Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3301 - Department of Education - Administration and Director
Chapter 3301-32 - School Child Program
Section 3301-32-03 - Staff requirements and ratios

Universal Citation: OH Admin Code 3301-32-03

Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024

(A) Staff/child ratios shall be at least one staff member caring for eighteen school children who are five years old, but less than eleven years old; or at least one staff member caring for every twenty school children who are eleven years old, but less than fifteen years old.

(B) The maximum group size shall not exceed twice the maximum number of children allowed per staff member as required in paragraph (A) of this rule. When there is a combination of ages within a group of school children, the age of the youngest school child shall determine the maximum number of children per staff member. There may be multiple groups at one site.

(C) When one to eighteen children are in attendance, one staff member or responsible individual who is at least eighteen years of age shall be in attendance and, at a minimum, at least one other responsible individual shall be accessible in the building in which the program is located. At least two staff members shall be present on field trips including seven or more participating children.

(D) At a minimum, one administrator shall be present on site at least fifty per cent of the operating hours of the school child program.

(E) Staff/child ratios established in this rule shall be maintained for each program site.

(F) Staff members shall at all times accompany and supervise children at swimming sites including, but not limited to, public or private swimming pools. Swimming sites not on the same premises as the program shall be approved and supervised by local authorities. Activities in bodies of water eighteen inches in depth shall be supervised by persons who are currently certified as lifeguards or water safety instructors by the American red cross, YMCA, or an equivalent water safety program. Swimming in lakes, rivers, or ponds is unallowable.

(G) The program shall provide enough staff members to meet the ratio requirement at all times during swimming and water play activities.

(H) The file for any individuals used to meet ratio or left alone with a child is to include, at a minimum:

(1) A current profile in the Ohio professional registry (OPR);

(2) Evidence they are at least eighteen years old;

(3) A high school diploma or equivalency;

(4) Orientation training as prescribed by the department, completed within thirty calendar days of the staff member's start date;

(5) Program policies and procedures orientation training completed prior to or within seven calendar days of the first scheduled date of attendance on the job, except that the discipline policy and procedures shall be reviewed before working with children;

(6) In-service hours as set forth in section 3301.54 of the Revised Code and then annually as follows:
(a) If the individual works twenty nine hours or less a week then 2.5 hours of in-service is to be completed; or

(b) If the individual works thirty hours or more a week, then five hours of inservice is to be completed;

(7) A medical statement signed by a licensed physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or a certified nurse practitioner that documents that they are free of communicable disease and fit to work with children. The documentation should be dated on or before the first day of employment; not more than twelve months prior to employment and up to thirty days after employment;

(8) Evidence of criminal record checks and five-year updates that meets the following:
(a) The requirements as prescribed in section 3301.541 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, rehabilitation criteria as described in rules 3301-20-01 and 3301-20-03 of the Administrative Code.

(b) The background check requirements as prescribed in rule 5101:2-12-09 of the Administrative Code and the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, P.L. 113-186 (11/19/2014), 128 Stat. 1971 (2014), 42 USC 9858 (CCDBG Act of 2014) for programs contracted to provide publicly funded child care services;

(9) Documentation of current age appropriate first aid, age appropriate CPR, recognition and prevention of communicable disease and child abuse recognition reporting and prevention training in accordance with rule 5101:2-12-10 of the Administrative Code; and

(10) If authorized to administer medication, documentation of medication administrating training in accordance with section 3313.713 of the Revised Code.

(I) In-service training hours may be accumulated through post-secondary coursework, seminars, workshops, conferences, structured observation of other programs, topic specific staff meetings, and orientation training required in this rule. Electronic media resource trainings, and self-study may be used for the child-care staff member's inservice training.

(J) In-service training is to be in one of the following areas: child development or early childhood education, Ohio approved professional development training, or health and safety.

(K) Documentation of completed in-service training as required shall include date, place, topic, program coordinator's and presenter's signatures, or in the case of self-study, the title, author/producer, and annotated bibliography of the self-study course in lieu of the presenter's signature.

(L) In-service training hours accumulated through post-secondary coursework, seminars, workshops, and conferences on topics other than first-aid, child abuse, and management of communicable disease, shall be provided by an approved trainer who shall have at least two years of experience specific to the subject area and possesses one of the following:

(1) An associate or higher degree in child development, education, home economics, nursing, nutrition, psychology, dental hygiene, social work, or other related fields. Evidence of an associate or higher degree shall be a copy of a diploma, a transcript, or other written evidence of completion of at least ninety quarter credit hours or sixty semester credit hours from an accredited college, university, or technical college.

(2) A currently valid child development associate credential issued by the council for professional recognition (www.cdacouncil.org).

(M) Each staff member shall have current valid age appropriate first aid, age appropriate CPR, child abuse recognition and prevention, and management of communicable disease certification in accordance with Ohio Administrative Code rule 5101:2-12-10 of the Administrative Code. A staff member with current valid age appropriate first aid and age appropriate CPR training shall be readily available during field trips.

In-service training on age appropriate first aid, age appropriate CPR, child abuse recognition and prevention, and management of communicable disease shall be updated according to the length of time required by the approved organization,

Replaces: 3301-32-03

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Ohio 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.
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