Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
 
Agency
Department of Social Services
 
Board
State Board of Social Services
 
chapter
Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers [22 VAC 40 ‑ 185]
Action Amend Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers to Address Federal Health and Safety Requirements
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 4/6/2018
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4/4/18  6:32 pm
Commenter: Kate Bowers

Changes Requested by Cooperative Preschools
 

On behalf of Overlee Cooperative Preschool I am requesting changes to the Proposed Standards for Licensed Child Day Centers, specifically in regard to the requirements for staff orientation and ongoing training. 

Since 1945 Overlee Cooperative Preschool has been a place for parents to actively participate in their children’s education by working directly in our classrooms as teachers’ aides. The new requirements for staff orientation (22VAC40-185-240) and ongoing training (22VAC40-185-245) would impose an undue burden on our parents by expecting them to complete 16 hours of orientation and 20 hours per year of ongoing training. Our parents volunteer on average only 50 hours a year in the classroom. Parents who are volunteering their time are simply not going to be able to complete the same orientation and training requirements as our paid classroom teachers. 

We request that the total number of training hours (both orientation and ongoing, collectively) for cooperative preschool parents be limited to the current 4 hours. Please remove the language "who are not considered staff" from section 22VAC40-185-245C describing the required annual training for cooperative preschool parents. Please include an exception for cooperative preschool parents in the new orientation training section 22VAC40-185-240. 

Parents working in classrooms at Overlee Cooperative Preschool complete all of the background checks outlined in Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies. They work under the direct supervision of well qualified and trained classroom teachers.

If the orientation and ongoing training sections of the proposed standards are not changed, cooperative preschools like ours, may be forced to shut down, as parents are unwilling to enroll their children in programs which put unreasonable burdens on them. Either outcome robs children of the high quality, affordable early education that cooperative preschools provide. 

I myself am an Overlee Preschool alum (1974-76), and my two children attended Overlee (2002-06). We valued the experience provided by a cooperative preschool for our children and sought Overlee for that reason. The parents working cooperatively with the teachers and children provided a sense of community that our family enjoys to this day. The families that choose a cooperative preschool are already willing, and fortunate to be able, to invest a grest deal of time in the school's operation. Adding additional training could deter these families who already dedicate so much time, by their own choice. Please consider the circumstances and value of these preschools and keep the parent training to the hours currently required.

Sincerely,

Kate Bowers, Overlee Cooperative Preschool Parent and Alumna

CommentID: 64544