SECTION 340:110-1-8.7. Professional development for differential quality rating and improvement certification criteria

(a)   Director professional development criteria for one star plus, two star, and three star centers. No more than six hours of informal professional development per Professional Development Ladder (PDL) certification may be counted in total hours. Director qualifications listed in (1) - (3) of this subsection are required.

(1)   The director must have documentation of at least two college credits or 30-clock hours of job-related professional development within the last 12 months prior to request for star certification.

(2)   When a new director is hired, the director must have documentation of at least two college credits or 30-clock hours of job-related professional development within the last 12 months prior to employment. When the new director does not have two college credits or 30-clock hours of professional development, the program is required to submit a written plan to Licensing staff for correcting the violation within 90-calendar days of the new director's hire date.

(3)   In subsequent years of star certification, the director must have documentation of at least two college credits or 30-clock hours of job-related professional development per PDL certification.

(b)   Personnel professional development criteria for one star plus, two star, and three star centers. No more than six hours of informal professional development per PDL certification may be counted in total hours. Personnel qualifications listed in (1) - (3) of this subsection are required for all programs, in addition one star plus programs must meet criteria listed in (4) of this subsection.

(1)   At application, center personnel employed at the program for at least 12 months and counted toward meeting the staff-child ratio must have at least two college credits or 20-clock hours of job-related professional development per PDL certification.

(2)   After initial approval for certification, the professional development criteria of at least two college credits or 20-clock hours of job-related professional development must be met within the personnel's PDL certification.

(3)   The professional development requirement applies to part-time personnel and substitutes having worked at the program more than a total of 80 hours. Personnel performing only auxiliary duties, such as cooking, transportation, or maintenance are exempt from this professional development requirement.

(4)   One personnel for every 30 children of the licensed capacity must actively work toward the educational criteria to obtain master teacher qualifications. For out-of-school time programs, one personnel for every 40 children of the licensed capacity must actively work toward the educational criteria to obtain master teacher qualifications.

(c)   Primary caregiver professional development criteria for one star plus, two star, and three star homes. No more than six hours of informal professional development per PDL certification may be counted in total hours. Primary caregiver qualifications listed in (1) - (3) of this subsection are required for all homes and, in addition primary caregivers in one star plus homes must also meet criteria listed in (4) of this subsection.

(1)   At request for star certification, the primary caregiver must have documentation of at least two college credits or 20-clock hours of job-related professional development per PDL certification.

(2)   After approval for certification, the professional development criteria must be met within the primary caregiver's PDL certification.

(3)   The primary caregiver has a written educational professional development plan reviewed annually, updated as needed, and maintained on file in the home.

(4)   The primary caregiver must actively work toward the educational criteria to meet primary caregiver qualifications.

(d)   Assistant caregiver professional development for one star plus, two star, and three star level homes. No more than six hours of informal professional development per PDL certification may be counted in total hours. Assistant caregiver qualifications listed in (1) - (2) of this subsection are required.

(1)   Assistant caregivers employed for at least 12 months must have documentation of at least two college credits or 20-clock hours of job-related professional development per PDL certification.

(2)   The assistant caregiver has a written educational professional development plan reviewed annually, updated as needed, and maintained on file in the home.

[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]