Indiana

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning

470 IAC 3-4.7 (Child Care Centers; Licensing)

Researched 2026-09 · Summary, not legal advice — confirm with the agency before acting on a figure.

Staff-child ratios

Infants

1:4

6 weeks until walking consistently unassisted

max group 8

Toddlers

1:5

Walking to under 30 months

max group 10

Preschool

1:10

3-year-olds

max group 20

School-age

1:15

Grade 1 and above

max group 30

Annual training: 12 clock hours of in-service training annually for directors and all persons counted in child/staff ratios (470 IAC 3-4.7-35); lead caregivers who lack the required education must complete 8 additional hours (20 total). First aid and CPR training are also required.
Lead teacher: Lead caregivers need a current CDA, a bachelor's in early childhood/elementary education, or a bachelor's with 15 ECE-related credit hours or an ECE associate degree; otherwise they must enroll in a qualifying program (completing 6+ credit hours per year) and take 8 extra in-service hours annually (470 IAC 3-4.7-25).
Director: Directors must be at least 21 and have a bachelor's in early childhood or elementary education, any bachelor's plus 15 ECE credit hours or a CDA, or an ECE associate degree plus at least 3 years of early childhood program experience (470 IAC 3-4.7-21).
Worth knowing: Full chart (470 IAC 3-4.7-47): 2-year-olds 1:5 (group 10); if all 2s are at least 30 months, 1:7 (group 14); 4-year-olds 1:12 (24); 5-year-olds 1:15 (30). Mixed groups use the youngest child's ratio. Regulation text verified via Cornell LII's copy of the Indiana Administrative Code.

A ratio is easy to read and hard to hold at 3pm on the playground.