Early Childhood Education Standards

PURPOSE: This rule establishes policies and standards for statefunded prekindergarten education program grants. (1) Any program that receives state funding to deliver prekindergarten education shall meet the following quality early childhood education (ECE) standards: (A) The prekindergarten program shall include— 1. Voluntary, universal access for all children to participate; 2. A schedule that identifies daily instructional time and the duration of the academic year; 3. A work schedule for the teachers that covers the entire instructional time identified in the annual calendar and daily schedule; and 4. The daily work schedule for qualified teaching assistant(s) or paraprofessional(s) that must cover the entire instructional time identified in the annual calendar and daily schedule; (B) The program shall use a comprehensive departmentapproved curriculum or department-approved supplemental curriculum that aligns with all areas of the Missouri Early Learning Standards; (C) The program shall conduct assessments aligned with the Missouri Early Learning Standards; (D) Any teacher in a prekindergarten classroom shall have— 1. A current Missouri early childhood or early childhood special education teaching certificate; 2. A bachelor’s degree or higher in ECE, early childhood special education, or child development; 3. A bachelor’s degree or higher in any field with a minimum of thirty-six (36) college credit hours in ECE or child development; or 4. An associate’s degree in ECE or child development; associate’s degree in any field with a minimum of eighteen (18) college credit hours in ECE or child development; or sixty (60) college credit hours with a minimum of twenty-four (24) college credits in ECE or child development with— A. Active enrollment in pursuit of one (1) of the credentials listed in paragraphs (1)(D)1.-3.; and B. Teaching under the supervision and mentorship of an individual who meets one (1) of the credentials listed in paragraphs (1)(D)1.-3.; (E) Any prekindergarten classroom with eleven (11) to twenty (20) children shall have a teaching assistant or a paraprofessional; (F) Any teaching assistant in a prekindergarten classroom shall have— 1. A current Preschool Child Development Associate (CDA) credential; or 2. Nine (9) college credit hours in ECE or child development; (G) Any paraprofessional in a prekindergarten classroom shall have a department paraprofessional credential; (H) The program shall participate in the Quality Assurance Report (QAR) and will demonstrate quality within two (2) years of participation in QAR; (I) All teachers, assistant teachers, and paraprofessionals shall complete a minimum of eighteen (18) clock hours annually of professional development in at least four (4) Missouri professional development content areas; and (J) The policies and standards identified in this regulation shall not supersede requirements set forth by the funding for prekindergarten education. AUTHORITY: sections 161.092 and 161.213, RSMo 2016.* Emergency rule filed Dec. 6, 2023, effective Dec. 20, 2023, expired June 16, 2023. Original rule filed Dec. 6, 2023, effective June 30, 2024. *Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003, 2013, 2014, and 161.213, RSMo 2006.