Program Standard 10—Leadership and Management

Final Draft Accreditation Performance Criteria

Approved June 15, 2004 by Program Standards/Criteria Commission

 

Performance Category: Leadership and Management

Program Standard:  The program effectively implements policies, procedures, and systems in support of stable staff and strong personnel, fiscal, and program management so that all children, families and staff have high-quality experiences.

Rationale:  Excellent programming requires effective governance structures, competent and knowledgeable leadership, and comprehensive and well functioning administrative policies, procedures, and systems.  Effective leadership and administration create the environment for high-quality care and education by: assuring compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines; promoting fiscal soundness, program accountability, effective communication, helpful consultative services, positive community relations, and provision of a comfortable and supportive workplace; maintaining stable staff; and instituting opportunities for ongoing program planning for staff and career development and for continuous program improvement.

Please note: When a state rule/regulation prohibits the performance expectation outlined in the draft criterion, the state rule/regulation takes precedence. When a state rule/regulation exceeds the performance expectation outlined in the criterion, the state rule/regulation again takes precedence.  When state rules or regulations differ in other ways, or mandate a lower threshold of performance, NAEYC’s criteria take precedence.

 

Number

Strand

FINAL DRAFT CRITERIA

Leadership

10.1

U

The program has a well-articulated mission and philosophy of program excellence that guide its operation. The goals and objectives relate to the mission, philosophy, and all program operations and include child and family desired outcomes.

10.2

U

The program administrator has the educational qualifications and personal commitment required to serve as the program’s operational and pedagogical leader. The administrator

·          has at least a baccalaureate degree that may have been earned through online course work, distance learning, and/or degree completion programs that offer credit as part of a formal assessment of prior learning.

·          has at least 9 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level course work in administration, leadership, and management. The 9 semester hours can be in school administration, business management, communication, technology, and/or early childhood management/administration).

·          has at least 24 credit-bearing hours of specialized college-level course work in early childhood education, child development, or early childhood special education that encompasses child development and learning; family and community relationships; observing, documenting, and assessing young children; teaching and learning; and professional practices and development. Degrees and college course work are from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
[See proposed core competencies.]

10.3

U

The program administrator demonstrates commitment to a high level of continuing professional competence and an ability to promote teamwork.

10.4

U

All early childhood programs, regardless of size or funding auspices, have a designated program administrator with the educational qualifications detailed in 10.2.

When there is a total enrollment of fewer than 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) children and/or less than 8 FTE staff:

·          A program may have a part-time administrator or an administrator who fulfills a dual role (e.g., teacher/administrator).

·          In multisite programs, the sites may share an off-site administrator.

When there is a total enrollment of 60 or more FTE children and/or 8 or more FTE staff:

·          A program has a full-time administrator.

·          At multisite programs, individual facilities have on-site a full-time administrator or full-time manager under the direct supervision of an individual who meets the qualifications outlined for the program administrator.

10.5

U

The program administrator provides leadership to staff to implement the program mission.

10.6

U

The program administrator responds proactively to changing conditions to enhance program quality.

10.7

U

The program administrator and other program leaders systematically support an organizational climate that fosters trust, collaboration, and inclusion.

Management Policies and Procedures

10.8

U

The program has policies and procedures such as job descriptions, planning time, training and resources, that result in families and professionals across disciplines working as teams and building community partnerships.

10.9

U

All components of program operation are guided by written policies and are carried out through articulated plans, systems, and procedures that enable the program to run smoothly and effectively and guide the program toward achieving its goals.

10.10

U

Technology-based information management systems are in place. Procedures guide staff in collecting and analyzing data that are used to monitor the operation of the program and to inform program improvement.

10.11

U

The program and facility is licensed to operate or is regulated by the applicable state and local regulatory systems. The program maintains documentation that it meets the standards of and is in compliance with all local, state, and federal requirements.

The program maintains documentation that it is in good standing with all regulatory requirements, certifications, approvals, and corrections of violations and deficiencies.

10.12

U

Accident and liability insurance coverage is maintained for children and adults. A certificate of insurance is available for review.

10.13

U

If a program is led or governed by a board of directors, advisory group, council, or other similar group, written policies define their roles and responsibilities along with those of the program staff who work directly with them.

10.14

U

The program has a strategic planning process that outlines actions the program will take to

·          implement the program’s vision and mission.

·          achieve outcomes desired for children.

·          maintain high-quality services to children and families.

·          provide long-term resources to sustain the operation of the program.

10.15

U

The program has written policies and procedures that demonstrate how the program prepares for, orients, and welcomes children and families. These policies and procedures are shared in writing, as well as verbally, with families of enrolled children and are available in languages that families use and understand. Policies include

·        program philosophy and curriculum;

·        guidance and discipline of children in the program;

·        a variety of strategies for ongoing communication with families in their preferred language or through translation;

·        how the program welcomes children with disabilities and other special needs, including how IFSPs, IEPs, and other individualized plans will be addressed;

·        how the program welcomes children regardless of language, class, culture, race, or family structure;

·        health and safety precautions and requirements that affect them and their children including building security and access, medications, and emergency plans;

·        the variety of techniques for negotiating difficulties and differences that arise in interactions between families and program staff;

·        payment, meals and snacks, and sleeping arrangement;

·        how the program insures confidentiality of child and family information;

·        how and when children are scheduled for field trips;

·        safety precautions that will be used to safeguard the children on trips, including having a communication device to call for help at any time help is needed while on the trip, having first aid supplies on the trip, and alternate transportation arrangements if there is a problem with the transportation vehicles during the trip.

10.16

U

The program has plans, policies, and procedures to reduce staff turnover, and attract and maintain a consistently qualified, well-trained staff.

10.17

U

Policies guide the appropriate use of specialized consultants to support staff’s efforts to meet the needs of children and families to participate fully in the program, including children with disabilities, behavior challenges, or other special needs. Policies address consultant skills, payment, access, and availability, and working relationships with staff. Policies also address arrangements with other agencies to utilize their consultants for children who are eligible for their services.

10.18

U

Policies and procedures define that teachers with primary responsibility for working with children are available to provide ongoing personal contact, meaningful learning activities, and supervision in addition to offering immediate care as needed to protect children’s well-being.

10.19

I-T

Policies encourage individual teachers to have primary responsibility for an identified group of children. Infants and toddlers/twos and their teachers are encouraged to stay together for 9 months or longer.

10.20

U

Written policies and procedures maintain developmentally appropriate group size and teacher-child ratios to facilitate adult-child interaction and constructive activity among children. Teacher-child ratios and group size are maintained during all hours of operation, including indoor and outdoor play, and during transportation and field trips with adults assigned to specific areas, and near equipment where injury could occur.  When transporting children, the teacher-child ratio would be used to guide the adult-child ratio.

Groups of children may be age determined or multiage. (A group is the number of children assigned to a teacher or a team of teaching staff occupying an individual classroom or well-defined space with clear physical boundaries that prevent intermingling of children from different groups within a larger room.)

10.21

U

The program is organized and staffed to minimize the number of group, teacher, and classroom transitions experienced by an individual child during the day. Every attempt is made to maintain continuity of relationships between teachers and children and among groups of children.

10.22

U

Policies and procedures include transition planning by administrators, teachers, and families to facilitate children’s transition from one teacher to another, from one group to another, from one classroom to another, and from one program to another.

Fiscal Accountability Policies and Procedures

10.23

U

Financial policies and the procedures to implement them provide evidence of sound fiscal accountability and are consistent with the program’s vision, philosophy, mission, goals, and expected child outcomes.

Operating budgets are prepared annually, and there is a quarterly reconciliation of expenses to budget. A system exists to review or adjust the budget if circumstances change.

Budgets are reviewed and amended as needed.

Fiscal records are kept as evidence of sound financial record keeping, such as standard reports (profit-and-loss statements, balance sheets, banking reconciliation, etc.).

10.24

U

Fiscal management conforms to standard accounting practices.

10.25

U

The person directly responsible for program implementation (administrator, site manager, program manager, or supervising teacher) is included in long-range fiscal planning and operating budget preparation, reconciliation, and review.

10.26

U

The program has resources to support the program’s vision, philosophy, mission, goals, operation, and expected child outcomes. Program administrators and other program leaders actively work to generate and manage the resources needed to support a program of excellence.

Health, Nutrition, and Safety Policies and Procedures

10.27

U

The program has written policies and procedures to safeguard the health and safety of adults as well as that of children. These policies promote wellness among children and adults.

These policies include:

·          reducing occupational hazards such as infectious diseases (e.g., exposure of pregnant staff to CMV [cytomegalovirus], chicken pox), injuries (e.g., back strain, falls), environmental exposure (e.g., indoor air pollution, noise, stress [inadequate break time]);

·          inclusion/exclusion criteria, management plans and reporting requirements for staff and children with illness, including medication administration;

·          provision of space, supervision, and comfort for an ill child waiting for pick up because of illness;

·          nutrition for children and adults;

·          sanitation and hygiene, including food handling and feeding;

·          prohibition of smoking, firearms, and other significant hazards that pose risks to children and adults;

·          providing referrals to resources that support staff in wellness, prevention and treatment of depression, and stress management;

·          temporary relief from duty for adults whose level of stress interferes with their ability to work with children within the guidelines of policy.

10.28

U

The program has written policies and procedures to protect children and adults from environmental hazards, such as air pollution, lead, and asbestos, according to public health requirements.

10.29

U

The program has a written child abuse and neglect reporting policy and procedures in place that comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. It includes requirements for staff to report all suspected incidents of child abuse and/or neglect by families, staff, volunteers, or others to the appropriate local agencies. Staff who report suspicions of child abuse or neglect where they work are immune from discharge, retaliation, or other disciplinary action for that reason alone unless it is proven that the report is malicious.

10.30

U

The program has written policies and procedures to be followed if a staff member is accused of abuse or neglect of a child in the program that protect the rights of the accused staff person and protect the children in the program.

10.31

U

The program has written policies and procedures that outline the health and safety information to be collected from families and to be maintained on file for each child in one central location within the facility. The files are kept current by updating as needed, but at least quarterly. The content of the file is confidential, but immediately available to administrators and/or teaching staff who have consent from a parent or legal guardian for access to records, to the child’s parents or legal guardian, and to licensing authorities upon request.

10.32

U

Written policies and procedures address all aspects of the arrival and departure of children. They

·        facilitate family-staff interaction.

·        ensure all children transported during the program day are accounted for before, during, and after transport.

·        ensure the safety of all children.

·        address specific procedures for children with disabilities.

·        address special circumstances in picking up children at the end of the day

10.33

U

Transportation services are managed and program vehicles are licensed and insured in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. Certification of licensing and insurance is available on site. Written policies and procedures address safety during transport.

10.34

U

The program has written and posted disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation policies and procedures. Procedures designate an appropriate person to assume authority and take action in an emergency when the administrator is not on site.

The procedures include:

·          plans that designate how and when to shelter in place or evacuate and specify a location for the evacuation;

·          plans for handling lost or missing children, security threats, utility failure, and natural disasters;

·          arrangements for emergency transport and escort from the program;

·          monthly practice of evacuation procedures with yearly practice of other emergency procedures.

10.35

U

The program has written, up-to-date, comprehensive policies and procedures to prepare for and respond to medical and dental emergencies for children and adult staff.  The procedures include

·     identifying a hospital or other source of medical care as the primary site for emergency care. Program staff have informed the facility of their intent to use their services in an emergency;

·     immediate access to written familial-consent forms for emergency medical treatment and transportation arrangements including relevant health insurance information;

·     arrangements for emergency transport and escort from the program of individuals who require immediate medical attention;

·     presence of an adult with current pediatric first-aid training certification on site at all times (training includes providing rescue breathing and management of a blocked airway, and any special procedures that physicians of enrolled children have documented that the children require);

·     individual emergency care plans for children with known medical or developmental problems or other conditions that might require special care in an emergency (allergy, asthma, seizures, orthopedic or sensory problems, and other chronic conditions; children who regularly take medication or who are technology dependent).

10.36

U

Teachers who administer care to children requiring special medical procedures are competent in the procedure and guided in writing by the prescribing health care provider.

10.37

U

Medications are labeled with chil