DC trying to regulate playgroups
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Anonymous
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What the fresh hell is this?
http://hillrag.com/2018/11/06/parents-start-petition-for-council-vote-on-playgroup-bill/ Last month, the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) informed a parent-run playgroup for 2-year-olds, that they would be shut down if they fail to comply with legal requirements applicable to daycares. These requirements include hiring a director with a degree in early childhood education, obtaining a license and otherwise complying with the Child Development Facilities Regulation Act of 1998. This is not OSSE’s first attempt to regulate such a group. Last year, OSSE issued a similar notice to the Petworth Play Group. Councilmembers Allen and Mendelson introduced the Parent-led Play Cooperative Amendment Act of 2018 which would exempt playgroups from regulations designed for childcare facilities. Representatives for OSSE testified that they “do not support the bill as introduced without additional language that requires compliance with necessary health and safety protections,” seemingly stating that in order for playgroups to be exempt from regulation, playgroups to have to comply with OSSE regulation. Concetta Aires said that there was nothing to regulate. “For OSSE to claim that parent led playgroups are not safe is not only ridiculous,” she said, “it is insulting.” |
Anonymous
| Oh my god they’ve started a petition to keep their playgroup. These poor parents. https://www.change.org/p/councilmember-david-grosso-save-parent-playgroups |
Anonymous
| What disgruntled parent reported them? |
Anonymous
| Could David Grosso be anymore inarticulate? |
Anonymous
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That's strange. Why would they try to regulate them? Are these drop off playdates?
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Anonymous
| My kids went to Intown in Georgetown, which is a co-op playgroup for 1 and 2 year olds. I was also on the board. We had to adhere to these regulations, including hiring a director, parents had to have TB tests, etc. I bet blue igloo is the same. I am not sure this is really a new thing, just a newer group that got caught. |
Anonymous
| I guess I'm glad we live across the border in wild, unregulated Montgomery County. |
Anonymous
Haha! Had the same thought |
Anonymous
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OMG! We don't live in DC anymore, but we were a part of this co-op almost 20 years ago!
This is not a group of parents getting together to play paddy-cake or run around in the park. They're running a preschool, plain and simple. Makes sense that there is some level of oversight for health and safety reasons. |
Anonymous
if they hire staff and bill it as childcare, I tend to agree. |
Anonymous
| Brandon Todd to the rescue! https://www.petworthnews.org/blog/cm-corner-co-ops |
Anonymous
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Looks like a co-op preschool to me. I think they should be regulated!
https://petworthcoop.com/application/ |
Anonymous
That 100% definitely seems like a day care and not like a playgroup. I interpret play groups as very loose an informal gatherings where kids play together and the parents are there, usually with out any kind of fee ( unless it is out of place that charges like badlands). |
Anonymous
The Hill one has no staff. Just parents. |
Anonymous
That’s correct: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/blogs/all-opinions-are-local/wp/2018/11/01/d-c-should-just-let-the-children-play/ “The playgroup has no staff. Parents rotate watching the kids. ” |