SECTION 340:110-1-8.6. Director, personnel, and primary caregiver qualifications for differential quality rating and improvement certification criteria

(a)   Master teacher and primary caregiver qualifications for two and three star levels. Required criteria include:

(1)   a current Oklahoma Professional Development Ladder (OPDL) certificate of Level 3, specifically met by an Oklahoma Competency Certificate with a Master Teacher emphasis, or Level 4 or higher;

(2)   completed training in Oklahoma's Early Learning Guidelines (ELG); however, new master teachers, probationary master teachers, or primary caregivers hired or assuming the responsibilities after certification are trained within 90-calendar days; and

(3)   employment on-site, full-time; however, out-of-school time master teachers are on-site at least 50 percent of weekly-operating hours.

(b)   Master teachers required for two and three star centers. There is a full-time master teacher for every 30 children of the licensed capacity.

(1)   Out-of-school time programs and programs licensed as day camps have a master teacher for every 40 children of the licensed capacity.

(2)   An individual is not counted as a master teacher, probationary master teacher, or primary caregiver in more than one program, unless the scheduled hours of employment in each program do not overlap at any given time.

(3)   When an individual replaces a master teacher and does not meet educational qualifications, refer to Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:110-1-8.3(f)(3).

(4)   When approved, a probationary master teacher must also complete training in ELG in (a)(2) of this Section.

(c)   Director as master teacher. The director may be counted as a master teacher when meeting master teacher qualifications in (a) of this Section, regardless of the program's licensed capacity.

(d)   Master teacher responsibilities. Master teachers work directly with children and support other teaching personnel with responsibilities, such as program development, weekly lesson plans, use of space and equipment, interactions with parents, and program evaluation.

(e)   Director responsibilities. An individual is not counted as director in more than one program.

[Source: Added at 29 Ok Reg 1229, eff 7-1-12; Amended at 33 Ok Reg 1683, eff 11-1-16; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1732, eff 11-1-18; Amended at 36 Ok Reg 181, eff 12-17-18 (emergency); Amended at 36 Ok Reg 1892, eff 9-16-19; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1858, eff 11-1-20]