Kentucky

Staff-child ratios

Requirements

Annual training

First year: 6 hours of orientation plus 9 hours of cabinet-approved early care and education training; every year thereafter: 15 hours of cabinet-approved training (July 1-June 30), including at least 1.5 hours on pediatric abusive head trauma. Centers must ensure staff receive first aid and CPR training (922 KAR 2:090 Section 11; 2:120 Section 7(8)).

Lead teacher

Kentucky requires no ECE credential for classroom caregivers: staff with supervisory authority over children (hired since January 2009) need a high school diploma, GED, or Commonwealth Child Care Credential, plus TB clearance and background checks (922 KAR 2:090 Section 11).

Director

Directors must be at least 21 with a high school diploma/GED; a Type I center director must also have a bachelor's or master's in education/child development or three years of verifiable full-time paid experience working directly with children, while Type II directors have lighter combined training/experience options (922 KAR 2:090 Section 10).

Worth knowing

Full table (922 KAR 2:120 Section 2(2)): toddlers 24-36 months 1:10 (group 20); 4-5 years 1:14 (28); school-age 7+ 1:25 before/after school or 1:20 full day (group 30). Maximum group sizes apply only to Type I child-care centers.