Anonymous wrote:I was at the hearing. OSSE testified that any playgroup that involves more than 2 children requires a license. Even if nobody is paying any “dues.” Even if nobody is getting paid. Anytime you have more than 2 children getting together on a regular basis, unless their parents are there the whole time, you need a license, according to OSSE.

They are nuts.

Agree that both examples above should be regulated (Petworth and Hill) preschools AND that the description above is ludicrously over the line.

I was at the hearing. OSSE testified that any playgroup that involves more than 2 children requires a license. Even if nobody is paying any “dues.” Even if nobody is getting paid. Anytime you have more than 2 children getting together on a regular basis, unless their parents are there the whole time, you need a license, according to OSSE.

They are nuts.

I participated in the Capitol Hill playgroup. The “dues” go toward things like toys, art supplies and a donation to the church that the playgroup meets in.

The idea of regulating parents because they’re pooling their money to buy some toys and making a donation to a church for some indoor space to play in is patently absurd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

if they hire staff and bill it as childcare, I tend to agree.

The Hill one has no staff. Just parents.

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. ”

Curious: The web site for the Capitol Hill Cooperative Playgroup does say it's 100 percent run by parents, but the playgroup also charges "dues" of between $150 and $425 a year. If that's not going to the parents "staffing" the program, where does it go? The site mentions the location (a church) so some must go towards renting that space--? And buying snacks and toys? If an organization rents a space, charges dues (or a fee, or whatever term you prefer), is it still a playgroup and not a day care or preschool if it just doesn't pay the adults who are present?

Even more clearly a preschool is the Petworth group. Looked them up and they refer to the following: Their "fees" of between $1,100 and $1,600 per year per child are spent on "rent, facilitator payment" and supplies. They say they are a co-op but add that the required parent participation is about "assisting the lead teacher." So there's at least one paid teacher or facilitator. It can be called a playgroup but it's run by a paid professional, so even with mandatory parent involvement -- it's not what many of us parents would think of as a playgroup and sounds like a preschool that requires parent volunteers.

Just noting that in both these cases, these are groups that charge fees, have selective processes for getting in (applications, preference for siblings of kids already attending, lottery systems, etc.). I think that having formal selection processes, application forms and lotteries, fees and dues, a location that has to be rented or maintained, and at least in the Petworth case, a paid teacher, makes these more than "gray areas" -- they are preschools in effect even if not in name.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm glad we live across the border in wild, unregulated Montgomery County.

Haha!

Had the same thought

Don't worry, once Elrich hears there's a law that DC has that MoCo doesn't, and it imposes on people, he'll demand council give him an even more restrictive law for him to sign.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

Are you paying for that care? Then heck yes, that's a daycare. In fact, that's exactly what a home daycare is. In your case, however I doubt the scenario above would be problematic because the ratios would be low. Your 2 kids plus their two kids or whatever.

No.

Honestly, these groups have operated in a regulatory grey area for awhile now. They’re not a “play group” per se, as most parents drop off their kids and parents rotate watching them. But they’re not a daycare either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

Did you have to apply to your friends drop off and enter into a formal agreement to reciprocate? Did your friend require a financial deposit and set an annual fee? No? Ok then, not a cooperative daycare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

Are you paying for that care? Then heck yes, that's a daycare. In fact, that's exactly what a home daycare is. In your case, however I doubt the scenario above would be problematic because the ratios would be low. Your 2 kids plus their two kids or whatever.

Anonymous wrote: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

You get what you vote for.

Why is anyone surprised by this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

No, but if you rent building space and hire a teacher, than yes, you're running a daycare.

The Hill playgroup has no teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

No, but if you rent building space and hire a teacher, than yes, you're running a daycare.

Anonymous wrote:If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

So if a few of my friends and I trade off dropping our kids at each other’s houses a few hours each week, we’re running a daycare? Ok ...

If people are dropping their kids off, then it's a daycare. If they stay with their kids, it's a playgroup. Simple.

Anonymous wrote:Looks like a co-op preschool to me. I think they should be regulated!
https://petworthcoop.com/application/

Hi OSSE!