Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part CLXVII - Bulletin 140-Louisiana Early Childhood Care and Education Network
Chapter 5 - Early Childhood Care and Education Accountability System
Section CLXVII-513 - Informational Metrics of Best Practices

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code CLXVII-513

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Informational metrics are measures of a publicly-funded site and a community network's use of the following early childhood care and education best practices. The performance profile shall report the publicly-funded site and community network's use of the best practices identified as an investment in quality measures, which shall include, but is not limited to:

1. Child-to-teacher ratios. Publicly-funded sites maintain child-to-teacher ratios based on the age of children and that are at or better than the minimum standards required in accordance with LAC 28:CLXI.137 or LAC 28:CLXV.139, as applicable.
a. To achieve gold-level ratios, publicly-funded sites shall at minimum meet the following child-to-teacher ratios.
i. Family Child Care Provider. If any children in care are 24 months old or younger, the maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be 4:1.

ii. Early Learning Center or School-based Organization. The maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be as shown below.

Age

Ratio

Birth to 1 year

4:1

1 year to 2 years

4:1

2 years to 3 years

6:1

3 years to 4 years

8:1

4 years to 5 years

10:1

b. To achieve silver-level ratios, publicly-funded sites shall meet at minimum the following child-to-teacher ratios.
i. Family Child Care Provider. If any children in care are 24 months old or younger, the maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be 5:1.

ii. Early Learning Center or School-based Organization. The maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be as shown below.

Age

Ratio

Birth to 1 year

4:1

1 year to 2 years

6:1

2 years to 3 years

8:1

3 years to 4 years

10:1

4 years to 5 years

12:1

c. To achieve bronze-level ratios, publicly-funded sites shall meet at least the minimum child-to-teacher ratios.
i. Family Child Care Provider. The maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be in accordance with LAC 28:CLXV.139.

ii. Early Learning Center or School-based Organization. The maximum child-to-teacher ratio shall be in accordance with LAC 28:CLXI.137.

d. For all levels of ratios, early learning centers or school-based organizations shall meet the group size requirement in accordance with LAC 28:CLXI.137.

2. teacher preparation. Publicly-funded sites ensure lead teachers meet or exceed credential requirements for publicly-funded classrooms provided in BESE Bulletin 746-Louisiana Standards for State Certification of School Personnel;

3. standards-based curriculum. Publicly-funded sites use a curriculum that is aligned to BESE Bulletin 136-The Louisiana Standards for Early Childhood Care and Education Programs Serving Children Birth-Five Years.

B. The performance profile may report informational metrics in the following categories:

1. child assessment that informs instruction;

2. investment in quality measures;

3. family engagement and supports; and

4. community network supports (reported at the community network level only):
a. the number of children served in new publicly-funded early childhood seats;

b. the percent of publicly-funded early childhood seats that are filled.

C. Each year and in collaboration with the Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Council, the department shall review the results of the accountability system, including but not limited to the performance of programs on each domain of the CLASS®, how the performance profile ratings are calculated, and the observer reliability substitution rates, and recommend any improvements for this bulletin. To develop these recommendations, the department shall work collaboratively with the Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Council, which shall establish a workgroup for this purpose. The department, with assent shown by vote of the Advisory Council, can decide in a given year that no review is needed.

D. Contingent on available funding, the department shall conduct an external implementation evaluation of Louisianas early childhood care and education network to answer questions that include but are not limited to whether the system:

1. is based on performance ratings that are valid and reliable;

2. meaningfully differentiates between levels of program quality; and

3. delivers a robust set of quality improvement supports and incentives for improvement, as well as consequences for failure to improve. The results of the study shall be shared with the Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Council and BESE.

E.

1. The LDE is required to collect data designed to strengthen the states ability to track and monitor implementation of new and ongoing policies and supports, program quality, and child outcomes, positioning Louisiana to:
a. provide targeted supports to teachers, programs, and schools; and

b. be evaluation-ready when funds and evaluators become available.

2. The LDE shall explore critical data elements being collected by other states, seek recommendations from the Early Childhood Advisory Council on critical data elements and present a report on the findings to BESE no later than January 2017.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:407.21 et seq.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.