Arizona

Staff-child ratios

Requirements

Annual training

Each staff member providing child care must complete 18 or more actual hours of training every 12 months (R9-5-403); staff serving infants need at least 6 of those hours in infant growth and development, and directors need at least 6 hours in program administration; designated staff must maintain current infant/child first aid and CPR certification.

Lead teacher

A teacher-caregiver must be at least 18 and have one of: 6 months of child care experience plus a high school/HSE diploma (or 12 college credits including 6 in ECE); an associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood, child development or a closely related field; or an N.A.C., CDA, or C.C.P. credential.

Director

A facility director must be at least 21 and document one of: 24 months of child care experience + high school/HSE diploma + 6 ECE credit hours (or 60 hours of instruction plus 12 hours in program administration); 18 months experience + N.A.C./CDA/C.C.P. or 24 college credits (6 in ECE); 6 months experience + associate degree in ECE/child development; or 3 months experience + bachelor's degree in those fields.

Worth knowing

Arizona sets ratios but no maximum group sizes. Full R9-5-404 table: infants 1:5 or 2:11; 1-year-olds 1:6 or 2:13; 2-year-olds 1:8; 3-year-olds 1:13; 4-year-olds 1:15; 5-year-olds not in school 1:20; school-age 1:20. Ratios are based on the youngest child in the group.