Expanded MD child care class sizes

[Anonymous]

I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

[Anonymous]

For my center, the shortened hours are not about reduced class size, but because of not being able to combine groups of children like we normally do early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Children must stay in a stable group in one room that is completely isolated from other groups.

[Anonymous]

My in-home isn’t yet going back to regular hours because they are using the last hour to comply with cleaning and disinfecting requirements. They can’t afford to hire extra cleaning ladies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For my center, the shortened hours are not about reduced class size, but because of not being able to combine groups of children like we normally do early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Children must stay in a stable group in one room that is completely isolated from other groups.

I get this, but ours has limited hours far beyond the early/late hours where they combined groups. I think it’s because they can only use the same teachers all day and can’t go beyond the 8.5 hrs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

My daycare, and few others I know of, have spots available right now even with the restrictions. So I'm not sure it's the restrictions that will shut down centers, but rather just COVID in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

My daycare, and few others I know of, have spots available right now even with the restrictions. So I'm not sure it's the restrictions that will shut down centers, but rather just COVID in general.

My daycare also has some spots available as well. I think some parents are out of job or quit job, some parents stay at home to take care of older kids DL (also make the little one stay at home), high risk families or low risk families afraid of covid are 3 main reasons to cause center to shut down.

[Anonymous]

I thought I read something online that Montgomery county was not allowing expanded ratios.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought I read something online that Montgomery county was not allowing expanded ratios.

I read that too, although I don't think they currently have a legal mechanism to do so. The current executive order points to state guidance, which allows the full ratios.

Elrich and Dr. Gayles haven't been entirely truthful regarding legal orders and their own personal recommendations. Elrich, for example, said we were under a stay-at-home order in his public statements long after he rescinded it. I think this is another case of that. They don't want daycares to reopen fully, but there's nothing stopping them from doing so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought I read something online that Montgomery county was not allowing expanded ratios.

I read that too, although I don't think they currently have a legal mechanism to do so. The current executive order points to state guidance, which allows the full ratios.

Elrich and Dr. Gayles haven't been entirely truthful regarding legal orders and their own personal recommendations. Elrich, for example, said we were under a stay-at-home order in his public statements long after he rescinded it. I think this is another case of that. They don't want daycares to reopen fully, but there's nothing stopping them from doing so.

Agree with this- they’re playing some sort of little tit-for-tat game with Hogan and it’s annoying frankly, and kind of bullying daycare centers who want to expand not to.

[Anonymous]

Montgomery County Will Not Be Moving to Phase 3 for Child Care Programs

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles reminded child care providers that Montgomery County is not moving to Phase 3 for child care programs. On Thursday Oct. 1, Governor Larry Hogan and Superintendent for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Karen Salmon announced updated guidelines for child care programs allowing programs to serve up to 20 three- and four-year-old children in a room with a ratio of one teacher to 10 students and up to 30 school-age students with a ratio of one teacher to 15 students.

Montgomery County will not make this change and will continue to review the recent updates to provide more thorough guidance to child care providers that are affected. Montgomery County made the decision not to proceed based on the data that show sustained levels of community transmission and a continued high percentage of new cases in the zero to 19-year-old age group. This means that child care centers, family providers, letter of compliance programs and other entities licensed under the MSDE Office of Child Care, including school-age care in the county will remain at the levels currently in place.

Child care providers are reminded that they must continue to adhere to the State and local requirements for the wearing of face coverings, physical distancing of six feet, and sanitizing of hands, shared equipment and facilities. These precautions are critical as the County works to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

For the latest Reopening Montgomery updates, visit the County’s website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCountyMD.

Put the “count” in Montgomery County! Be sure to complete the Census online, by phone, or by mail. It’s safe, confidential, easy, and important. #2020Census #EveryoneCountsMCMD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

Elrich/Gayles have no control over childcare centers. They’re regulated by the state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

Elrich/Gayles have no control over childcare centers. They’re regulated by the state.

Wrong. That’s what I thought too but they can govern what Montgomery COunty daycares can so. That’s why the rest of Montgomery county is moving on in terms of ratios but Montgomery county is stuck at phase 2 with limited ratios.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume these apply in MoCo, right? Has anyone's center said anything yet about expanding class sizes (and/or expanding hours) since the state announced last week they can go back to normal class sizes? It would be so nice for ours to be open beyond this darn 8:30-5 limited schedule...

Elrich/Gayles said no until daily cases for the county are below 35.

https://patch.com/maryland/silverspring/moco-wont-let-child-care-centers-expand-capacity-rest-md

If you’d like them to reconsider, I encourage you to write and say so- seemed to work for restaurant owners who wanted to serve alcohol later. Otherwise, they better pony up more than the $1.8 million in aid to childcare centers.

- not a provider, but a parent who is worried their center isn’t going to make it

Elrich/Gayles have no control over childcare centers. They’re regulated by the state.

Wrong. That’s what I thought too but they can govern what Montgomery COunty daycares can so. That’s why the rest of Montgomery county is moving on in terms of ratios but Montgomery county is stuck at phase 2 with limited ratios.

I apologize for the tone. It didn’t sound rude when I thought it but written down it’s pretty bad. My point is none of us daycare’s also realized that he had governing power over us until we started getting letters specifically from Montgomery county telling us what we could and could not do. I’m at forced half capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montgomery County Will Not Be Moving to Phase 3 for Child Care Programs

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles reminded child care providers that Montgomery County is not moving to Phase 3 for child care programs. On Thursday Oct. 1, Governor Larry Hogan and Superintendent for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Karen Salmon announced updated guidelines for child care programs allowing programs to serve up to 20 three- and four-year-old children in a room with a ratio of one teacher to 10 students and up to 30 school-age students with a ratio of one teacher to 15 students.

Montgomery County will not make this change and will continue to review the recent updates to provide more thorough guidance to child care providers that are affected. Montgomery County made the decision not to proceed based on the data that show sustained levels of community transmission and a continued high percentage of new cases in the zero to 19-year-old age group. This means that child care centers, family providers, letter of compliance programs and other entities licensed under the MSDE Office of Child Care, including school-age care in the county will remain at the levels currently in place.

Child care providers are reminded that they must continue to adhere to the State and local requirements for the wearing of face coverings, physical distancing of six feet, and sanitizing of hands, shared equipment and facilities. These precautions are critical as the County works to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

For the latest Reopening Montgomery updates, visit the County’s website and follow Montgomery County on Facebook @MontgomeryCountyInfo and Twitter @MontgomeryCountyMD.

Put the “count” in Montgomery County! Be sure to complete the Census online, by phone, or by mail. It’s safe, confidential, easy, and important. #2020Census #EveryoneCountsMCMD

This is so disingenuous. The county's order doesn't say anything about phase 2 versus 3 in the executive order. It just says to follow state guidance. So until and unless the county releases a new executive or health order, there's nothing stopping child care centers in MoCo from fully reopening.