An Administrator's Guide to California Private School Law

Chapter 21 – Child Care Centers/Preschools

a. Fully Qualified Teacher A preschool may not hire a teacher unless he or she meets the minimum education requirements to teach preschool. To be a fully qualified teacher, a teacher must have completed, at a minimum, one of the following three options prior to employment: Option 1:  Complete 12 postsecondary semesters or equivalent quarter units of early

childhood education or child development courses, at an accredited or approved college or university, with passing grades, covering the general areas of child growth and development, child, family and community, and preschool program or curriculum; and  Worked as a paid or volunteer staff member, under the supervision of a qualified preschool teacher or director, for at least three hours a day for a minimum of 50 days in a six month period. 2781  Possess a current and valid Child Development Associate (CDA) credential issued by the CDA National Credentialing Program of the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition; and  Complete at least six months of on-the-job training or work experience in a licensed child care center. 2782

Option 2:

Option 3:

 Possess either a valid Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, Child Development Teacher Permit, or Child Development Master Teacher Permit issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. 2783

b. Non-Fully Qualified Teacher A preschool can hire a non-fully qualified teacher if, prior to his or her employment with the preschool, the individual completed, at a minimum, one of the following two educational and experience options: Option 1:

 Complete, with passing grades, at least six postsecondary semesters or equivalent quarter units of early childhood education or child development courses, covering the general areas of child growth and development, child, family and community, and preschool program or curriculum; and  Complete at least an additional two units each semester until the education requirement for a fully qualified teacher is met. 2784

An Administrator’s Guide to California Private School Law ©2019 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 637