Committee reviews revised draft creating licensure pathway for early childhood workers in CDD-regulated programs

Lawmakers and stakeholders on the Government Operations Committee reviewed draft 1.2 of S.119 on Thursday, which renames the chapter and creates a licensure framework for early childhood educators employed in programs regulated by the Child Development Division (CDD).

Katie McGlenn, Office of Legislative Counsel, walked the committee through the changes, saying, “This is draft 1.2 that we're looking at with the changes highlighted,” and noting that the title was changed to “Early Childhood Educators Employed in Programs Regulated by the Child Development Division” to distinguish these licenses from Agency of Education (AOE) teacher licenses.

The draft would establish four license types (ECE 1, ECE 2, ECE 3 and a time-limited family child care provider credential), revise board membership to add family child care provider representation, and add a definition for a family child care provider as “an individual approved to operate a family child care home regulated by CDD … for children from birth through 8 years of age.” The family child care provider credential would be available only to applicants who operate a regulated family child care home in good standing as of Jan. 1, 2028, and applications for that credential would close on Jan. 1, 2028.

The draft ties the licensure scope repeatedly to programs…