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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 29. PUBLIC WELFARE |
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Chapter 29-3. CHILD DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES |
Section 29-343. GROUP SIZE AND ADULT/CHILD RATIOS
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343.1Each Child Development Center shall have at least two (2) staff persons caring for each group at all times. In Centers serving infants, toddlers, and/or preschoolers, there shall be a teacher, who may also be the Center Director, and an assistant teacher or aide for each group at all times, except as further specified herein.
343.2During non-peak hours or during nap/rest periods, another adult staff member or adult volunteer may substitute for one of the staff members specified at subsection 343.1, provided that the group is supervised by at least one teacher or assistant teacher.
343.3In part-day programs, operating no more than four (4) hours per day, the Child Development Center may substitute an adult volunteer for an assistant teacher or aide.
343.4In Centers providing out-of-school-time care, the specific requirements of section 348 of this Chapter shall be deemed sufficient for the out-of-school-time program, to the extent that they may differ from the requirements contained in this section.
343.5The Facility shall maintain the adult/child ratios and group sizes as specified herein:
(a)For Centers serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers:
AGE OF CHILDREN
ADULT/CHILD RATIO
MAXIMUM SIZE OF GROUP
0 -12 months
1:3
9
0 -12 months
1:4
8
12 - 24 months
1:3
9
12 - 24 months
1:4
8
24 - 30 months
1:4
12
30 months through 3 years
1:8
16
4 -5 years
1:10
20
(b)For Centers providing out-of-school-time care to children of legal school age:
AGE OF CHILDREN
ADULT/CHILD RATIO
MAXIMUM SIZE OF GROUP
Under 6 years
1:12
24
6 years and older
1:15
30
343.6In determining adult/child ratios and maximum group sizes for children up to twenty-four (24) months old, the maximum group size may increase by one child when the adult/child ratio decreases by one child per adult, as shown in the table above at Subsection 343.5(a).
343.7When children of different ages are combined in one group, the adult/child ratio for the youngest child shall apply.
343.8When children are swimming or playing in water, including "baby" pools, "wading" pools, and full-depth pools, the Facility shall maintain the following adult/child ratios in addition to complying with the water safety requirements contained in Section 368 of this chapter:
AGE OF CHILDREN
ADULT/CHILD RATIO
0 - 24 months
1:1
24 months and above
Ratios in Subsection 343.5 apply
343.9A licensed Montessori child development center that is duly accredited by American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) or otherwise approved by the State Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia may exceed the adult to child ratio or group size requirement by no more than fifty percent (50%) of the ratios established in this chapter.
343.10When children of varying ages anywhere from ages two (2) years or older are grouped together in conformance with Montessori accreditation standards, the average age of all of the children in the age group of two (2) through five (5) years shall be used to determine the group’s maximum size and appropriate adult- to- child ratio.
343.11A program may be granted an exemption to the adult-to-child ratio if the program submits a written request to OSSE. This request shall include at minimum the following information:
(a) A detailed description of the program model including evidence and history that demonstrate the effectiveness of the model;
(b) An explanation as to why an exception to the adult-to-child ratio is integral to the delivery of the program model; and
(c) An explanation and supporting evidence that the proposed adult to child ratio shall not jeopardize the basic health and safety of participating children.