Virginia

Staff-child ratios

Requirements

Annual training

Staff must complete a minimum of 16 hours of annual training appropriate to the ages of children in care (8VAC20-780-245); annual training must include the center's emergency preparedness plan, and CPR/first aid is among the required training topics.

Lead teacher

Program leaders (lead teachers) must be at least 18 with high school completion and either qualify as a program director; hold an endorsement or bachelor's degree in a child-related field; hold an early childhood certificate or child development credential plus 3 months of programmatic experience; or complete 6 months of supervised programmatic experience with required training (8VAC20-780-210).

Director

Program directors must be at least 21 and meet one of: a graduate degree in a child-related field plus 6 months of experience; a bachelor's degree/endorsement in a child-related field plus 1 year; 48 semester hours with 12 in child-related subjects plus 1 year; or 2 years of programmatic experience (1 supervisory) plus an early childhood certificate, child development credential, or Montessori certification (8VAC20-780-190).

Worth knowing

Other rows of Tables 1 and 2 (8VAC20-780-350): 2-year-olds 1:8, max group 24; children 9 through 12 years 1:20; group size limits do not apply to school-age-eligible children through 12; balanced mixed-age groups max 28. Mixed-age groups follow the youngest child's ratio and group size.