Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  School Aides

    Posted 03-18-2019 03:37 PM
    I have a question that someone might have an answer.  At my school I have Head Teachers, Assistant Teachers and School Aides.  So my head teachers and assistant teachers must have college degree.  Now what about my school aides?  Do they need to have a college degree in order to work at my school?  I noticed that NAEYC standards under their PPDP, that every staff must have at least 12 college credits under early childhood.  My school aides are not young, they do have a high school diploma, and some classes in college, but not in early childhood.  If I make this a requirement that they need to go back and take 4 college classes.  They will quit even if the school will pay for their tuition.  So can someone clarify what's the requirement for school aide staff?  Thank you.

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    Peter Tedtaotao
    Director
    ST PHILOMENA EARLY LEARNING CENTER
    Honolulu HI
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  • 2.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-20-2019 03:56 PM
    Hi Peter, 
    I have the same issue. My Aides are also older people and have on intention in going back to school. They do have their high school diploma and the different certificates the require them to work in a daycare setting. Therefore, I believe the older Aides that have the experience should be grandfather in and the younger Aides that is coming into the field should have college credit.

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    Petra Wickham-Charles
    District Hts MD
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  • 3.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-20-2019 04:06 PM
    I agree with you, however; NAEYC needs to provide us with who can be grandfather into our school.  Their requirement is that they need at least 12 college credits in order for them to work at the school.  So I'm hoping that NAEYC is reading these discussion so they can provide us with their respond.

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    Peter Tedtaotao
    Director
    ST PHILOMENA EARLY LEARNING CENTER
    Honolulu HI
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  • 4.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-21-2019 03:17 PM

    Hello Petra,

    Staffing support staff such as aides and assistants is quite the challenge.  As Maryland makes increasing requirements on behalf of children and the profession of their care and education this difficult task only increases in challenge.

    It would be important for you to keep a copy of the State of Maryland regulations (COMAR) http://mdrules.elaws.us/comar/13a.16.06

    And those for school aged children http://mdrules.elaws.us/comar/13a

    The follow is an excerpt from the regulations pertaining to aides, which are NOT assistants.  Keep in mind there are yearly continued professional development requirements in MD. 

    12 Aides.

    1. An aide shall:

    (1) Be 16 years old or older;

    (2) Work under the direct supervision of the staff person in charge of the group of children to whom the aide is assigned;

    (3) According to the individual's professional development plan, complete approved continued training, at the rate of at least 6 clock hours per full year of employment as a child care aide, that consists of a:

    (a) Minimum of 3 clock hours of core of knowledge training; and

    (b) Maximum of 3 clock hours of elective training; and

    (4) Document completion of the continued training on the professional development plan.

    1. Unless an individual, hired on or after January 1, 2009, to work as an aide, has completed 90 clock hours of the equivalent in early childhood education preservice training, the individual shall complete, within 6 months after the date of hire, an orientation session that follows guidelines established by the office and includes, but is not limited to:

    (1) Proper child supervision;

    (2) Workplace professionalism

    Best of luck to you in your search for those diamonds in the rough. 

    Laveeta Sweeney

    Child Development & Educational Professional & Trainer



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    Laveeta Sweeney
    Ellicott City MD
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  • 5.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-21-2019 03:06 PM

    Hello Peter,

    You raise an important consideration for staffing.  I live in Maryland and have worked with many centers and preschools across the country.  Each state sets regulations for care centers, family care, and preschools.  Since you referred to your center as a school, I am assuming it falls under center-based care and not home/family care regulations.

    The staff you note were labeled 'aides' and not teachers, assistant teachers, or volunteers.  Hawaii sets forth the requirements for aides as needing to meet one of the following qualifications:

    First a child care aid shall be at least 16 years old; all staff in other positions must be at least 18 years old.

    • High school vocational child care training course or
    • Orientation training course in the center

    Further applicable information is as follows:

    • Each caregiver shall be qualified through training, experience, and personal qualities for the age group with which the person works
    • Staff growth and development shall be encouraged. The director shall make information about workshops, seminars, training sessions or course available to all staff and volunteers
    • Shall be of reputable and responsible character and shall not have a criminal history record, employment history or child abuse/neglect history which poses a risk to children in care as specified in regulation 170892.1-3
    • Directors, teachers, assistant teachers, and aides employed in a licensed facility on January 25, 1982, shall be deemed to have adequate minimum qualifications for the type of staff position occupied and to maintain this status when shifting employment to another licensed facility.

    With a little digging and checking with your compliance and licensing department you should be able to find out if there are continuing professional development requirements.  Here in Maryland everyone (Directors on down) have specific professional development hours required of them each year.

    A further contemplation is how you utilize your staff when absences occur.  Carefully reading HI regulations for substitutes and whether aides can be a substitute would be very important. 

    A salient note, you are asking this question on a NAEYC forum, an organization dedicated to bringing focus to the experiences of the child and uplifting the professionalism of the field.  Professionalism requires continued education, careful and purposeful engagement of children with the full breadth and measure of current research, knowledge, and evidence-based practices forming the foundation of the work every employee undertakes.  Professionalism also implies that strategies, techniques, pedagogy, and philosophical tenents are supported by the knowledge in the fields of cognition, psychology, biology, education, and neuroscience and are implemented with full knowledge of what works and why and what doesn't. 

    Continuing education is ubiquitous with being a professional.  As a director it is imperative you find ways to incorporate this element into the culture of your program and school. Best of luck to you.

    I have included two links for information from the state of HI, I hope they help clarify the regulations that pertain to your particular situation.

    Page 27 of PDF document – not page number found on document

    http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2013/01/HAR_17-892.1-Group-Child-Care-Center-and-Group-Child-Care-Home-Rules.pdf

    https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2013/01/DHS-970-Reference-Guide-for-Preschool-Staff-Qualifications.pdf

    Laveeta Sweeney

    Child Development & Educational Professional & Trainer



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    Laveeta Sweeney
    Ellicott City MD
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  • 6.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-22-2019 04:05 PM
    Aloha Laveeta Sweeney, that document you provided was dated on 1982.  I will need to find out the updated requirements.  However; I have aides who were hired prior to me, taking over the school.  During my tenure I do orientation, and provided information regarding requirements to fulfill NAEYC.  However; those aides were hired before I took over as a director, and I've been encouraging them to take online college classes.  With this being said, these aides don't want to go back, even with the school offering to pay for those classes.  I'm so grateful for your assistance, and I appreciate the help you provide.  Thank you.

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    Peter Tedtaotao
    Director
    ST PHILOMENA EARLY LEARNING CENTER
    Honolulu HI
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: School Aides

    Posted 03-22-2019 05:17 PM
    Aloha Peter!  
    Thank you for the response, this link: http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2013/01/HAR_17-892.1-Group-Child-Care-Center-and-Group-Child-Care-Home-Rules.pdf

    Which I believe is the same as the first one but uncertain, came from the State of Hawaii site: http://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/child-care-program/child-care-licensing/child-care-regulations/

    On the document that you can download from the link it has a stamp dated Dec 2002, however the link address shows a date of 2013, please let me know if you find updated links, I would love to stay informed.

    Your position is certainly a difficult one, navigating forward is a challenge to be sure.  Compliance with the regulations to maintain your license may be the only foundational motivation.  Hawaii may not have mandated continuing education, worth thoroughly investigating.  There are some reputable online courses for gaining training and valuable updated information.  One such is https://www.carecourses.com/PublicPages/States_Hawaii.aspx

    Perhaps you could make a grand gesture twice a year, set aside two days for group online engagement of new workshops, courses, or conferences and make it a "paid in service teacher day" .  This approach will set the environment of valuing their time, their efforts and increase the programs viability and effectiveness.  

    Udemy is a great bargain for basic and easy to engage materials: https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=child+care

    NAEYC also offers online courses for updated information and topics: https://learn.naeyc.org/catalog/view-all-courses

    Out of curiosity which island are you on?  I visit Kauai often and will do so in Aug/Sept of this year, if you are there it would be lovely to visit your program and see the culture and community of schools in Hawaii, I adore learning from the wisdom and insights of each program, always a new perspective to help me see the amazing child and the people who work on their behalf more clearly.  

    Best of luck and please do keep me updated.  Thank you.



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    Laveeta Sweeney
    Ellicott City MD
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