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Board adopts revamped rules for school-run child care programs; clarifies infant supervision and ratios
Summary
The State Board adopted comprehensive revisions to school‑administered child‑care rules to align with statute and stakeholder feedback, updating adult‑to‑child ratios, staff training, reporting, and procedures for infant supervision; the measure passed 7–0.
The State Board of Education voted to adopt comprehensive updates to rules governing school‑administered child care programs, which cover both early‑childhood care (ages 6 weeks to 5 years) and before/after‑school care for K–12 students. Department staff said the changes reclassify the rules under the board, update adult‑to‑child ratios and group sizes, refine staff training requirements, and move some reporting and record‑keeping guidance to department guidance documents.
"School administered child care programs are child care programs run by public or private schools that provide child care to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old," Chris Whitehead, director of early learning quality and supports at the Tennessee Department of Education, told the board during the presentation. Whitehead also addressed operational concerns raised in public comment and during the rulemaking hearing, including a provision about checking sleeping infants: "SIDS is such a high risk at this age, and this does not really take an exhaustive amount of time to really ensure the safety during sleeping," he said. After clarifying edits made between first and final reading and noting stakeholder input, the board approved the rules by roll call, with seven ayes recorded.
