Connecticut

Staff-child ratios

Requirements

Annual training

Program staff must document ongoing training of at least 1% of total annual hours worked (about 20 hours for a full-time employee); health and safety orientation topics within 3 months of hire; at least one staff member with current CPR certification and one with current first aid certification must be present whenever the center is open.

Lead teacher

A designated head teacher (on site 60% of operating hours) must be at least 20 and qualify via routes such as: high school diploma + 1,080 hours of supervised experience + a center-based CDA or 12 ECE credits; or a bachelor's degree in ECE/child development + 360 hours of supervised experience with student teaching.

Director

The designated director must be at least 20 years old; directors hired or designated on or after January 1, 2010 must complete at least 3 credits in administration of early childhood education programs within one year.

Worth knowing

Infant/toddler and 2-year-old ratios and group sizes come from the under-three endorsement rules (§19a-79-10; the 2-year-old 1:5/10 standard took effect October 16, 2024); the 1:10/20 general standard is in §19a-79-4a and the school-age 1:15/30 standard in §19a-79-12. Mixed-age groups follow the youngest child's ratio and group size.