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Chapter 245A

Section 245A.14

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245A.14 Special conditions for nonresidential programs.

Subdivision 1. Permitted single-family residential use. A licensed nonresidential program with a licensed capacity of 12 or fewer persons and a group family day care facility licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts 9502.0315 to 9502.0445, to serve 14 or fewer children shall be considered a permitted single-family residential use of property for the purposes of zoning and other land use regulations.

Subd. 2. Permitted multifamily use. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 1 or in a town, municipal, or county regulation, a licensed nonresidential program with a licensed capacity of 13 to 16 persons shall be considered a permitted multifamily residential use of property for purposes of zoning. A town, municipal, or county zoning authority may require a conditional use or special use permit in order to assure proper maintenance and operation of the program. Conditions imposed on the nonresidential program must not be more restrictive than those imposed on other conditional uses or special uses of residential property in the same zones unless the additional conditions are necessary to protect the health and safety of the persons being served by the nonresidential program. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to exclude or prohibit nonresidential programs from single-family zones if otherwise permitted by local zoning regulations.

Subd. 3. Conditional license. Until such time as the commissioner adopts appropriate rules for conditional licenses, no license holder or applicant for a family or group family day care license is required to spend more than $100 to meet fire safety rules in excess of those required to meet Group "R" occupancies under the Uniform Building Code, chapter 12, as incorporated by reference in Minnesota Rules, part 1305.0100.

When the commissioner determines that an applicant or license holder of a family or group family day care license would be required to spend over $100 for physical changes to ensure fire safety, the commissioner may issue a conditional license when all of the following conditions have been met:

(a) The commissioner shall notify the license holder or applicant in writing of the fire safety deficiencies.

(b) The commissioner shall notify the license holder or applicant in writing of alternative compliance standards that would correct deficiencies, if available.

(c) The license holder or applicant agrees in writing to notify each parent, on a form prescribed by the commissioner that requires the signature of the parent, of the fire safety deficiencies, and the existence of the conditional license.

Subd. 4. Special family day care homes. Nonresidential child care programs serving 14 or fewer children that are conducted at a location other than the license holder's own residence shall be licensed under this section and the rules governing family day care or group family day care if:

(a) the license holder is the primary provider of care and the nonresidential child care program is conducted in a dwelling that is located on a residential lot;

(b) the license holder is an employer who may or may not be the primary provider of care, and the purpose for the child care program is to provide child care services to children of the license holder's employees; or

(c) the license holder is a church or religious organization.

Subd. 5. Repealed, 1992 c 513 art 9 s 44

Subd. 6. Drop-in and school age child care programs. (a) Except as expressly set forth in this subdivision, drop-in and school age child care programs must be licensed as a drop-in or school age program under the rules governing child care programs operated in a center.

(b) Drop-in and school age child care programs are exempt from the following Minnesota Rules:

(1) part 9503.0040;

(2) part 9503.0045, subpart 1, items F and G;

(3) part 9503.0050, subpart 6, except for children less than 2-1/2 years old;

(4) one-half the requirements of part 9503.0060, subpart 4, item A, subitems (2), (5), and (8), subpart 5, item A, subitems (2), (3), and (7), and subpart 6, item A, subitems (3) and (6);

(5) part 9503.0070; and

(6) part 9503.0090, subpart 2.

(c) A drop-in and school age child care program must be operated under the supervision of a person qualified as a director and a teacher.

(d) A drop-in and school age child care program must have at least two persons on staff whenever the program is operating, except that the commissioner may permit variances from this requirement under specified circumstances for parent cooperative programs, as long as all other staff-to-child ratios are met.

(e) Whenever the total number of children present to be cared for at a drop-in child care center is more than 20, children that are younger than age 2-1/2 must be in a separate group. This group may contain children up to 60 months old. This group must be cared for in an area that is physically separated from older children.

(f) A drop-in child care program must maintain a minimum staff ratio for children age 2-1/2 or greater of one staff person for each ten children. A school age child care program must maintain a minimum staff ratio of one staff person for every 15 children.

(g) If the drop-in child care program has additional staff who are on call as a mandatory condition of their employment, the minimum child-to-staff ratio may be exceeded only for children age 2-1/2 or greater, by a maximum of four children, for no more than 20 minutes while additional staff are in transit.

(h) In a drop-in child care program, the minimum staff-to-child ratio for infants up to 16 months of age is one staff person for every four infants. The minimum staff-to-child ratio for children age 17 months to 30 months is one staff for every seven children.

(i) In drop-in care programs that serve both infants and older children, children up to age 2-1/2 may be supervised by assistant teachers, as long as other staff are present in appropriate ratios.

(j) The minimum staff distribution pattern for a drop-in child care program serving children age 2-1/2 or greater and a school age child care program serving school age children is: the first staff member must be a teacher; the second, third, and fourth staff members must have at least the qualifications of a child care aide; the fifth staff member must have at least the qualifications of an assistant teacher; the sixth, seventh, and eighth staff members must have at least the qualifications of a child care aide; and the ninth staff person must have at least the qualifications of an assistant teacher.

(k) A drop-in child care program may care for siblings 16 months or older together in any group. For purposes of this subdivision, sibling is defined as sister or brother, half-sister or half-brother, or stepsister or stepbrother.

(l) The commissioner may grant a variance to any of the requirements in paragraphs (a) to (k), as long as the health and safety of the persons served by the program are not affected. The request for a variance shall comply with the provisions in section 245A.04, subdivision 9.

Subd. 7. Cultural dynamics and disabilities training for child care providers. (a) The training required of licensed child care center staff and family and group family child care providers and staff shall include training in the cultural dynamics of early childhood development and child care.

(b) The cultural dynamics and disabilities training and skills development of child care providers shall be designed to achieve outcomes for providers of child care that include, but are not limited to:

(1) an understanding and support of the importance of culture and differences in ability in children's identity development;

(2) understanding the importance of awareness of cultural differences and similarities in working with children and their families;

(3) understanding and support of the needs of families and children with differences in ability;

(4) developing skills to help children develop unbiased attitudes about cultural differences and differences in ability;

(5) developing skills in culturally appropriate caregiving; and

(6) developing skills in appropriate caregiving for children of different abilities.

Curriculum for cultural dynamics and disability training shall be approved by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner shall amend current rules relating to the training of the licensed child care center staff and licensed providers of family and group family child care and staff to require cultural dynamics training. Timelines established in the rule amendments for complying with the cultural dynamics training requirements shall be based on the commissioner's determination that curriculum materials and trainers are available statewide.

Subd. 8. Experienced aides; child care centers. (a) An individual employed as an aide at a child care center may work with children without being directly supervised for up to 25 percent of the individual's daily work shift if:

(1) a teacher is in the building;

(2) the individual has received first aid training within the last three years; and

(3) the individual is at least 20 years old and has at least 4,160 hours of child care experience as defined in section 245A.02, subdivision 6b.

(b) The use of an experienced aide working without direct supervision under paragraph (a) is limited to 25 percent of each classroom's daily hours of operation.

(c) A child care center that uses experienced aides under this subdivision must notify the commissioner once per year. The notification must indicate the approximate number of hours per classroom per month that this subdivision is used. Upon enrollment and once each year, child care centers must report to parents or guardians if they use experienced aides under this subdivision.

(d) This subdivision sunsets June 30, 2003.

Subd. 9. Inservice training; child care centers. (a) A teacher at a child care center must complete one percent of working hours of inservice training annually if the teacher:

(1) possesses a baccalaureate or masters degree in early childhood education, or school age care;

(2) is licensed in Minnesota as a prekindergarten teacher, an early childhood educator, a kindergarten to sixth grade teacher with a prekindergarten specialty, an early childhood special education teacher, or an elementary teacher with a kindergarten endorsement; or

(3) possesses a baccalaureate degree with a Montessori certificate.

(b) A teacher or assistant teacher at a child care center must complete 1-1/2 percent of working hours of in-service training annually if the individual is:

(1) a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse with experience working with infants;

(2) possesses a Montessori certificate, a technical college certificate in early childhood development, or a child development associate certificate; or

(3) possesses an associate of arts degree in early childhood education, a baccalaureate degree in child development, or a technical college diploma in early childhood development.

(c) Except as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b), all other teachers, assistant teachers, or aides must have two percent of working hours of in-service training annually.

(d) The number of required training hours may be prorated for individuals not employed full time or for an entire year. This subdivision supersedes Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0035, subpart 4, item B, for teachers, assistant teachers, and aides. The remainder of Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0035, subpart 4, remains in effect unless superseded by other law.

HIST: 1987 c 333 s 15; 1988 c 608 s 3,4; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 84,85; 1Sp1989 c 2 s 10; 1990 c 426 art 1 s 28; 1990 c 568 art 2 s 50,51; 1991 c 142 s 2; 1991 c 143 s 1; 1993 c 338 s 8; 1995 c 158 s 5; 1995 c 207 art 2 s 20; art 4 s 1; 1998 c 407 art 6 s 5; 2000 c 327 s 6; 2000 c 489 art 1 s 20-22

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