New Educational Requirements for D.C.

[nanglgrl]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/will-a-college-degree-requirement-lead-to-better-more-respected-preschool-teachers/2017/11/08/5c6d59a8-b50e-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.bc478cd15132

Some reading. If you plan to be a childcare provider for a long time you might want to get ahold of TEACH.
D.C.
In D.C. They are mandating educational requirements, even for home providers.
By 2018: home care providers and assistant teachers in centers will be required to have at least a Child Development Associate Credential
By 2019: larger home providers, known as “expanded” providers, will need an associate degree with at least 24 credit hours in early-childhood education or a similar field.
By 2020: lead classroom teachers will be required to have at least an associate degree in ECE or a similar field, or a non-related associate degree with at least 24 semester credit hours in ECE or a similar field.
By 2022: directors of preschool and child-care centers will be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in ECE or a similar field, or have a non-related bachelor’s with at least 15 credit hours in ECE or a similar field.

[Annalee]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...=.bc478cd15132

Some reading. If you plan to be a childcare provider for a long time you might want to get ahold of TEACH.
D.C.
In D.C. They are mandating educational requirements, even for home providers.
By 2018: home care providers and assistant teachers in centers will be required to have at least a Child Development Associate Credential
By 2019: larger home providers, known as “expanded” providers, will need an associate degree with at least 24 credit hours in early-childhood education or a similar field.
By 2020: lead classroom teachers will be required to have at least an associate degree in ECE or a similar field, or a non-related associate degree with at least 24 semester credit hours in ECE or a similar field.
By 2022: directors of preschool and child-care centers will be required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in ECE or a similar field, or have a non-related bachelor’s with at least 15 credit hours in ECE or a similar field.

YES, this is in our new proposed rules we are awaiting word on.....since it is coming through Federal channels, I feel it will happen, just not sure about the time-line yet or if providers already in place are "grandfathered" in. THe CDA is the main component right now! Lots of anxious providers here!

[nannyde]

This whilst you read nearly daily about how expensive child care is.

Georgia has some special sauce like this for their centers but the last time I checked ... when I really dove into it... the way it was set up was that the boots on the ground caregivers of the kids were the low paid no ged or HS diploma required staff.

It was something like the "lead" teacher.. who could have a bunch of classrooms or ages had to have a degree and had to do xyz in setting up curriculum BUT the out was that they could still have the non educated ones providing the direct physical care. They had x number of hours the educated one had to be on site. AND... they had different levels of what educated could be. There were different "certifications" that would qualify the employee to be the lead.

Cathearder what say you? Has this changed.

In the end it appeared that the average center would have to employ a few with the certificates or degrees but the hands on caregivers could still be the low priced uneducated workers.

I would be looking at the holes in it before I made too many assumptions for centers. They are more powerful and have the blunt of the kids.

Home daycare. Well we are easy to push around and easy to push out. When I looked at Georgia's dealio it was that I couldn't move to Georgia and set up shop. Even with a BSN and thirty years of experience, I couldn't be left alone with a kid in my home. But.. here's the fun part: I qualify to be a center director.

Put that in the pipe and enjoy..........

[Annalee]

This whilst you read nearly daily about how expensive child care is.

Georgia has some special sauce like this for their centers but the last time I checked ... when I really dove into it... the way it was set up was that the boots on the ground caregivers of the kids were the low paid no ged or HS diploma required staff.

It was something like the "lead" teacher.. who could have a bunch of classrooms or ages had to have a degree and had to do xyz in setting up curriculum BUT the out was that they could still have the non educated ones providing the direct physical care. They had x number of hours the educated one had to be on site. AND... they had different levels of what educated could be. There were different "certifications" that would qualify the employee to be the lead.

Cathearder what say you? Has this changed.

In the end it appeared that the average center would have to employ a few with the certificates or degrees but the hands on caregivers could still be the low priced uneducated workers.

I would be looking at the holes in it before I made too many assumptions for centers. They are more powerful and have the blunt of the kids.

Home daycare. Well we are easy to push around and easy to push out. When I looked at Georgia's dealio it was that I couldn't move to Georgia and set up shop. Even with a BSN and thirty years of experience, I couldn't be left alone with a kid in my home. But.. here's the fun part: I qualify to be a center director.

Put that in the pipe and enjoy..........

In Tennessee, they are trying to implement that no one can be left in charge unless they have at least a CDA. This will affect center classrooms as well as the home provider. While I have a CDA and Associate's, I would never be able to leave my daycare to a sub unless they have a CDA. We are awaiting the status of these new rules. I feel it is just another way to weed out FCC. I am hoping for a time-frame for providers to complete their CDA or possibly some kind of credit for experience. Some of these provider have been in business over 20 years.....experience should count for something. Just my opinions, though!

[Josiegirl]

Weeding out FCC and forcing more underground. Well not really forcing but YKWIM. Myself, I decided not to go for my CDA after I thought about it. I was tempted. But they've been pulling a lot of @rap within our local Resource and Referral Agency and there is no more local support after the holidays. Glad I've only got a year or so left, hoping to ride it out til then.

Is all of this really making for quality child care?? Honest question, I'd love to read statistics on how all these programs and CDA's, etc., have created more quality child care providers? How many people are going to go into this field knowing the hurdles they'll have to jump for such little pay? And I'm mostly talking about in-home providers? So you just know we're all going to disappear in a few years.

[Cat Herder]

Cathearder what say you? Has this changed.

I am a "Family Child Care Learning Home" now (since 2009). Nuff said. http://www.decal.ga.gov/CCS/FamilyCh...rningHome.aspx

Centers only have to have someone onsite with the same credentials. Not required for hands on with the kids. I must be both.

[Cat Herder]

Honest question, I'd love to read statistics on how all these programs and CDA's, etc., have created more quality child care providers? (

For me, it did not. :dislike: It caused extreme stress, burn out, family discourse, financial difficulty, negatively effected my health and stiffled my creativity & love for my career. 5 years later, I am just starting to feel motivated to add some awesome sauce and environmental magic back into my program.

I did the CDA first but the amount of money it cost to maintain it was not something I could continue (6 slots, max). I paid full tuition out of pocket, took the ECE college classes required three nights a week to complete the TCC ("once and done" is what they told me when they cashed my check, we shall see) and completed the QRIS tango. Any degree in any field other than ECE is excluded from consideration.

I felt pressured into it although I was "Grandfathered". The bi-weekly phone calls and almost monthly random inspections were over the top. I was told it would be mandatory and there would be no grant money left to help me finance all the required upgrades to maintain minimum compliance with upcoming regulation changes. Effectively a now or never conflict of interest. If it is not made mandatory next year, I am bowing out and taking my life back. I am good with "meets requirements".

[Annalee]

For me, it did not. :dislike: It caused extreme stress, burn out, family discourse, financial difficulty, negatively effected my health and stiffled my creativity & love for my career. 5 years later, I am just starting to feel motivated to add some awesome sauce and environmental magic back into my program.

I did the CDA first but the amount of money it cost to maintain it was not something I could continue (6 slots, max). I paid full tuition out of pocket, took the ECE college classes required three nights a week to complete the TCC ("once and done" is what they told me when they cashed my check, we shall see) and completed the QRIS tango. Any degree in any field other than ECE is excluded from consideration.

I felt pressured into it although I was "Grandfathered". The bi-weekly phone calls and almost monthly random inspections were over the top. I was told it would be mandatory and there would be no grant money left to help me finance all the required upgrades to maintain minimum compliance with upcoming regulation changes. Effectively a now or never conflict of interest. If it is not made mandatory next year, I am bowing out and taking my life back. I am good with "meets requirements".

I agree with this....am anxious about what 2018 holds for child care in my State..... I have my CDA and degrees but have MANY peers that do not but are excellent providers. Makes me sad!

[LysesKids]

I agree with this....am anxious about what 2018 holds for child care in my State..... I have my CDA and degrees but have MANY peers that do not but are excellent providers. Makes me sad!

I don't have a CDA, but I do have an AAS (legal field of all things) & 3 different certificates as a Postpartum Doula on top of numerous state trainings; after 18 years of childcare... yep I'll stay licensed exempt - heck our last 2 licensed home dropped the license in the past few months even after being open for years.

[daycarediva]

I have a degree in ECE. I do think that there should be some sort of educational requirement.

(side rant: I see way too much developmentally inappropriate practice. Provider locally complaining about the child who dumps toys. How they force them to pick them up every time even if it takes an entire morning to pick up one pile. Silly me says how old is the child? 15 months. And a gaggle of providers discussing how 'stubborn' and 'strong willed' this child is, and how they must have no rules about cleaning up at home. UM, that's what toddlers DO!) I can't even try to educate, myself and a few other providers are all but ostracized on the local provider forum for even SUGGESTING that these practices might be wrong. I am sooo tempted sometimes to screen shot it and post it publicly so the parents can see it.

BUT, I DO NOT think providers should have to pay for it. Online classes, offered free to those who work in centers or have a state license, with a reasonable time frame to complete a CDA is MORE than sufficient.

[midaycare]

I haven't heard too much about plans for MI. To be honest, I kind of hide my head in the sand. Things are relatively good. I get one visit every 1-2 years from licensing and the CACFP 3-4 times a year. Other than that I'm left alone.

I have reduced my participation in STARS to the point where I'm participating, but not where they have to visit and observe.

I have a teaching degree and masters in school counseling. If the state comes at me saying I need another degree...they better be paying for it.

[Cat Herder]

I have a degree in ECE. I do think that there should be some sort of educational requirement.

(side rant: I see way too much developmentally inappropriate practice. Provider locally complaining about the child who dumps toys. How they force them to pick them up every time even if it takes an entire morning to pick up one pile. Silly me says how old is the child? 15 months. And a gaggle of providers discussing how 'stubborn' and 'strong willed' this child is, and how they must have no rules about cleaning up at home. UM, that's what toddlers DO!) I can't even try to educate, myself and a few other providers are all but ostracized on the local provider forum for even SUGGESTING that these practices might be wrong. I am sooo tempted sometimes to screen shot it and post it publicly so the parents can see it.

BUT, I DO NOT think providers should have to pay for it. Online classes, offered free to those who work in centers or have a state license, with a reasonable time frame to complete a CDA is MORE than sufficient.

Currently accepted "Age appropriate practice" and education theory is covered in the mandatory, annual/recurrent, 20 hour classes, provided through the CCR&R though. These college courses they are forcing really only taught us documentation for the State and making homemade toys . In the most tedious way humanly possible. :dislike:

[Annalee]

I have a degree in ECE. I do think that there should be some sort of educational requirement.

(side rant: I see way too much developmentally inappropriate practice. Provider locally complaining about the child who dumps toys. How they force them to pick them up every time even if it takes an entire morning to pick up one pile. Silly me says how old is the child? 15 months. And a gaggle of providers discussing how 'stubborn' and 'strong willed' this child is, and how they must have no rules about cleaning up at home. UM, that's what toddlers DO!) I can't even try to educate, myself and a few other providers are all but ostracized on the local provider forum for even SUGGESTING that these practices might be wrong. I am sooo tempted sometimes to screen shot it and post it publicly so the parents can see it.

BUT, I DO NOT think providers should have to pay for it. Online classes, offered free to those who work in centers or have a state license, with a reasonable time frame to complete a CDA is MORE than sufficient.

Yes, if the training is implemented for my state, it should be FREE but can't see that happening....maybe partial but not all. When QRIS com about 15 years ago here, Several of us took advantage of the generous funding....I knew then that was too good to be true but am thankful I followed through with my education because it is coming here, just a matter of when.....not saying I agree totally, but it is coming and those that did not take advantage will have big decisions to make....I find that heartbreaking for the wonderful-experienced-quality providers with no formal education but it will be good for those with no DAP knowledge ruining it for the rest of us.

[nanglgrl]

I'm not sure that it really creates quality care. I'm my case I can say that my care/space is a little better than it was 10 years ago BUT I think that would have happened naturally because I'm always trying to make things better. I've been in school for a million years earning my BS in ECE at 6 credits a semester. I'm almost done but will have to close my daycare for a year to do the 3 practicums...that should be interesting. After that I doubt I will reopen. As far as QRS, in my case it meant quality care is being provided for upper/middle income families and low-income families who need that care the most miss out. As soon as I hit 4 stars I stopped getting calls for clients on child care assistance. Before QRS I had 90% low income clients, now I have 0 and that's how it has been for years. I moved, but only a few blocks. We have plenty of low income people looking they just don't call me. I have a good reputation and am willing to take a few, heck I even show up first on referral lists! The biggest difference is I'm not open 10 hours anymore, I'm open 8.5. In my state CCA is applied in 5 hour units, giving most 10 hours a day. When I had CCA clients most didn't actually NEED 10 hours a day, now they're encouraged to find places that let them use the entire 10 hours instead of using their actual work hours.

[Annalee]

Currently accepted "Age appropriate practice" and education theory is covered in the mandatory, annual/recurrent, 20 hour classes, provided through the CCR&R though. These college courses they are forcing really only taught us documentation for the State and making homemade toys . In the most tedious way humanly possible. :dislike:

CCR&R has lost most of their funding....they are very limited in their technical assistance here. This is creating major issues for the State when implementing these rules because who will be available for the technical assistance that will go with the education plus the excess amounts of dictated training hours on top of the proposed education. :confused: