§ 10-550g — (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2025.) Designated staff member and designated qualified staff member requirements.

(a) As used in this section: (1) “Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program” means an early care and education program that accepts state funds directly from the office or indirectly through office subcontractors, for any combination of infant, toddler, preschool and before and after school, but does not include the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749 . (2) “Designated staff member” means the person assigned the primary responsibility for a classroom of children in an Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program. (3) “Designated qualified staff member” means a designated staff member who possesses at least one of the following: (A) A bachelor's degree or higher with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is (i) regionally accredited and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (ii) regionally accredited and working toward achieving accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or (iii) regionally accredited; (B) A certificate issued pursuant to section 10-145b with an endorsement in early childhood education or early childhood special education; (C) Deemed to meet the bachelor's degree requirements by the office without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve early childhood credits from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited; (D) A bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve applicable early childhood credits as determined by the office; (E) Permission from the office if such designated staff member is enrolled in an institution of higher education and engaged in and making progress in an early childhood planned program of study leading to an early childhood bachelor's degree. (b) When a bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member is not assigned, a person may be deemed a designated qualified staff member if such person possesses at least one of the qualifications included in subsection (c) of this section and is under the supervision of an on-site bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member, except any family child care home provider that accepts state funds shall meet the designated qualified staff member qualifications. (c) When a bachelor's degree designated qualified staff member supervises an associate degree designated qualified staff member, the person possessing a bachelor's degree may supervise such associate degree designated qualified staff member at an off-site location. The associate degree designated qualified staff member, under the supervision of a bachelor's degree qualified staff member, shall possess at least one of the following: (1) An associate degree or higher with a concentration in early childhood education from an institution of higher education that is (i) regionally accredited and accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (ii) regionally accredited and working toward achieving accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or (iii) regionally accredited; (2) Deemed to meet the associate degree requirements by the office without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve early childhood credits from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited; (3) An associate degree from an institution of higher education that is regionally accredited, without a concentration in early childhood education, but with at least twelve applicable early childhood credits as determined by the office; (4) Permission from the office if such associate degree designated qualified staff member is enrolled in an institution of higher education and engaged in an early childhood planned program of study leading to an early childhood associate degree. (d) (1) From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, inclusive, twenty-five per cent of the designated staff members at each Office of Early Childhood funded early childhood education program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree. (2) From July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2030, inclusive, fifty per cent of the designated qualified members at each Office of Early Childhood funded early childhood education program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree. (3) On and after July 1, 2030, sixty per cent of the designated qualified members at each Office of Early Childhood funded child care program shall be designated qualified staff members meeting one of the criteria at the bachelor's degree level. If the Office of Early Childhood funded early care and education program is a family child care home, the designated qualified staff member for such family child care home shall have achieved or be working toward an early childhood associate degree or bachelor's degree.

Legislative History

(P.A. 24-78, S. 31.) History: P.A. 24-78 effective July 1, 2025.