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6 Community Care Licensing

Licensing Qualifications and Ratio Information

Please see current California Community Care Licensing Title 22/Title 5 Requirement for detailed information. For education to be considered, all classes must have passing grades of C or better. Class numbers listed below are for Palomar College only. Program/Curriculum courses are CHDV 106, 182, 184, or 185.

101215.1 Director Qualifications

  • High school diploma or GED, 12 units (100, 115, and 2 prog/curr), and 3 units administration or staff relations (150 or 155), plus 4 years of teaching experience in a licensed or comparable group childcare program, OR
  • AA degree in ECE or CD and 3 units of administration, plus 2 years of teaching experience, OR
  • BA degree in ECE or CD and 3 units of administration, plus 1 years of teaching experience, OR
  • Site Supervisor or Director Permit.

101216.1 Teacher Qualifications

  • Complete 15 hours of health and safety training, and
  • Passed at least 6 units or have an Assistant Teacher permit.
  • After employment a teacher hired above shall complete at least 2 units each semester until the requirement below are met. Must have on-site supervision by a fully qualified teacher until the 6 additional units are completed, OR
  • Fully qualified teacher: 12 units (100, 115, and 2 prog/curr.), plus 50 days of teaching experience within 6 months paid or volunteer in a licensed or comparable group childcare program. To work with infants, 3 units must be specialized (103 or 106). School Age teacher may substitute hours for units (see regulations for details), OR
  • Current CDA (no CDA programs in our area), OR
  • Current Associate Teacher, Teacher, or Master Teacher permit.

101216.2 Teacher Aide Qualifications

  • 18 years of age (unless a high school graduate or in an ROP program), and
  • Under the direct supervision of a teacher unless escorting children to the bathroom or in napping room (see specific sections for these exemptions), and
  • Completion of at least 6 units or enrolled in at least 2 units per semester until the 6 units are completed. To work with infants, 3 units must be specialized (103 or 106).

101216.3 Ratio Information

Number shall not exceed the licensed capacity of a center.

Title 22 Regulations (typical centers include for-profit, faith based, non-profit but not state funded)

  • 1:12 – 1 fully qualified teacher for 12 children. (2-5 years old)
  • 1:15 – 1 fully qualified teacher and 1 aide for 15 children.
  • 1:18 – 1 fully qualified teacher and 1 aide for 18 preschool aged children (3-5 years old)
  • 1:4 – 1 fully qualified teacher for 4 infants, or 1:12 infant teacher with 2 aides
  • 1:6 – 1 fully qualified teacher for 6 toddlers, or 1:12 infant teacher with 1 aide (Toddler Component 18-30 months)
  • 1:14 – 1 fully qualified teacher for 14 school age children, examples 15 – 28 children= 1 Teacher & 1 Aide; 29 – 42 children = 2 Teachers & 1 Aide; 43 – 56 children = 2 Teachers & 2 Aides.

Title 5 Regulations (typical centers include state funded and Head Start)

  • Infants (0-18 months) 1:3 adult-child ratio, 1:18 teacher-child ratio.
  • Toddlers (18-36 months) 1:4 adult-child ratio, 1:16 teacher-child ratio.
  • Preschool (36 months to Kinder) 1:8 adult-child ratio, 1:24 teacher-child ratio.
  • Afterschool (K-14 years) 1:14 adult-child ratio, 1:28 teacher-child ratio.
  • See additional Title 5 information for comingling of groups and exceeding ratios
  • See additional information for Preschool Program w/ Toddler Component & Parent Cooperative Centers.

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Child Development & Education Copyright © 2025 by Anderson, L., Fererro, J., Wilson, G, & Sanchez, T. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.