DCYF outlines HB 1648 staff qualifications work group, selection plan and feedback loop

DCYF staff briefed members of the Early Learning Advisory Council on the staff qualifications work group established under House Bill 1648 and requested input on selection criteria and the planned feedback loop. Gretchen Bruning, Workforce Supports Manager in the Early Learning Division, and Brett Skinner from Child Care Licensing Policy described the work group's charge, timeline and outreach results during the ELAC webinar.

Bruning said HB 1648 requires a work group to review and recommend improvements to staff qualification requirements and verification processes. Key topics for the group include streamlining and clarifying requirements (policies, procedures, communications and rules), options for online delivery and asynchronous modules, and processes for verifying out-of-state education, training and employment (including submission of resumes, training certificates and employer letters for verification in MERIT). Bruning said the law extends timelines for some staff to demonstrate completion of chosen pathways and permits experience-based equivalencies: individuals in certain leadership roles may qualify via a cumulative five years of service by Aug. 1, 2030, as a temporary accommodation tied to the statute's implementation deadlines.

Skinner described the selection process and outreach: DCYF received interest from 55 individuals representing centers, family home providers, school-age programs and other roles; responses covered multiple regions and languages (family home respondents included five English-speaking, four Spanish-speaking and one Somali-speaking provider). DCYF proposed a work group composition that includes representation called for in statute and an additional set of provider seats to ensure broader provider input. Proposed selection considerations include at least one provider from each region, no more than one representative from the same organization, priority for individuals not serving on other advisory boards, preference for linguistically and culturally diverse participants, and prioritization of providers serving larger licensed capacity.

Bruning and Skinner described a decision-making flow: topic-specific task groups would develop recommendations, the broader work group would vote (yes/no/maybe/defer), staff would summarize results and send them to DCYF leadership, leadership would review recommendations against operating principles and the Access and Living Wage Implementation Plan, and the results would return to advisory groups (ELAC, Provider Support Subcommittee, IPEL) for a second feedback loop before final steering-committee decisions. The work group is expected to begin meeting in late August and continue through October 2026, with a report due Dec. 1 (per materials presented).

Multiple ELAC members raised concerns and suggestions in the webinar chat and verbally: questions included whether public and private schools serving 0-6 year-olds were represented among applicants, whether the proposed prioritization (giving preference to individuals not on other advisory groups) could create gatekeeping, whether the planned 1:1 ratio of providers to other participants would underrepresent direct-service providers, and suggestions to include library staff and the military community. DCYF staff said they would compile feedback, share selections and the work plan back with ELAC and continue the feedback loop.

Ending: DCYF staff said invitations to organizations called out in the legislation will be sent, selections will be notified by July 31, and the department will return to ELAC with the finalized work plan, charter and selections for further input.