Virginia Daycare Ratios: Staff-to-Child Ratios and Group Sizes by Age

Licensed Virginia child day centers follow the staff-to-child ratios in 8VAC20-780-350, part of the center standards (8VAC20-780) that the Virginia Department of Education administers.

The ratio is 1:4 for birth up to 16 months, 1:5 for 16 months up to 24 months, 1:8 for two-year-olds and 1:10 for three-year-olds up to school-age eligibility.

Once a child is school-age eligible, the ratio is 1:18 up to age 9 and 1:20 for ages 9 to 12.

The ratios through preschool pair with the maximum group sizes in the table above.

A ratio says how many staff a room needs; the group size caps how many children may be in it.

Virginia caps groups at 12 for birth up to 16 months, 15 for 16 months up to 24 months, 24 for two-year-olds and 30 for three-year-olds up to school-age eligibility.

Group-size requirements do not apply to children school age eligible through 12 years of age, so a school-age room is sized by the 1:18 and 1:20 ratios alone.

For ongoing mixed-age groups, the ratio and group size for the youngest child in the group apply to the entire group, so a room that includes any child from birth up to 16 months staffs at 1:4 with a maximum group of 12.

Balanced-mixed-age groupings, a separate program model the rule defines on its own terms, have their own 1:14 ratio with a maximum group of 28, subject to conditions in 8VAC20-780-350 that include eight hours of lead-teacher training in mixed-age classroom management.

During rest periods, ratios may relax to 1:10 for 16 months up to 24 months, 1:16 for two-year-olds and 1:20 for preschool-age children, as long as staff stay in the room and another staff member is on site.

Virginia's rule calls the lead teacher in each group the program leader and the assistant an aide.

A staff member counts toward the required staff-to-children ratio only while directly supervising children, so time at the front desk or on a break does not count.

In each group, a staff member qualified as a program leader or director must be regularly present, and one program leader may supervise no more than two aides.

During operating hours, one adult — the administrator or a designated adult — must also be on the premises in charge of administration.

Virginia home-based child care — the term current law uses for what the regulations still call a family day home — is sized by a 16-point budget per caregiver rather than the center table above.

An infant up to 15 months costs 4 points, a child 16 to 23 months costs 3, ages 2 to 4 cost 2, ages 5 to 9 cost 1, and age 10 and up cost 0.

The caregiver's own children and resident children under eight count toward the point maximum.

Home-based care serving five through 12 children — not counting the provider's own and resident children — must be licensed, and unlicensed, unregistered home-based care may serve no more than four children under age two, counting the provider's own and resident children.

Take a center with one room at the maximum group size for each age.

An infant room of 12 at 1:4 needs three staff directly supervising children, which is exactly one program leader with two aides, the most a program leader may supervise.

A toddler room of 15 at 1:5, a two-year-old room of 24 at 1:8 and a preschool room of 30 at 1:10 each also need three staff.

Every group must also have its qualified program leader or director regularly present, the administrator or a designated adult must be on the premises during operating hours, and staff count in ratio only while directly supervising children.

This is an illustration of how the numbers combine, not a staffing plan: confirm your rooms with the Virginia Department of Education.