EEC’s Draft Regulations Overview

1. EEC’s Draft Regulations Overview A new look for Group, School-Age and Family Child Care Regulations Looking for your Input and Feedback

2. EEC Guiding Principles • Put children and families first • Be flexible and accountable • Balance access, affordability, quality, and coordination/continuity of care • Prioritize the needs of low-income families • Build on strengths of current system; minimize weaknesses; maximize resources • Seek input from staff and stakeholders • Keep interested parties informed of progress • Provide timely and comprehensive information to Board for decision-making

3. Early Education and Care “Tri-lemma” EEC system must balance all three points of triangle, and make coordination and continuity of care a priority.

4. Reflecting EEC’s guiding principles; Aligning important safety regulations that are good for kids across different program types; and Updating our regulations to keep pace with changing times and knowledge. An Opportunity To Improve ECC Regulations by

5. You May Ask Yourself– Why Change? • Our current regulations are among the best in the nation,but we can do even better! Positive changes could: • Reduce repetition and condense two sets of regulations into one. • Allow decisions about children to be based on their developmental needs and not just their chronological age. • Reflect current industry standards and best practices. • Make regulations more “user friendly” for providers, parents, and others! Make it easier to meet the needs of children and families….

6. Building From The Work Of Our Legacy Agencies Current EEC Regulations EEC Draft Regulations Early Childhood Program Standards

7. Building From The Work Of Our Legacy Agencies- OCCS and ELS Family Child Care Current Regulations Promulgated 10/12/2003 Group & School Age Child Care Current Regulations have been In place since 1997 Standards implemented 2003 for Public Schools & Community Partnership Programs Pre-K Standards

8. Our Approach • Children and families first! • Keep the Tri-lemma in balance; • Take the best from our current regulations and standards; • Align regulations across program type when possible ; • Research regulations and standards from other states, NAEYC, Head Start, NIOST, NAFCC, and the military care system. • Make regulations consistent with those of other state agencies where needed; • Carefully consider the effect of all changes on providers or programs, • Maintain or increase quality.

9. Push and Pull • Every change recommended by the committee was based on weighing its impact on each leg of the Tri-lemma. Quality, Affordability and Access

10. The Core Regulations

11. What Is a “CORE” Regulation ? A “Core” regulation: • Works for children in all types of settings. • Is flexible enough to be developmentally appropriate for a wide age range of children. • Assures that children in Family Child Care, Group Child Care, and School-Age Child Care get the same good education and care. • Aligns similar requirements across different care types. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

12. What Is a “Program Specific” Regulation? A “program specific” regulation: • Recognizes that there are differences in Family Child Care, Group Child Care, and School-Age Child Care programs. • Addresses a unique feature of one type of care. • Examples Follow *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

13. Family involvement is a Core Regulation that all types of care must follow. At the bottom of the page 7.08(9) is just for Family Child Care providers How Will the New Regulations Physically Look? Core Reg. Program Specific Requirements for only Family Child Care *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

14. Example of a Program Specific Regulation Written Administrative Plan (A written plan showing how the program is administered.) The draft regulations: • Do not require a plan for Family Child Care. • Do require a plan for Group and School Age Child Care if the program is administered by more than one person. • Do require a plan for Group and School-Age Child Care if it is a multi-site program. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

15. Highlights, Changes, and What Stays the Same

16. Individual titles are still used if a requirement (like qualifications) pertains to a specific position Lead Teacher Teacher Assistant Teacher Director I, II Program Administrator Site Coordinator Group Leader Assist. Group Leader Family Child Care Provider Certified FCC Assistant Regular FCC Assistant New Definitions • Educator– is the new umbrella term referring to all early education and care staff in the draft regulations. • It includes all FCC staff, all GCC staff, and all SACC staff.  • The word “educator” makes it easier to read the regulations. • And it's what early education and care staff do every day. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

17. The Proposed Regulations have Three Program Types • Family Child Care Up to 10 children, infants to school-age, in a residence. • Small Non-Residence Up to 10 children but not in a residence. • Large Group11+ children (up to capacity) including both group and school-age under one license. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

18. EEC has developed a hybrid! Small non-residence care combines elements of family child care and group/school age child care. It creates new options for the care of a small number of unrelated children. Allows for ten or fewer children to receive care in a non-residence, such as a church, community center, or similar setting The regulations are less restrictive than group child care to reflect the nature of a smaller group Works well for the provider whose home may be unsuitable for family child care Works well for a community agency that needs a small on-site program for staff or clients Small Non-Residence Care The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: Community Services *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

19. Current regulations for FCC limit the operation of a family child care home to an occupied residence. Family child care providers want some flexibility in this definition. Continue to allow family child care to operate in an occupied residence. Allow family child care to occur in a building attached to the residence of the licensee (garage). Allow family child care to occur in an unattached building on the land of the licensee’s primary residence Definition of Family Child Care The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: Continued on next slide *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

20. Allow family child care to occur in a vacant unit in a duplex if the licensee resides in the other unit of the residence Allow family child care to occur in an unoccupied apartment in a residence of up to three stories (potential for three separate dwelling units) if the licensee lives in one of the units. Definition of Family Child Care *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

21. Current regulations for GCC require that children be assigned to groups (classrooms) based solely on their chronological age. This does not always meet the needs of the children Provides the flexibility to assign children to classrooms according to their developmental needs Allows an older toddler to be moved into a preschool classroom under certain conditions Allows a child who is not ready to move into the next age group to stay in their current classroom under certain conditions Group Assignment The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: Continued on next slide *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

22. Group Assignment • Decisions for group assignment will be made on a combination of factors, including the child’s chronological age, where the child is developmentally, parental input, and the ability of the child to fit into the proposed group. • Providers and parents have been requesting this flexibility…we have listened! *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

23. Sometimes children do better in a small group of mixed ages. The proposed regulations would allow limited use of “family groupings” in a large group setting (group/school age child care) and small non-residence settings. Works well for non-traditional programs, like domestic violence women’s shelters or back up child care Allows children going through a stressful period to be in smaller group with their older or younger siblings. Allows children with disabilities to grow and learn with their peers in smaller groups. Acknowledges that older and younger children can learn from each other in a family grouping setting Family Groupings in Large Child Care The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

24. Appropriate supervision of younger school-age children (ages 5-8 years) is very different from that of older school-age children (ages 9-13 years). The current regulations do not differentiate between the needs of these two age groups. Continue to require programs to provide developmentally appropriate supervision to all school-age children Create two new categories: “younger school-age children” and “older school-age children” Recognize that older school-age children should be allowed some independence appropriate to their age and developmental abilities. Give better guidance to programs around expectations for the supervision of the “younger” and the “older” school-age children. Supervision of Children in School-Age Programs The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

25. Alignment of Ratios and Groupings The proposed regulation changes will accomplish the following: • Current school age child regulations require a 1:13 staff to child ratio. • Current group child care regulations require a 1:15 staff to child ratio for children 4 yrs. 9 mos. of age or older but not yet enrolled in school. • EEC is proposing to align these ratios by requiring 1:15 ratio for school age children. • However, EEC is also proposing a 1:10 staff to child ratio if it is a mixed age range grouping of preschool and young school age children (up to age 9). • Align the staff to child ratios across preschool and school age programs. • Give programs that serve both preschool and school age children more staffing options. • Create a new transitional grouping that meets the needs of older preschoolers and younger school age children. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

26. How adults interact with children affects healthy development. The proposed regulation change will accomplish the following: We all know this from the science of child development. EEC is proposing an entire section in the draft regulations that addresses the quality of adult/child interactions; Promote interactions between adults and children that support the development of: • Self esteem, • Self expression, • Social competence, • Independence, and • School readiness. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

27. Educators’ Qualifications Will Stay the Same For Now • Currently EEC is not making any changes to any of the required qualifications for educators working in group, school age, or family programs. • EEC is still in the early stages of developing competency-based qualifications as well as a system for on-going professional development. • EEC is proposing some changes in orientation, training, and professional development to support our workforce. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

28. Building a Foundation for the Early Education and Care Workforce • As new IT systems become operational over time, EEC is proposing mandatory enrollment in a workforce registry to: • recognize the professionalism in our field by issuing credentials and • provide much-needed data about our workforce. • EEC is proposing enhanced professional development hours • Family child care would need 10 hours per year • Group and school age staff would need 5 to 20 hours per year depending on how many hours they work. • EEC is proposing a required orientation for all staff entering the field. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

29. An Opportunity For Educators And Families These new regulations will: • Give educators more flexibility without losing quality and accountability; • Help all educators grow as the field of early education and care evolves; • Standardize care for children across all settings and developmental stages; • Give educators more ways to improve access and continuity for children and families.

30. Internal/External Feedback Loop EEC Reg. Committee & EEC Board External Stakeholders & Public Comment Internal EEC Staff Input

31. Northeast Western Central Metro Boston & Central Office Southeast & Cape Your Input on these Draft Regulations

32. There are Two Ways to Give EEC Feedback • There is an on-line survey at www.eec.state.ma.us specifically set up for this informal review process. And: • There is a special e-mail box, regreform@massmail.state.ma.usfor general comments about the draft regulations as a whole. Tell us what you like about these draft regulations or point out areas you would like EEC to review and consider. *PLEASE NOTE: These are DRAFT proposals for further review and discussion over the next 6-8 months.

33. Provide your comments at: http://www.eec.state.ma.us/RegSurveyPublic/RSPIntro.aspx

34. Comments continued…

35. Comments continued… This is a great idea!

36. What Will Happen to my Comments? • All the comments that EEC receives will be grouped together by subject area and reviewed by the Regulations committee and EEC’s Internal Quality Committee. • All suggestions will be reviewed and help to inform changes to this draft. • Where appropriate, changes in the draft regulations will be made. Other suggestions may result in changes in policy, technical assistance, or licensing procedures

37. *Some regulations may be phased in over time Regulation Review ProcessTimeline • Board provides input on alignment approach December 2005 • EEC develops draft regulations January 2006-April 2007 • Intensive informal external review process May-June 2007 • Board vote to send out for public comment Fall 2007 • Implementation preparation Fall 2007 • Board vote on final regulations after revisions Winter 2007 • Technical assistance/training Spring/Summer 2008 • New regulations take effect Fall 2008*

38. EEC is dedicated to moving forward with the early education and care community. This is an opportunity to give us guidance on the draft regulations. Your informal comments add value by improving the draft regulations. Our common goal is to begin the formal comment period this fall with the best possible draft regulations! Thank you. We Will Move Forward Together!