Sec. 13a.16.06.10. Child Care Teachers in School Age Centers

A. To qualify as a child care teacher in a school age center, an individual shall:

(1) Be 19 years old or older;

(2) Hold a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalence or have successfully completed courses for credit from an accredited college or university;

(3) Have completed 3 clock hours of approved training in Americans with Disabilities Act compliance;

(4) Effective January 1, 2020, have completed approved basic health and safety training within 90 days of employment; and

(5) Meet one of the criteria set forth in §B of this regulation.

B. The individual shall meet one of the following:

(1) The individual has successfully completed:

(a) 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours or their equivalent of approved preservice training;

(b) 9 clock hours of approved preservice training in communicating with staff, parents, and the public, or at least one academic college course for credit; and

(c) One of the following:

(i) 400 hours of experience working under supervision primarily with school age children in a licensed child care center, public or private school, or similar setting, or 400 hours of experience caring for school age children as a registered family child care provider;

(ii) 1 year of college; or

(iii) A combination of experience and college that together are equivalent to 1 year;

(2) The individual holds a bachelor’s degree in:

(a) Early childhood education, elementary education, special education, or child development; or

(b) Any academic subject and has 1,800 hours of experience working with school-age children in an approved setting.

(3) The individual qualified before July 1, 2008, as a child care teacher in a school age center and has been continuously employed since that time as a child care teacher at the same or another school age center; or

(4) The individual:

(a) Has been approved as a teacher by the State Department of Education under COMAR 13A.09.09 for kindergarten or grades 1 through 8; or

(b) Is certified by the Department or by the state board of any other state for kindergarten or grades 1 through 8.

C. A child care teacher in a school age center shall:

(1) According to the individual's professional development plan, complete approved continued training, at the rate of at least 12 clock hours per full year of employment as a child care teacher, that consists of a:

(a) Minimum of 6 clock hours of core of knowledge training; and

(b) Maximum of 6 clock hours of elective training;

(2) Document completion of the continued training on the professional development plan; and

(3) Document that the health and safety training, as required by the office, is completed by each staff member by the end of each 12-month period, measured each calendar year.