Title: Investigate federal, state, and other regulatory agencies monitoring the early childhood education industry.
Course: Introduction to Early Childhood Education (19153-18) > Section: Exploring Early Childhood Education

Investigation should yield a report that

- describes selected federal regulations and the monitoring practices that affect providers of early childhood education
- identifies state-regulated childcare program types
  - Licensed day centers
  - Unlicensed but regulated
    - Voluntarily registered family day homes
    - Religiously exempt child day centers
    - Certified preschools
  - Approved by local ordinance (e.g., centers regulated by Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax counties)
  - Unlicensed and unregulated
- identifies the agencies that enforce these regulations
- gives examples of how the regulations are carried out by local providers.

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

- What are the federal, state, and local standards, policies, regulations, and laws related to working with children?
- What are the legal and ethical consequences of meeting and of failing to meet standards for working with children?
- How are standards enforced within the industry?
- Who is responsible for monitoring childcare centers and preschools to ensure compliance?
- Who will determine the appropriate teacher/student ratio standards in the classroom or the family child-care program? How will it determine how many teachers or assistant teachers are in the classroom?
- What national association writes policy for the education of young children? What is their role in helping educators and families?

Communication

- What practices ensure confidentiality?
- How does one locate information on regulations regarding the early childhood education profession?
- What national or state resources are available to help parents locate high-quality child care centers?
- What agency rates childcare centers?

Leadership

- What leadership skills are needed to demonstrate professional practices and standards?
- How can professionals collaborate to meet the regulations of federal, state, and other accrediting institutions?
- Is self-monitoring of standards within the industry in the best interest of the children?
- Who would be most adversely affected by a failure to comply with child-related standards, policies, regulations, and laws?

Management

- What record-keeping and management procedures are required by early childhood centers?
- What steps should be taken to develop a plan for keeping and managing records of childcare employees and children?
- What resources and training are needed to meet the requirements of the childcare educator?
- Who will determine program eligibility for low-income families if needed, and how can that process be made easy for families?
- What happens when childcare centers fail to meet minimum regulation standards?