Classroom Counts & Supervision
A QA evaluator walks in and asks a teacher how many children are in their care. The teacher says, “I think 12 or 13.” Is this acceptable?
No. Teachers must respond immediately and accurately with the number of children in their care. This is a critical health and safety standard.
The classroom allergy list is accurate, but nobody can tell when it was last reviewed. What detail is missing, and how often must the list be updated?
The list must be dated and updated monthly or more frequently when new children with allergies enroll. It must cover the school's food allergies and dietary restrictions and be discreetly posted in each classroom.
The playground looks clean, but a hose was left stretched across the play area after watering. What should happen?
The hose must be coiled and stored after use. The exterior area must be free of hazards and tripping risks.
Teachers are outside with the children, but they are all standing together near the door instead of taking their assigned positions. What must be checked?
Teachers must supervise according to the exterior learning environment position chart and be positioned on the surface area to supervise.
An infant is asleep in a stationary activity seat. What does the QA guide require?
If an infant is observed sleeping in stationary equipment, the infant must be moved to a crib within 15 minutes of the observation.
A teacher has the correct ratio in the classroom, but during a transition one teacher takes several children down the hall and the ratio is no longer maintained. Does the classroom still meet the standard?
No. Appropriate ratios must be maintained at all times, including during transitions.
A classroom has an allergy list posted, but it includes food allergies and leaves out other dietary restrictions. Does it meet the standard?
No. The list must encompass both food allergies and dietary restrictions for the entire school.
The climber's fall zone has the approved cushioning, but children have placed toys on the surface beneath the structure. Is the fall zone compliant?
No. Fall zones must be free of accessory items and cannot be used for other activities while children use the play structure. Toys must not be on the fall-zone surface.
A playground gate alarm works, but it only sounds after the gate has opened 5 inches. What does the QA standard require?
The gate alarm must sound within 3 inches of the gate opening.
A crib has a fitted sheet, but when the middle is pulled, it stretches more than 2 inches. Is it acceptable?
NO. It must not come up more than 2 inches
Kaymbu stops working just as your class heads outside. What must be available, and what must each teacher have when a group splits?
A paper attendance sheet must be accessible during technical difficulties. Each teacher must have an attendance form for a split-group setting, including when walking with a small group or one child.
Classroom doors are numbered correctly inside the building. The outside doors have no numbers. What is the QA issue?
Exterior classroom doors must also be numbered, in sequence or as listed on the building floor plan or as instructed by emergency personnel.
A fence appears secure, but one bar is loose and there is a gap along the bottom measuring 3.5 inches. What should the evaluator notice?
The fence must be secure. The gap at the bottom must not exceed 3 inches, so a 3.5-inch gap fails the stated measurement.
The gate alarm is not working. The director says, “We'll put a teacher next to the gate until the repair person comes tomorrow.” Can children continue using the exterior learning environment?
NO. Gate alarm must be operational.
A teacher documents crib checks every 10 minutes because the infant appears to be sleeping soundly. What is the requirement?
The requirement is every 5 minutes.
A teacher can accurately state the number of children present, but the attendance sheet still lists a child who was picked up and does not show two children who arrived. Is verbal accuracy enough?
No. The attendance record must accurately reflect the children who are present, including children in transition. Accurate verbal counts do not fix inaccurate documentation.
List the times hands must be washed by faculty
Upon Arriving in a classroom, before and after serving food, after tending to an ill or injured child, after diapering or toileting, before and after sensory play, after petting animals
Before every outside time by placing your hand on the back of the equipment, turf, doors, and sidewalk for 5 seconds each
The main fence is secure, and the regular gates have functioning alarms. The landscaper gate is unlocked and unsecured. What is the issue?
Landscaper gates must be secured. Key locks are not permitted on fence gates; they are only permitted on the landscaper's gate. The gate must be secured.
A teacher places a bottle in a crock pot to warm it, and the water is only 110°F. Is the procedure compliant?
No. Crockpots are not permitted and the temperature must not exceed 120 degrees
The classroom ratio is correct, attendance is accurate, and every child is accounted for. What other classroom-level detail must be visible above each classroom door in the hallway, and how must it correspond to the building?
The classroom number must be visible around the interior classroom door and numbered in sequence according to the building floor plan or emergency personnel's instructions.
During an inspection, the evaluator asks about a standard that requires a specific procedure. The teacher says, “That's not my job” Why is this a risky response?
Teachers are expected to know and follow the procedures that apply to their responsibilities. For critical standards such as knowing the count of children in care, the evaluator directly asks the teacher.
If a teacher notices animal feces on the playground what is the protocal?
Ratios are good but one teacher opens the door to another classroom to chat with the teacher inside. Does this leave the playground in ratio?
NO. When a teacher is actively looking into a classroom instead of on the playground she is no longer counted in ratio therefore leaving her classroom out of compliance.
Have them resign and date the previous month's infant care plan