Licensing sets how many children each adult may supervise. The schedule has to keep that true at 7 a.m. and at 5 p.m.
State licensing rules set the maximum number of children per caregiver by age. Typical ranges are around 4 infants per adult, 6 to 10 toddlers and 10 to 20 older children, but the numbers vary a lot and sometimes also set group sizes. Because ratios are tied to age, a mixed room at nap time can be fine at one count and over at another. The program must follow the rules of its own state.
| Room | Children | Ratio used | Staff needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infants | 8 | 1 to 4 | 2 |
| Toddlers | 12 | 1 to 6 | 2 |
| Pre-K | 20 | 1 to 10 | 2 |
Children trickle in at 7 and out until 6. A centre with 60 enrolled children may have 8 at 7:00 and 40 at 10:00. The schedule needs staggered starts so ratios hold at every hour, and extra care at the end of the day when staff are tired. Many centers hire part-time staff for those windows.
A caregiver cannot step out and leave the room under ratio. Plan a floater who covers breaks, and record when each break starts and ends. Where a meal period is required, an employee who must eat with the children while supervising them is working, so the time is paid.
Many states require annual training hours and background checks for staff. Time spent on required training is working time. Track completion alongside the schedule so a lapse is caught before an inspection.
Sign-in sheets for children and time records for staff together show that ratios were met. If a parent or inspector asks about a particular day, the two records give you the answer.
Ratios do not pause when a caregiver calls in sick. Keep a short list of qualified substitutes who have cleared the background check and training, and record each call-in with the time it was received. If ratios are broken even briefly, document what you did. Some states require notifying the licensing agency about significant violations, so know your reporting rule before you need it.
Your state sets child-to-staff ratios and group sizes by age, so start there. The example below uses illustrative ratios only. Divide the children present in each room by the ratio, round up, and you have the staff that room needs at that time.
| Room | Age | Children present | Ratio used | Staff needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants | 6 weeks to 12 months | 8 | 1 to 4 | 2 |
| Toddlers | 1 to 2 years | 11 | 1 to 6 | 2 |
| Twos | 2 to 3 years | 14 | 1 to 8 | 2 |
| Preschool | 3 to 5 years | 38 | 1 to 10 | 4 |
| Total | 71 | 10 |
At 7 a.m. the same center might have 20 children and need only 4 staff. That is why the plan runs hour by hour.
| Time | What happens | Staffing |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30 to 8:00 | Early arrivals, rooms combined where state rules allow | Opening shift, 2 or 3 staff |
| 8:00 to 9:30 | Most children arrive | Mid shifts start, rooms split |
| 12:00 to 14:30 | Lunch and nap | Teacher breaks covered by floaters |
| 15:30 to 17:00 | Pickups begin | Opening staff leave |
| 17:00 to 18:30 | Late pickups | Closing shift, rooms combined |
Ten-hour days are covered with overlapping 8-hour shifts, not by the same teachers all day. Floaters cover breaks and absences, and they are the first hours you lose when budgets get tight, which is usually when ratios slip.
Providers that receive federal Child Care and Development Fund money must run comprehensive background checks on staff. Under the CCDBG Act of 2014 those checks include an FBI fingerprint check, state criminal and sex offender registry checks and the state child abuse and neglect registry, including other states where the person lived in the last five years. Checks must be repeated at least every five years. Many states apply the same rules to all licensed centers.
Record each check’s date and the renewal date in the staff file, along with CPR, first aid and health and safety training.
For CCDF-funded providers, federal rules require pre-service or orientation training on health and safety topics within three months of hire. The topics include preventing sudden infant death, administering medication, preventing and responding to food allergy emergencies, emergency preparedness, recognizing and reporting child abuse and pediatric first aid and CPR. States also require ongoing training each year, with the number of hours set by state licensing rules.
Schedule training as paid time and record it in each teacher’s file with the date and topic. During licensing visits, a complete training record is one of the first things inspectors ask to see.
If a caregiver is supervising children, it is working time. A true off-duty break where the person is free to leave is different.
Check your licensing rules. Volunteers may not count toward ratios in some states.
A view by room is more useful, since each room has its own ratio.
For providers receiving federal CCDF funds, at least every five years. Some states require more frequent checks or apply the rule to all licensed programs.
Only when the director is actually in the room supervising children, and only if your state rules allow. Time in the office or on tours does not count.
Yes, if they are supervising children or must stay in the room to keep ratios. Nap time is only an unpaid break if the teacher is completely relieved of duty for at least 30 minutes and someone else covers the room.
Yes, as long as ratios stay met. Some states require reporting-time pay when a scheduled employee is sent home early, so check your state rules first.
Passing work between shifts
Weekly overtime math
Wages as a share of revenue
Book a demo and we will build a day schedule for three rooms with staggered starts.
This page is general information, not legal, payroll or tax advice. Rules differ by state, city and contract, and they change. Check with a qualified professional before you act. Numbers in examples are made up.