https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 23:27:11 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2431061 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:40:13 +0000 gingerbebe 2431061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In California, infant is defined as anyone under the age of 2. Our rules are different based on large centers and in-home providers. </p> <p>At a center, its 1:4 for 0-2. </p> <p>If its a small in-home daycare with a license for up to 6 children, its 1:4 if its all infants under 2, or 1:6 if there's a mix but there cannot be more than 3 infants. </p> <p>If its a small in-home daycare with a license for up to 8, there cannot be more than 2 infants, 2 of the children must be over the age of 6, and all the parents have to be notified of this mix.</p> <p>If its a large in-home daycare for up to 12 kids, there must be 1 provider and 1 assistant, and a max of 2 infants.</p> <p>If its a large in-home daycare for up to 14 kids, there must be 1 provider and 1 assistant, a max of 3 infants, and 2 of the other kids must be over the age of 6. And all parents have to be notified of this mix.</p> <p>What's crazy to me is that once they hit 2 years old, the ratio is 1:12 (but there are classroom and space requirements!) My son is on a waitlist for a 2's program at a local preschool and when we toured, the teacher said the state ratio is 1:12, but that based on classroom size, they are only certified for 11 and that the director generally does not like to have more than 10 kids in the class. Luckily, she said that she's averaged more like 8 or 9 in the past, so hopefully that keeps up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2431034 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:22:57 +0000 kiddosc 2431034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In Wisconsin:<br /> 0 - 2 years (1:4) 8<br /> 2 - 2 1/2 years (1:6)<br /> 2 1/2 - 3 years (1:8)<br /> 3 years (1:10)<br /> 4 years (1:13)<br /> 5 years (1:17)<br /> 6 years and older (1:18) </p> <p>Much better than when we were in TX. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2431018 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:11:15 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2431018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Infants (6 weeks - 18 months) - 1:5<br /> Toddlers (12m-24m) - 1:5<br /> Toddlers (24m-36m) - 1:7<br /> Preschoolers (3y-4y) - 1:10<br /> Preschoolers (4y-5y) - 1:12<br /> Kindergarten (5y+) - 1:15<br /> Mixed age (2.5y-6y) - 1:10</p> <p>Maximums allow 2 teachers to double the amount of kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430730 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:47:03 +0000 MrsLonghorn 2430730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Texas:<br /> AGE -- RATIO -- MAXIMUM<br /> 0 – 11 months -- 4:1 -- 10<br /> 12 – 17 months -- 5:1 -- 13<br /> 18 – 23 months -- 9:1 -- 18<br /> 2 years -- 11:1 -- 22<br /> 3 years -- 15:1 -- 30<br /> 4 years -- 18:1 -- 35 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430714 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:39:08 +0000 Alba4 2430714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: We're in NY too. At my son's daycare there are sometimes 3 teachers to 10 two-year-olds. I love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430638 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:16:44 +0000 catomd00 2430638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Under 2 - 1:3<br /> 2-4 - 1:6<br /> Preschool- 1:10<br /> School aged - 1:15</p> <p>For in home it's a total ratio of 1:8 with only 2 under 2 allowed.</p> <p>Our daycare always operated within ratio. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430625 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 10:13:53 +0000 MamaG 2430625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: @lawbee11: This is why I put LO (4) in a public school setting for pre-K. Her class is 20 kids, but there is a teacher (with a college degree!) and a "para-professional". Essentially it brings the ratio back to 10:1. That's lower than the ratio that our daycare operates their private Pre-K program at (with uniforms and all, yo!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430579 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:58:44 +0000 mrsjazz 2430579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In NY, too. My LO has 13 kids in her class and 2 teachers.</p> <p>Does this apply to prek and k in public schools? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430557 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:51:48 +0000 josina 2430557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: I can't imagine 1 person watching 9- 18 month olds! That's crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430555 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:50:53 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2430555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: I saw 2 different sites that said 1:6. Glad some daycares use a lower ratio though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430552 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:50:11 +0000 josina 2430552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Iowa:<br /> Limit of 6 preschool children with a maximum of 4 aged 24 months or younger. Of these no more than 3 can be 18 months of age or younger. They can also care for 2 school-agers for less than 2 hours at a time.</p> <p>My in-home is within these, 2 infants, 1- 1 yr old, 1- 2 yr old and 1- 3 yr old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430545 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:48:51 +0000 Charm54 2430545@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my province,<br /> 0-24 months - 1:3<br /> 2 years - 1:5<br /> 3 years - 1:7<br /> 4 years 1:10 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430531 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:45:03 +0000 LovelyPlum 2430531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm also in NY, so our ratios are already up there. In our daycare, there are always at least two adults in the room, but they increase the number of children there.</p> <p>In the baby room, there are 8 with 3 adults. Toddlers have 8 with 2 adults at times, but mostly 3. I don't know exactly how many for 2 and 3 year olds, but I know that 4 year olds have 16 kids and 2-3 adults. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430528 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:44:07 +0000 Smurfette 2430528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.KMM: I was told infant was 1:5. Her day care was 1:4 so I guess that was really good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430496 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:36:53 +0000 tinyperson 2430496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here are the ratios for Ontario (keep in mind we have a year-long mat leave, which explains why infant care isn't broken down further) </p> [attach=3240/16/o1b4lh.337x600.image.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430489 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:36:00 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2430489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are at an in-home and the ratio for a family licensed daycare is 1:10. Of the 10, no more than three can be infants/toddlers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430474 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:32:34 +0000 dagret 2430474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In Pennsylvania:</p> <p>Infant 1: 4 max group 8 (birth - 1)<br /> Young toddler 1: 5, max group 10 (1-2)<br /> Older toddler 1: 6, max group 12 (2-3)<br /> Preschool 1:10, max group 20 (3-K)<br /> Young school-age 1: 12, max group 24 (grades K-4)<br /> Older school-age 1:15, max group 30 (grade 4- age 15)</p> <p>ETA: that you can have multiple "groups" in the same room. There's a formula for the maximum amount of kids per square feet.<br /> Also, every daycare i've had my kids in is really good about the ratio - in fact, they oftenhave better-than-mandated ratios. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430469 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:30:19 +0000 lawbee11 2430469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: So high, right?! We're enrolling LO in a preschool when she turns 3 where the ratio for 3-5 year olds is 1:8. Kinda sad that that's "really good" around here :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430460 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:27:39 +0000 Mamaof2 2430460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: wow those numbers are high!!!</p> <p>DD is in the 4yr old room and its 1:10 - I cannot imagine 1:18! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430440 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:21:25 +0000 JoJoGirl 2430440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here's ours for MA! No wonder care is so expensive here!</p> <p>Provider /Child Ratio Age Range Ratios for Center Based Care in Massachusetts State<br /> Infants (1:3) and (2:4-7)<br /> Toddlers (1:4) and (2:5-9)<br /> Preschool(1:10) full day center (1:12) half day center<br /> Schoolage (1:13)<br /> Mixed age group (1:3) and (2:4-9)</p> <p>Age Range Ratios for Family Child Care in Massachusetts<br /> Infants (1:3) 1 of the 3 infants must be at least 15 mos. and walking</p> <p>Under age of 7 years (1:6) includes children living in the home </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430439 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:20:43 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2430439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay taking a cue from @Mrs.KMM: here's Florida's</p> <p>For licensed child care facilities:</p> <p>Children under 12 months: 1 to 4<br /> Children age 12 to 23 months: 1 to 6<br /> Children age 24 to 35 months: 1 to 11<br /> Children age 36 to 47 months: 1 to 15<br /> Children age 48 months to 59 months: 1 to 20<br /> Children age 60 months (5 years old) or older: 1 to 25</p> <p>A family child care provider may care for one of the following groups of children:</p> <p>1 to 4: from birth to 12 months of age<br /> 1 to 6: if no more than three are under 12 months<br /> 1 to 10: as long as at least five children are school-age and no more than two are under 12 months of age<br /> 2 to 8: if more than 4 children under 24 months old<br /> 2 to 12: if no more than 4 children are under 24 months old </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430434 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:19:39 +0000 lawbee11 2430434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours are terrible. </p> [attach=1395/16/o1b3sr.589x232.Ratios.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430420 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:14:13 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2430420@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just looked up Georgia's ratios - they're awful!</p> <p>6 weeks - 1:6<br /> 9 months - 1:6<br /> 18 months - 1:8<br /> 27 months - 1:10<br /> 3 years - 1:15<br /> 4 years - 1:18<br /> 5 years - 1:20<br /> 6 years and older - 1:25 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430408 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:09:06 +0000 sunny 2430408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Babies up to 12 mo is 1-4 (not sure if there is a min age)<br /> From 12-30 mo it is 1-7<br /> After 30 mo it is 1-10</p> <p>They are supposed to have a max group size of 2x each ratio.</p> <p>I feel like it's tough to have a room of 12-18 mo kids but not so bad after that. Our day cares have been pretty good about maintaining ratio. I think there were one or two times in the morning when they went out of ratio and they were scrambling to move people around to maintain ratio.</p> <p>I've noticed our new daycare sometimes exceeds the max group size but I could be reading the law wrong. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430407 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:08:51 +0000 blackbird 2430407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Was literally just having this conversation today! </p> [attach=618/16/o1b3ar.338x600.image.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430394 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 09:03:53 +0000 regberadaisy 2430394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: I was surprised too! I always knew our Infant I ratio was 1:3. A lot of daycares around here won't take younger than 8 weeks. Ours takes 6 weeks and up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430379 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:58:16 +0000 Mamaof2 2430379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: I don't know off hand what they all are but I am surprised there are ratios for under 6 weeks - around here they wont take a baby younger than 6 weeks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430378 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:57:55 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2430378@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Infant (under 12 mos) 1:4...not sure about the rest of the ages </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-the-childcare-ratio-rules-in-your-state#post-2430377 Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:56:31 +0000 regberadaisy 2430377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With all this recent talk about ratios in the boards lately, I'm curious.</p> <p>In NY State these are the rules:</p> <p>Under 6 weeks 1:3<br /> 6wks - 18m 1:4<br /> 18m - 36m 1:5<br /> 3 years 1:7<br /> 4 years 1:8<br /> 5 years 1:9</p> <p>Is your childcare good about following the ratios?</p> <p>In our infant I rooms (non mobile babies) it is always 1:3 then in infant II I think sometimes it might be 1:4. DD1 is almost 4 and in her class there are 18-20 kids and there are two lead teachers and a floater.</p> <p>I'm pretty happy with our childcare ratios. </p>