New Jersey

Staff-child ratios

Requirements

Annual training

All staff must complete 12 clock hours of continuing staff development each year; the director, head teachers, group teachers and program supervisors must complete 20 hours per year instead. Annual re-training on the required orientation topics is also mandatory (N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.7 and 4.8).

Lead teacher

A group teacher needs 1 year of teaching experience in a group program for children under 6 plus an approved educational credential, e.g., an associate degree in early childhood education/child development or 6 college credits in ECE/CD. Head teachers need more, such as a bachelor's degree in a child-related field plus ECE credits and experience, or the NJ Head Teacher endorsement.

Director

For early childhood programs licensed for more than 30 children, the director needs a master's degree in a field related to children or business, or a bachelor's degree plus 1 year of managerial or supervisory experience. Directors of programs licensed for 30 or fewer children must meet the group teacher qualifications.

Worth knowing

N.J.A.C. 3A:52 does not set conventional max group sizes for infants/toddlers: each primary caregiver's group is 4 infants or 6 toddlers, and no more than 12 infants or 20 toddlers may share a room area without visual dividers. Groups of children 2 1/2+ are capped at 20 and school-age groups at 30. Relaxed ratios apply during naps under strict conditions.