Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
606 CMR 7.00 — Standards for the Licensure or Approval of Family Child Care; Small Group and School Age and Large Group and School Age Child Care Programs (ratios at 606 CMR 7.10(9))
Researched 2026-09 · Summary, not legal advice — confirm with the agency before acting on a figure.
Staff-child ratios
Infants
1:3
birth to 15 months
max group 7
Toddlers
1:4
15 to 33 months
max group 9
Preschool
1:10
33 months to school age (full-day)
max group 20
School-age
1:13
school age (first grade and older)
max group 26
Requirements
- Annual training
- Educators in large-group programs working 20+ hours/week must complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development per year (scaled down to a minimum of 5 hours for those working under 10 hours/week); at least one-third must address the needs of diverse learners (606 CMR 7.09).
- Lead teacher
- An EEC-qualified Teacher must be at least 21 or hold a high school diploma, and have 3 credits in child growth and development plus 9 months of work experience or one practicum, or hold a CDA credential, or have completed a two-year high school vocational program in early childhood education (606 CMR 7.09).
- Director
- A Director I must meet lead teacher requirements, have 6 additional months of work experience after qualifying as lead teacher, and complete at least 2 credits or 3 CEUs in child care administration; Director II requires 2 further credits or 3 CEUs (606 CMR 7.09).
- Worth knowing
- Infant groups of 4–7 require a second educator (1:3 base ratio, max group 7). Half-day preschool allows 1:12 with group of 24. Kindergarten-age children (entering first grade the following year) have a separate band: 1:15, group 30.
A ratio is easy to read and hard to hold at 3pm on the playground.
Rehearse supervision