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I don't have LOs, but I used to work at a daycare. We didn't have many issues with turn over. Sometimes the younger staff members would quit for better jobs in schools or to go to college. However, it wasn't often sudden. Having a director leave also is a little unusual, although not necessarily indicative of foul play. Do you sense anything about the tone of the day care? Does everyone seem upbeat and cheerful? If not, something may be going on behind the scenes. Most likely, one of the higher ups is hard on the staff, or there is something going on with their pay, or expectations are unrealistically high. My bet is something along those lines. It's unlikely that it would affect your LO at all (with the exception that her teachers are leaving), but if you're concerned, it may be something to inquire about further. It could be nothing too. I would go with your gut.

@hotchildinthecity: This. I taught at a daycare for a year after college until I got a job at a school. The pay is not the best and lots of teachers stayed until they finished college and then they moved, got other jobs, etc.

I will say, though, that in my experience (even in pre-k/elementary schools), if the turnover is ridiculous, there's usually something going on with the administration. For example, I taught at a pre-k center with 10 teachers before getting my current job. From August to January, 8 of those 10 had quit (myself included) because of things the admin was doing that was unfair. Totally different situation than the first daycare I was at (they were AWESOME, it's just kinda the culture of daycare jobs).

@hotchildinthecity: Definitely. I told my husband that I didn't feel comfortable working at a school where I knew I would never send my own kid because of sketchiness.

I would question the sudden departure of the teacher + director.. I think that might signal administrative issues.

How is the culture of the school in terms of parents being able to easily question why a teacher is leaving, or staff morale?

Our daycare does have turnover from time to time but for the most part it is because the teachers move on to other schools after finishing their credentials/degrees, or they move to another location (within the same daycare corporate chain; like KinderCare, though ours isn't). The teachers always tell us a couple weeks prior to their last day and usually write a goodbye note in the newsletter for the entire center to see (not just their particular class). I would NOT be cool with a teacher leaving suddenly after having built a relationship with my child and would expect the director to address/explain it somehow.

I work in Early Childhood Education and definitely think that turnover is so normal. Nothing in your post seemed to me definitively like a red flag--though it could be, there also could be explanations that are very normal to daycare jobs. Some have already been mentioned--daycare teachers are lowly paid, and many use it as a stepping stone to full-time teaching jobs at elementary schools (often they have benefits, unlike MANY daycares, which if they do have benefits are minimal). At my current center, two teachers stepped down within months of each other. Both had been working for 4+ years at the same center and were great teachers. It was nothing to do with the administration, but they did dislike the new state requirements--which if you live in a state with heavy early childhood program/licensing requirements are completely out of your daycare's control and are going to be the same in your state no matter what center you go to. We've had other turnover as well for diverse reasons: teachers wanting to stay home with their own kids/grandkids, wanting to continue their education (MANY people who work at daycare centers only have their associate's degree, at most), wanting to eventually open their own center (I know both a teacher and a director who stepped down for this reason). So unless there are other red flags in conjunction with the turnover, I wouldn't worry. However, I do feel bad for your daughter--that's a very hard thing for kids who build relationships so strongly, and hard for us to leave them as well. It's definitely not a decision most Early Childhood Educators take lightly!

From experience on the staff/knowing a lot of early childhood educators, if this is happening twice in a year that might be a red flag. High turnover is normal but the director and teacher on the same day would leave me wanting more info.