Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

Program Title:	Child Care Center Operations
Program Type:	Career Preparatory
Career Cluster:	Education & Training

Note: This program is approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as meeting the course requirement for child care center directors, 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C.  Students who complete the program, and meet additional requirements, are eligible for the Florida Child Care Director Credential.  Additional information regarding the Director Credential can be found at https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/training-and-credentialing/credentials/director-credential  

Career Certificate Program	
Program Number	V200206	
CIP Number	0419070802	
Grade Level	30, 31	
Program Length	45 hours   	
Teacher Certification	Refer to the Program Structure section.	
CTSO	N/A	
SOC Codes (all applicable) 	Please see the CIP to SOC Crosswalk located at the link below.                            	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	
Basic Skills Level	N/A	

Purpose

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Education & Training career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the Education & Training career cluster. 

The content includes but is not limited to organizational leadership, financial management, legal obligations and responsibilities, educational programming, marketing strategies, assessment, monitoring practices, observations, referrals and collaboration of programs with families and community resources.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Program Structure

This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of one occupational completion point.

This program is comprised of courses which have been assigned course numbers in the SCNS (Statewide Course Numbering System) in accordance with Section 1007.24 (1), F.S. Career and Technical credit shall be awarded to the student on a transcript in accordance with Section 1001.44(3)(b), F.S.

To teach the course listed below, instructors must hold at least one of the teacher certifications indicated for that course.

The following table illustrates the postsecondary program structure:

OCP	Course Number	Course Title	Teacher Certification	Length	
A	HEV0160	Child Care Center Director	FAM CON SCI
CH CARE TR 7 G 
PRESCH ED L
PK PRIMARY H
PRIMARY ED @B
E CHILD ED @0
HOME EC OCC ¢7 %7 %G	45 hours	

Regulated Programs

This program is approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as meeting the course requirement for child care center directors, 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C.  Students who complete the program, and meet other requirements, are eligible for the Florida Child Care Director Credential.  A description of those requirements is provided below.  Additional information regarding the Director Credential can be found at https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/training-and-credentialing/credentials/director-credential.  

Florida Director Credential Core Requirements:
1)	Possess an active Staff Credential (Excluding Employment Recognition Exemption)
2)	Other Core Requirements:
•	Possess an Accredited High School Diploma or G.E.D.
•	Complete the 30-hour Part I Department of Children and Families (DCF) “Introductory Child Care Training” https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-and-family-services/child-care/child-care-facility  
•	Complete 8 hours of in-service training regarding children with Disabilities (DCF’s Special Needs Appropriate Practices course will meet this requirement). Refer to https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/training-and-credentialing/credentials/director-credential for additional information.

In addition, the Director Credential, Level I requires:
•	Core Requirements
•	Completion of an approved “Overview of Child Care Management” course or a Director Credential issued by another state.

There are additional requirements for the Director Credential, Level II and the Advanced Level.  Refer to https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/training-and-credentialing/credentials/director-credential for additional information.

Common Career Technical Core – Career Ready Practices

Career Ready Practices describe the career-ready skills that educators should seek to develop in their students.  These practices are not exclusive to a Career Pathway, program of study, discipline or level of education.  Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in all career exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study. 

1. Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee. 

2. Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. 

3. Attend to personal health and financial well-being. 

4. Communicate clearly, effectively and with reason. 

5. Consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of decisions. 

6. Demonstrate creativity and innovation. 

7. Employ valid and reliable research strategies. 

8. Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. 

9. Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management. 

10. Plan education and career path aligned to personal goals. 

11. Use technology to enhance productivity. 

12. Work productively in teams while using cultural/global competence. 

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Analyze the leadership role of the program administrator in creating and sustaining an effective organizational structure in a child care and education setting.
02.0	Develop effective personnel policies and procedures.
03.0	Develop a system for staff recruitment.
04.0	Develop systems for financial planning, budgeting, accounting, compensation, purchasing and maintenance. 
05.0	Develop effective publicity and marketing strategies.
06.0	Explain the legal obligations/responsibilities of a child care facility, including those related to tax laws, insurance, and licensure.
07.0	Apply knowledge of program elements needed to implement and sustain a culturally sensitive, non-discriminatory and inclusive environment based upon principles of child development and professional standards.
08.0	Maintain a system for ongoing assessment and documentation related to children within the child care center program.
09.0	Develop a system for monitoring child care facility practices related to health, safety, and nutrition.
10.0	Create policies that promote alliances with families and collaboration among programs, families, and community resources.
11.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively.
12.0	

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title:	Child Care Center Operations 
Career Certificate Program Number:	V200206

Course Number:  HEV0160
Occupational Completion Point:  A
Child Care Center Director – 45 Hours 	
01.0	Analyze the leadership role of the program administrator in creating and sustaining an effective organizational structure in a child care and education setting.  The student will be able to:	
01.01	Develop a written philosophy and mission statement for an early childhood education program.	
01.02	Explain the organizational chart of an early childhood education center and its relationship to job responsibilities in the center.	
01.03	Explain the importance of adherence to ethical conduct governing the early childhood education field by all center personnel (including volunteers).	
01.04	Create a plan to foster self-concept, professionalism and motivation among staff.	
01.05	Identify a personal administrative style.	
01.06	Identify a community, statewide or national organization concerned about young children and/or families. 	
02.0	Develop effective personnel policies and procedures.  The student will be able to:	
02.01	Formulate personnel policies and procedures according to basic principles and best practices for an early childhood education center.	
02.02	Discuss legal issues (including Mandatory Reporting Information, FERPA, etc.) regarding personnel administration and supervision, including: fair labor practices, equal opportunity guidelines, progressive discipline and use of social media.	
02.03	Plan staffing patterns for required and preferred ratios in an early childhood education center.	
02.04	Describe effective techniques for building team spirit and resolving conflicts among staff members.	
02.05	Develop job descriptions for staff positions in an early childhood education center.	
03.0	   Develop a system for staff recruitment and retention.  The student will be able to: 	
03.01	Create a job advertisement for a position in an early childhood education program and identify employment agencies (i.e., Indeed.Com, Monster, Glassdoor, etc.) to post openings.	
03.02	Create a plan for professional development of staff members.	
03.03	Develop written procedures for staff recruitment. 	
03.04	Develop written steps (or plan or procedure) for the interview process.	
03.05	Compile a list of training materials and effective staff training strategies.	
03.06	Explain the purpose for program evaluations.	
03.07	Discuss and evaluate various types of evaluation procedures, including self-evaluation, performance planning, observation and recording, and narratives.	
03.08	Identify factors that affect retention of staff and identify methods to reduce staff turnover.	
03.09	Recognize appropriate interview questions for legal implications. 	
04.0	Develop a system for financial planning, budgeting, accounting, compensation, purchasing and maintenance.  The student will be able to:	
04.01	Develop a budget for operating an early childhood education center.	
04.02	Evaluate three benefit packages for employees.	
04.03	List and explain the factors involved in the selection and maintenance of facilities and equipment in a child care center.	
04.04	Research sources for funding child care programs (i.e., tuition, subsidies, fundraising, grants, and loans).	
05.0	Create effective publicity and marketing strategies.  The student will be able to:	
05.01	Communicate the early childhood education center's philosophy and mission statement to all stakeholders.	
05.02	Present options utilizing current technology to develop a marketing plan for child care centers.	
06.0	Explain the legal obligations/responsibilities of a child care facility, including those related to tax laws, insurance, and licensure.  The student will be able to:	
06.01	Research applicable federal, state and local law related to family law and child abuse.	
06.02	Research laws related to liability and insurance requirements.	
06.03	Research laws related to tax and licensure.	
06.04	Research religious exemption laws.	
06.05	Research requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).	
06.06	Describe non‑discriminatory practices including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Council (EEOC).	
06.07	Research and explain the regulations related to recruitment, hiring, and firing of personnel and wage and hour laws.	
06.08	Identify key local and state consultants that can provide technical assistance and support in meeting all local and state regulatory requirements.	
06.09	Research and explain the Florida DCF child care training requirements for employees in an early childhood education center.	
06.10	Understand the importance of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) as it applies to child care center funding; discussions of student performance; posting of written information (i.e., grades, student records, etc.); parent rights; and accessibility of education records.	
06.11	Identify standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).	
07.0	   Apply knowledge of program elements needed to implement and sustain a culturally sensitive, non-discriminatory and inclusive environment based upon principles of child development and professional standards.  The student will be able to:	
07.01	Research and apply child growth and development theories and principles to provide quality programming for children within the child care setting.	
07.02	Establish guidelines for a culturally sensitive, non-discriminatory and inclusive early childhood education environment and curriculum within a child care setting.	
07.03	Explain professional guidelines such as those found in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards as main professional guidelines, and other accreditation materials, subsidized child care monitoring tools, the Head Start Performance Standards, the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), and Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS) to design programs and enhance program quality.	
08.0	   Maintain a system for ongoing assessment and documentation related to children within the child care center program.  The student will be able to:	
08.01	Describe assessment instruments and identify ways these instruments measure different aspects of a child's performance or behavior.	
08.02	List community resources available for screening, assessment, and referral of children.	
08.03	Develop a plan for successful transitions of children within their center and with other programs and schools (i.e., such as early intervention, and kindergarten). 	
09.0	Develop a system for monitoring early childhood education practices related to health, safety, and nutrition.  The student will be able to:	
09.01	Explain professional standards and best practices related to health and safety, including facilities, program, staff and children.	
09.02	Establish a plan for nutrition education and physical fitness for children.	
09.03	Identify low cost health insurance providers for children.	
09.04	Create a building and grounds maintenance plan to insure the health and safety of children and staff.	
09.05	Create an emergency preparedness plan in accordance to child care regulations.	
10.0	Demonstrate an understanding of policies that promote alliances with families and collaboration among programs, families, and community resources.  The student will be able to:	
10.01	Create a plan for family involvement in all aspects of early care and education programs of the child.	
10.02	Discuss the diverse strengths and needs of families and understanding of families in cultural and societal contexts.	
10.03	Identify community support systems, including public and private resources for families.	
10.04	Prepare a plan to support children with disabilities and their families for inclusion at an early childhood education center.	
11.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively.  The student will be able to:	
11.01	Demonstrate professional communication and active listening skills (i.e., customer service techniques, verbal and non-verbal communication, telephone etiquette, written correspondence, etc.).	
11.02	Develop social media policy and technology protocol.	
11.03	Demonstrate effective observational skills and related documentation strategies in written and oral form.	
11.04	Identify and demonstrate fundamentals of customer service and addressing difficult situations with customers.	
11.05	Identify and demonstrate personal hygiene and a positive attitude.  	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Special Notes

This program is approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) as meeting the course requirement for child care center directors, 65C-22.001(6), F.A.C. Students who complete the program, and meet additional requirements, are eligible for the Florida Child Care Director Credential.  Additional information regarding the Director Credential can be found at https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/training-and-credentialing/credentials/director-credential.

Cooperative Training – OJT

On-the-job training is appropriate but not required for this program.  Whenever offered, the rules, guidelines, and requirements specified in the OJT framework apply. 

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

Note: postsecondary curriculum and regulated secondary programs cannot be modified.