Reply to Daycare class sizes (non-Covid times)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m a first time parent researching daycares for a 1 year old and surprised to hear some places typically (pre-Covid) have up to 16 children plus staff in a room. Mind you, the rooms don’t seem that big but since I’m visiting either over zoom or after-hours (no kids around) it’s hard to really picture it. On the other hand other places have just 8 even pre-Covid and the rooms don’t seem much smaller. What am I missing?

Has 16 in a room worked for your young toddler? Mine is super mobile so won’t just be sitting in place all the day. And do you think we’ll be getting back to these full capacities in the 21-22 school year? Right now of course everything is capped at much lower levels (7-8) bc of Covid regs. I’m in NW DC. [/quote]

[b]
Whoa. Too many 1 year olds in a room.  [/b]

I direct a program in DC and directed a different program in DC.  The group size you are talking about is too large for a 1 year old.

group size/teacher to child ratio FOR DC CENTERS: (I don't know what Virginia is)
infants up to 24 months of age:   8 children with 2 teachers, 1:4 ratio      OR           9 children with 3 teachers, 1:3 ratio
24 months to 30 months (21/2 years old:   12 children with 3 teachers, 1:4 ratio  (obviously, they COULD do a smaller group of 8 or 9 children, as above)
30 months (21/2 years of age to 48 month old (4 yr old):  16 children with 2 teachers, 1:8 ratio
4 year olds:  20 children with 2 teachers, 1:10

I want you to call those programs back and ask them EXACTLY HOW many children are in the room.  If they say more than 9 children, then you need to ask "but I understood that the group size for children up to 2 year old is 8 or 9, with a 1:4 or 1:3 ratio.  How do you have so many children in the room?

they MAY pull out some crap about how they are "grandfathered in" and they have 2 different groups of children, each with their own 2 teachers, so the 8 children are completely separate from the other 8 children.....  BUT THEN  you ask if they are all in one room or in two different rooms? And if in one room, how do they keep 16 children, all a year old, from playing together?  Because I call bull on this "oh, don't worry, your child will always be in a group of only 8 children, even though we have 16 in the room."  HOW does one accomplish that for 1 year olds, exactly?

I hope to god you misunderstood.  I think 16 children, all 12 to 24 months of age, is too many little people in one room, all grabbing at toys, trying to eat, sleep, play with materials, etc.  20 4 year olds? Sure, they have language, better executive function skills, have more social skills and can wait their turn, solve problems in different ways than grabbing, hitting and biting, etc.  But 16 1 year olds?  Nope, not good at all.

For what it's worth, 2 year olds in Maryland can have 12 children but need only 2 teachers rather than 3.  I'm not sure what the ratio for 12-24 months old is in Maryland, although i think it's 9 children.  I'm sure it's not 16.

[b]DC LICENSING REGULATIONS ARE HERE: https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/Final%20Rulemaking%20for%20the%20Licensing%20of%20Child%20Development%20Facilities.pdf

GO TO PAGE 62 to read it from that document.  But I COPIED IT BELOW because reading the licensing regulations is mind-numbing.

121.3 A licensed Child Development Facility (“Licensee”) shall maintain the adult-to child ratios and group sizes as specified herein:
(a) For Child Development Centers serving infants, toddlers, and/or preschoolers:[/b]

AGE OF CHILDREN          ADULT-TO-CHILD RATIO             MAXIMUM SIZE OF  GROUP
0 - 24 months                  1:4                                                      8
24 - 30 months                1:4                                                      12
30 months - 48 months    1:8                                                      16
48 months – 60 months    1:10                                                    20[/quote]

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