger centers (61–99 children; more than 100 children). Back to data table
*Nebraska: Requirements reported in table are for directors of centers serving more than 22 children. Regulations also specify requirements for directors of small centers serving less than 22 children. If a director also acts as a teacher, (s)he is required to complete 12 clock hours of training annually. Back to data table
*New York: Directors without a Bachelor’s degree must have a plan of study leading to that degree. Fifteen clock hours of ongoing training must be completed within 6 months after hire, counting toward a total of 30 clock hours required every 2 years thereafter. Business record maintenance and management are listed in required ongoing training topics, with no specifications. Back to data table
*North Carolina: The required amount of ongoing training hours varies depending on qualifications: staff with a Bachelor’s or advanced degree must complete 5 clock hours; staff with an Associate’s degree or a NC Early Childhood Administration Credential must participate in 8 clock hours; staff with a predegree certificate or diploma or the NC Early Childhood Credential or equivalent must complete 10 clock hours; staff with 10 years of experience must complete 15 clock hours; and all other full-time staff must complete 20 clock hours. Back to data table
*Ohio: Staff with a higher education degree, CDA credential, or other early childhood credential are not required to participate in ongoing training. Back to data table
*Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Director’s Credential has three levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) and is based upon criteria supported by the Center for Early Childhood Professional Development. Credential qualifications include a combination of general education, ECE knowledge/skills, administration and management knowledge/skills, experience, and professional contributions. The credential is valid for 3 years and specifies training renewal requirements that include administrative training. Back to data table
*South Carolina: Fifteen clock hours of ongoing training are required in the first year of employment; 20 clock hours are required each year thereafter. Back to data table
*South Dakota: In addition to the director, centers must employ a staff member to plan and implement the program and supervise staff. This individual must have at least a CDA credential. Back to data table
*Tennessee: During the first year of employment, a director must take at least 36 clock hours of training or one college course in administration, child development, early childhood education, health/safety, or other related field, with at least 6 of the hours in administration, management, or supervisory training. Back to data table
*Texas: A director with more than 5 years of experience as a qualified center director must complete at least 3 clock hours of the annual training in management techniques, leadership, or staff supervision. Back to data table
*Vermont: Requirements reported in the table are for directors of centers with 13–59 children. Regulations also specify requirements for small centers (12 or fewer children) and large centers (60 or more children). Back to data table
*Virginia: Directors without management experience must have either one college course in a business-related field, 10 clock hours of management training, or one child care management course that covers planning; budgeting; staffing; and monitoring. Back to data table
*Washington: For the first 2 years of employment as a director, 5 of the 10 ongoing hours must be in program management and administration. Each year thereafter, 3 of the required 10 clock hours must be in program management and administration. Back to data table
*West Virginia: Requirements reported in table are for directors of Type II Centers (31–60 children). Separate requirements exist for directors of Type I Centers (under 30 children) and Type III Centers (more than 61 children). Back to data table
*Wisconsin: Requirements reported in table are for directors of centers for 50 or fewer children. Regulations also specify requirements for directors of larger centers (51 or more children). Approved noncredit courses involve at least 36 clock hours of training. For directors who have no previous training in supervision or personnel management, 10 clock hours of the ongoing requirement in the first year must be completed in this area. Back to data table
Updated September 2008
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NCCIC is a service of the Child Care Bureau (CCB), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Administration for Children and Families(ACF), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services