S.L. 2010-178 is a law that imposes burdensome and costly certification requirements on child care and early education teachers and providers. The law mandates that teaching staff and providers working in licensed child care centers or licensed family child care homes have their education certified by the North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals by July, 2012. Individuals hired after October 1, 2010 have 60 days to obtain certification.
The North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals “is the certifying body of early care and education and school age professionals in North Carolina who work directly with, on the behalf of or intend to work with children ages birth to twelve.” In other words, if you want to work in a child care center, you have to go through the NCICDF, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.
The North Carolina Licensed Child Care Association argues that the certification process should be voluntary. I agree. Child care providers will struggle to meet the financial, bureaucratic, and procedural requirements established by the NC Institute for Child Development Professionals. These additional strains on child care operators will make it more difficult for them to provide affordable services to families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
Perhaps the NC Licensed Child Care Association’s position paper said it best, “Today’s flawed system would prohibit someone with a Ph.D. in Education from teaching in a licensed child care center if he or she hasn’t completed renewal requirements (coursework at universities and/or community colleges or CEUs) as specified and validated by the Institute.” That same individual may also have a hard time teaching in our k-12 public schools if he or she doesn’t meet the certification requirements established by the NC Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. Let’s not make the same mistake twice.
