The proposed new training requirements for parents who volunteer at cooperative preschools are so burdensome that they will doom the traditional cooperative preschool model. It is not feasible to ask parents of young children to undergo 16 hours of orientation training and 20 hours of annual training.

We ask 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.

My name is Halee Robbins, and my daughter attends Dulin Cooperative Preschool in Falls Church, VA. As the class parent for her class, I work closely with the school to coordinate various activities. While serving in this capacity, I have seen the camaraderie between teachers and parents. We work together toward a common goal; to provide the best early educational experience possible for our children. Serving as a cooperative parent in my daughter’s classroom has allowed me to see her from a different viewpoint. I have been able to observe her in several activity settings and have witnessed the way she interacts with peers and her teacher. I can see how developmentally she compares with others, and through these observations, I am able to address her needs by providing appropriate activities at home. The cooperative preschool model affords me the opportunity to play a major role in assisting my child in the development of skills and transition from home to school. Of utmost importance to me is my daughter loves going to our cooperative preschool. That is exactly the precedent an early educational institution should set thereby fostering a child’s love for lifetime learning.

Without the aforementioned change to the proposed regulation, costs will undeniably rise causing the termination of the cooperative model. Some families may not be able to afford to send their child or children to preschool – every child should get the opportunity to learn and reach his/her potential. Please allow Dulin Cooperative Preschool to continue its pursuance of excellence.