An Administrator's Guide to California Private School Law

Chapter 21 – Child Care Centers/Preschools

C. S TAFF All child care center personnel must be competent to provide the services needed to meet the needs of the children. 2771 To ensure this competence, all personnel at a preschool must have sufficient related experience in, or be provided on-the-job training on, each of the following areas:  Principles of nutrition, food preparation and storage, and menu planning;  Housekeeping and sanitation principles;  Provision of child care and supervision, including communication;  Assistance with self-administered prescription medications;  Recognition of early signs of illness and need for professional assistance; and  Availability of community services and resources. 2772 Staff members are not permitted to physically or verbally abuse, exploit, or prejudice the children and must accord each child his or her personal rights. 2773 The preschool must instruct all personnel to report observations or evidence of violations of any child’s personal rights. 2774 The preschool must also provide each employee a Notice of Employee Rights (LIC 9052) and must keep an employee-signed copy of that notice in the employee’s personnel record. 2775 This notice informs employees of their right to file a complaint against the preschool for violation of any licensing law or regulation. If the employee refuses to sign this notice, the preschool must keep a dated notation of the refusal in the employee’s personnel record. 2776 D. V OLUNTEERS The preschool may utilize volunteers as long as those volunteers are supervised and have submitted the necessary good physical health verifications. 2777 The volunteer must be at least 18 years old if he or she will provide any element of care or supervision to children. 2778 The individual supervising the volunteers must also be at least 18 years old. 2779 Volunteers are exempt from fingerprinting requirements as long as they spend no more than 16 hours a week at the facility and are not left alone with children in their care. 2780 E. T EACHERS A ND T EACHER A IDES 1. T EACHER Q UALIFICATIONS Preschool teachers are subject to the same basic requirements as other preschool personnel. However, teachers must also meet additional qualifications and requirements to teach preschool children. These qualifications are discussed below.

An Administrator’s Guide to California Private School Law ©2019 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 636