Welcome to the ACSI Approval Program

Transcription

1 Welcome to the ACSI Approval Program This manual is designed to assist the program director through the following processes: 1. Renewing the Approval Certificate for the new year 2. Obtaining an Approval Certificate for a new child care program 3. Transferring a currently licensed center to the ACSI Approval Program History of the ACSI Approval Program Beginning with a handful of programs in the mid-nineties, the ACSI Approval Program has expanded to approve over 130 schools in Each year churches and Christian schools are expanding their ministries to include early education and after school programs under our approval program. The Florida Legislature has granted the opportunity for religious exempt approval programs to exist provided the facility is an integral part of a church or a parochial school (Florida Statute ). Our freedom to operate in this manner is a motivation for each of us to make sure that our facilities and programs measure up to and exceed the minimum standards required by the State of Florida. Our Christian philosophy of education should dictate the difference in such areas as our staffing, curriculum and services that we provide to our parents, church and community. The ACSI Approval Program is the instrument that the Florida regional office uses to hold accountable each facility that submits to its standards. The use of semi-annual inspections and approval renewal paperwork allows for a certain measure of credibility that is important to all schools that participate. The mission and purpose of ACSI is to enable Christian educators and schools worldwide to effectively prepare students for life. Nowhere is this process more important than in the early education programs across this country. God bless you as you enable those that God has called you to serve. 1

2 This manual is designed to assist you in the following areas: Understanding the ACSI religious exempt approval process Preparing and organizing for the approval process Completing the process in a timely fashion If you have questions, please call: Mr. Patrick Mennenga/Mr. Jon Sprankle ACSI Florida Regional Office 461 Plaza Dr., Ste. C Dunedin, FL

3 Understanding the ACSI Approval Process The ACSI approval process can be confused with many functions of our organization. First of all, participating in the approval process is different than membership and accreditation. Membership is an annual responsibility of every ACSI member school. All schools will simply respond to the new school/renewal process and make payment. If you are participating in our Approval Program, your renewal will need to be paid prior to receiving your Approval Certificate which is sometimes referred to as a license. All renewals will need to be submitted directly to ACSI headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Accreditation is the process of submitting to a group of standards that represent the highest quality available in early education. A child care center that is interested in participating in this program must order a R.E.A.C.H. Accreditation Manual that guides the participant through each step of the process. The ACSI Approval Program is designed to provide an alternative to the Department of Children and Families licensing programs. By completing an application and sending in the necessary paperwork, a child care program can come under the religious exemption granted by the Florida Statute This manual is designed to walk you through the steps of becoming approved under this program. ACSI has worked hard to maintain high standards in its Approval Program that keep pace with the demands of our growing school population and the clear standards of the state, district and county licensing requirements. One of the goals of our program is to raise ACSI standards to a level above these state and local standards to present a clear testimony that the Association of Christian Schools International is serious about the level of quality serviced by this area of Christian education. The ACSI Approval Program is restricted to churches and Christian schools that meet the requirements of ACSI Minimum Standards and have submitted their paperwork and fees to the regional office. This program does not include family child care homes or independent, non-faith-based schools that have no governing relationship to a church or school. To be considered part of a Christian school, the total enrollment of the preschool or child care center must not exceed 50% of the total population of the school. There are various reasons why different child care programs choose to come under the ACSI Approval Program. The main reasons include the desire to work with inspectors and directors that understand the Christian philosophy of early childhood education, the consistency of working with Christians who understand their curriculum and policy needs, and to avoid the conflict with the secular mindset that urges the hiring of individuals regardless of their Christian witness. As you work through this manual, please keep in mind that there are a few differences in the requirements for each type of program. For example, after school programs, while they will need to meet 80% of the stated requirements, are by their very nature excluded from some of the requirements. These differences should become obvious as you work through the material and as you participate in the approval program. 3

4 Specific Differences After School Programs: These programs are not required to meet the Director Credential requirement. Staff members will be exempt from the Early Literacy requirement. Employees are required to have the following: Level 2 DCF Background Screening (Live Scan-local, state, and FBI clearance) All DCF training (except Early Literacy ) and annual 10-hour in-service training CPR/First Aid Certificate Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Requirements form (signed and dated annually) Affidavit of Good Moral Character form (signed, dated, and notarized) Blood borne pathogen training (annually) Mom s Day Out Programs: These programs are required to have all the background screening and training that is required of a full-day child care program. Preschool Programs: These programs are required to have all the training and background screening documentation that is required of a full-day child care program. Preparing for ACSI Approval Step One: Read through the Approval Standards and note the new items and especially the standards that you need to review and evaluate as to your compliance. Step Two: Use the Approval Checklist to guide you in securing the required paperwork. New Schools: The approval process can take up to one month or up to several months depending on how prepared the facility and the staff are to begin the program. There are a number of items that you need to begin immediately. Check to see if the church or school has the proper zoning for this type of ministry. Don t assume that you do. Obtain a copy of your Certificate of Occupancy and/or approval letter from the local building department or zoning board stating that your school or church has been given approval to have a child care center or preschool on the property. This may come in the form of a special exception or variance and may have been handled by those who originally established the church or school. Step Three: Review the ACSI membership requirements in addition to this approval paperwork. Submit all MEMBERSHIP fees to Colorado Springs, Colorado. This task should be completed prior to sending in your approval paperwork to avoid a delay in processing your Approval Certificate. 4

5 Step Four: Recognize that all ACSI Approval Certificates expire on October 1, and that renewal paperwork is due in our office prior to September 1. Save money and renew on time to avoid additional fees. Substantial penalties will be charged to programs for each month they renew after September 1. New Schools: The initial fees for entering into the ACSI Approval Program are indicated on the Checklist for new applicants. Please keep in mind that your membership application and fees are sent to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and your approval program application and fees are sent to the regional office in Dunedin, Florida. Two separate checks are required to complete the process. Step Five: Secure/complete the following documents, so they can be sent in with the approval application. 1. Fire Marshal Inspection Call and ask them to come to your facility for purposes of renewing your child care certificate. 2. Environmental Health Inspection In some counties and districts of our state, this inspection is difficult to get. Some counties are exempt from this inspection. You must be inspected if your center is preparing and serving food. 3. Blood borne Pathogen Roster This sheet should be kept in a file for future reference listing the names of all staff members present during the annual review of this material. Inspectors will review this sheet during the fall of each year. 4. Water Inspection This is only for those schools that are not on a city or a municipal water system (wells). 5. Fire Drill Record/Emergency Preparedness All schools must create a chart that includes the date of drill, time of drill, elapsed time of drill and number of students present. 6. ACSI Minimum Standards Compliance Affidavit This is the multi-page document that needs to be notarized and signed. The director of the program must initial all spaces to the right of each statement. 7. Staffing Form This document contains all the vital information concerning the credentialing of your staff. Follow the directions at the top of the sheet. This form needs to be completed on your computer and ed to our office at: jon_sprankle@acsi.org Fill out the Compliance Action Plan for staff members that are out of compliance and submit with your application. 8. Affidavit of Good Moral Character Directors must submit this form if you have not previously submitted it to our office. You may copy and use this form to update the files of other staff members who do not have this form on file. This document must be signed, dated, and notarized for each staff member. 9. Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Requirements This form is to be read and signed annually by all staff members. It contains the essentials of how to report child abuse in the state of Florida. 5

6 10. Staff Training Record Use this to track in-service training. A new sheet should be completed each year for each staff member. 11. School Calendar All that is required are the actual days that you will not be having school. This will help inspectors to not plan a trip to your school when you are closed. 12. Copy of Certificate of Liability Insurance stating that you have a minimum of $1 million in liability coverage. You should also have Sexual Abuse limits of not less than $250,000 per occurrence and Director s and Officer s Coverage. Student accident insurance is strongly encouraged for all students. 13. Director Credential Approval status will be granted to programs that have a director with the Director Credential. New programs with directors in the process of receiving this credential will be granted a temporary approval certificate for 60 days. Organizing Your Paperwork Staff Files: To assist our inspectors in the inspection of staff files, all files must be kept in a specific order and must be free of all items that do not pertain to the current approval year. Whether you utilize a file folder or a separate notebook, please make certain that your documents are in the following order or as close to it as possible. Posting Paperwork: 1. Staff application and reference checks 2. Background screening clearance documents 3. Affidavit of Good Moral Character form (must be notarized) 4. Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Requirements form (signed annually) hour training documentation 6. Staff Credential, if applicable 7. CPR/first aid cards 8. Annual in-service documentation (only include in-service training that will count for this year.) Remove all other training certificates to an archive file or return them to the staff member. The following items should be posted on a bulletin board somewhere near the office for easy access and view by parents and inspectors: 1. Monthly fire drill/emergency preparedness chart 2. Fire inspection 3. Environmental health inspection 4. ACSI Approval Certificate 5. ACSI Membership Certificate 6. Certificate of Occupancy 7. School calendar 8. CPR/first aid cards 6

7 Student Files: Student files are vital to an organized program. The information that you gather for these files will assist you in meeting the legal requirements and providing a safe environment for children to participate. It is recommended that a separate file folder be assigned to each student. This will make it easier to check at inspection time and to keep track of important documents. The following documents should be included in each student s file: Student 1. Enrollment information including emergency phone numbers of individuals to reach when the parents become unavailable 2. Signed statement regarding discipline policy 3. Student health examination form (3040 gold form) 4. Student immunization form (680 blue form) 5. Authorization for medication form 6. Accident/incident form with appropriate signatures 7. Any special dietary plans for special needs 8. Birth certificate (copy, only) Please remember that parents have 30 days from the date of enrollment to turn in the health and immunization forms for their child. It is preferred that you not enroll students without these documents, so you do not have to keep sending reminders. Health and immunization records may be originals, however, some doctors are printing out the documents on plain paper which is acceptable. The Inspection Process Each child care program that is under the ACSI Approval Program will be inspected at least two times a year, unless there are factors that warrant a single inspection. In preparation for the inspection, the director of each program should have the following readily accessible: 1. Entrance into the building to be inspected 2. Staff and student files 3. Updated Staffing Form with new employee information on the form 4. Original copies of specific items posted on the bulletin board The inspector will be taking a guided tour of the facility to review health, safety and sanitation standards. This tour will include a playground, kitchen, and classroom inspection. If transportation is used, an inspection of the vehicle and the paperwork regarding maintenance inspections will be viewed. At the conclusion of the inspection, the various areas of non-compliance will be identified to the director. A copy of the inspection report will be left with the director. All areas of non-compliance will need to be corrected within 30 days, unless they are major violations. Major violations will need to be corrected immediately and no longer than 5 days after the inspection. A letter of explanation must be submitted with the response from the director indicating the time-frame in which violations have been or will be corrected. 7

8 Warnings and/or fines will be issued to schools that are in major non-compliance or if repeated non-compliance violations are noted. Handling Complaints & Investigations Complaints: From time to time the ACSI office will receive an official complaint from either a parent or the local Department of Children and Families licensing office. When this happens, our office will send a written complaint form to the director that needs to be completed and returned to our office within 5 days of receipt of the complaint. A few complaints will require an inspection to review the center s procedures or facility circumstances. If violations of standards are found, programs will be assessed either a warning or a fine if it is a repeated or a major violation. Investigations: An investigation is usually conducted when there has been an accusation of child abuse or neglect. These investigations are required to be conducted by the investigating arm of the Department of Children and Families. Our office is notified as the licensing body, and we cooperate in every way to ensure the safety of our programs. Schools must cooperate with these investigators to help them identify problems that might exist for which the director and staff are able to give evidence. Timeline for Completing the Approval Process Renewing Schools June 15.Renewal paperwork is available from ACSI September 1...Renewal paperwork is due in the regional office October 1..Approval expires for all programs Renewal paperwork should be completed and returned to the ACSI Florida regional office before September 1, in order for it to be processed and the new Approval Certificate can be mailed to each program prior to the expiration of the current Approval Certificate. Often times Staffing Forms hold up the submission of the approval paperwork because not all staff information is available at the time of mailing. If this is your case, you should submit what you have and on the Staffing Form place the letters IP, which stands for in progress, indicating that you will be submitting this paperwork within the next few weeks. One or two IP s will not hold up your approval, unless it is obvious that the paperwork has not been started in a timely fashion. 8

9 Please keep the following in mind as you hire your new staff: TB tests are no longer required, but are highly recommended if you prepare food. The results of Level 2 DCF background screening (local, state, and FBI) MUST be in each employee s file before the employee can begin working. The use of Live Scan screening procedures is the only acceptable method of screening employees. This procedure must meet the requirements of Level 2 DCF background screening. VECHS screening is not acceptable. Only DCF clearance is acceptable. Reasons for Not Receiving Your Approval Certificate The following is a list of reasons why your program may not receive the ACSI Approval Certificate: 1. Current fire inspection (within the past 12 months) was not submitted. 2. Current environmental health inspection was not submitted (unless exempt). 3. No current employee has a current CPR / First Aid Certificate. 4. Background screening not complete. 5. Dates not filled in on Staffing Form for 45-hour training or Affidavit of Good Moral Character. 6. Two or more staff members have not documented 10-hour in-service training in the past 12 months. 7. Your ACSI membership fees have not been received by our national office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 8. Failure to submit current insurance liability coverage normally located in the Declaration page of the policy. 9. Director has not earned a Director Credential recognized by the State of Florida Department of Children and Families. 9

10 Starting a New Program Preparing for the ACSI Approval Program as a new preschool or child care center will in most respects take approximately three months to complete. The amount of preliminary work that you accomplish will lessen the time it takes to receive the Approval Certificate. Our office is ready to assist you in taking this important step by providing guidance through this process. Becoming a part of the Approval Program will hopefully add additional purpose and meaning to the definition of child care. 1. Preliminary work: a. Secure proper zoning for your program. Do not assume that because you are a church or Christian school you do not need to be zoned differently. b. Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. This is required to identify the proper zoning and use of this property. c. Schedule a Fire Marshal inspection. d. Request an environmental health inspection. e. Acquire a water inspection if not on city water system. f. Complete the ACSI Membership Application and send it to Colorado Springs, Colorado, with the proper fees and signatures. 2. Governance: Determine the board or committee that will have oversight of this program. Establish who will be responsible for the policies and overall existence of this program. Is this a ministry of the church or Christian school, or is it independently run? Schools governed by something other than a church or Christian school cannot participate in the ACSI Approval Program. 3. Enrollment: Determine your student capacity by measuring your classrooms for the total square footage. This will be a preliminary estimate since either the Fire Marshal or ACSI will assist in determining the final capacity. Health departments also provide figures in regard to student capacity. 4. Staff: Plan your staff according to your student enrollment. Staffing the program is key and will need lots of prayer and work. Your staff is what makes your program. They can also break, it if you aren t careful. a. Begin background screening immediately. Our office will contact the Department of Children and Families in Tallahassee to request a Live Scan OCA number and an ORI number for your center. Both numbers are necessary in order to complete the Live Scan process. b. Make sure you have enough qualified staff members that will help you meet the minimum requirement of one person on campus at all times with a current CPR /First Aid Certificate. 10

11 5. Facilities: Submit a floor diagram, including dimensions, along with your approval paperwork, so a preliminary student capacity can be determined. Developmentally appropriate furniture and equipment for the classrooms and playground should be in place prior to preinspection from an ACSI inspector. Classroom furniture should be arranged to accommodate the curriculum needs of the children. Playground equipment should be well stabilized and free from defects, jagged edges and protruding nails. The playground area should be enclosed by a minimum of a four-foot fence and must also have gates that can be secured, so children will not be able to get out without adult assistance. Ground cover should be between 6-9 inches around the fall zones (underneath slides, swings, climbing equipment, etc.). Shade should be available on the playground. 6. Curriculum: Prepare a planned program of activities and experiences for your students. Evidence of planning, resources and equipment should be present. 7. Approval paperwork: Review the paperwork required by our regional office for the approval process. By reading the ACSI Standards for Approval, you should be able to schedule your work to fit the plan for your date of opening your program. All paperwork, along with the floor diagram, should be copied and sent directly to the regional office. Once our office receives your paperwork and application, we will contact you for a pre-inspection appointment. The ACSI Approval Certificate Once our regional office has received your completed paperwork and payment of approval fees and has verified your membership with our national office, you will then receive an approval letter along with your Approval Certificate with a specific ID number. This certificate is required to be posted near the office so that it is visible to parents and inspectors. A Word about the Department of Children and Families Quality childcare in our region is monitored by a variety of organizations. The State of Florida has granted churches and Christian schools the opportunity to be monitored under the auspices of our religious exemption as stated in the Florida Statute We are able to accomplish this because we, as an organization, publish and monitor our own standards. However, there are times and situations when the Department of Children and Families may come to your facilities to review or investigate your programs. Our position is to treat this kind of monitoring with a positive approach. While meeting the minimum standards of each district or county licensing agency is somewhat demanding, it builds respect for your Christian testimony when you welcome 11

12 inspections that prove to make your programs better. For the most part, DCF inspectors work very well with our programs, and we want to promote this relationship of mutual respect. If you feel there is a reason that your relationship between DCF is not positive, it would be helpful to contact our office and allow us to assist you in evaluating what needs to be done. Transferring Your License to the ACSI Approval Program Ministries that no longer feel that the vision and mission of their programs can be met by continuing to be licensed by the Department of Children and Families should contact our regional office for information on how to proceed. In general, transferring is not permitted in the Florida Statutes; however, it is possible to make a change if it is done with the full knowledge and understanding of DCF. Please contact our office to review any plans that you might have in this direction. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can a church operate a child care facility without a license from the Department of Children and Families? Yes. Florida Statute gives local counties and districts the ability to grant religious exemption to ministries that comply with the standards of an accrediting organization, such as ACSI, who monitors these standards. 2. Will I receive a license number under the ACSI Approval Program? Technically, no. What you will receive is an ID number that can be used by parents for various applications, etc. The State of Florida through the various counties and districts is the only entity that can issue a license number. 3. Does my staff need to meet the same qualifications as non-faith-based programs? Yes, and more. The minimum standards regarding background screening, 30/45 hour training, director credentials and child abuse training must all be met. In addition, the ACSI Approval Program requires that all staff members profess to be Christian. 12

13 4. Under the ACSI Approval Program, do directors have to meet the Director Credential requirements? Yes. All directors must meet the director credential requirements. Directors must receive their certificate prior to being issued the ACSI Approval Certificate for their center. 5. What do the membership and renewal fees pay for? As a member of our international organization, your school may not only participate in our ACSI Approval Program, but will also benefit from our early education teacher certification and accreditation programs, as well as our insurance programs. Your school will also enjoy the benefits of reduced member rates for conference registrations and catalog materials. Renewal fees help to offset the operating costs of the approval program in the Florida region. It pays for inspectors and office staff needed to handle the approval applications and monitoring of all early education activities and services. 6. Is it possible to be licensed by both the state and ACSI? Usually only one organization is given the responsibility of monitoring the activities of a child care ministry. In some counties, a substantial compliance relationship exists that permits the ministry to be registered by the county or district and approved by ACSI. The licensing responsibilities would belong to the approval organization. 7. How do I get my staff fingerprinted? The ACSI Florida Regional Office will contact the Department of Children and Families in Tallahassee to secure a Live Scan OCA number and an ORI number for you. Both of these numbers are required for Live Scan background screening. 8. What is an OCA and ORI number, and why do we need them? The OCA and ORI numbers are assigned by the DCF office in Tallahassee in order to complete the required Live Scan background screening. 13

14 9. How do ACSI standards compare with Florida Department of Children and Families standards? ACSI standards are comparable in that they meet the minimum state standards in most areas and also include additional requirements regarding the spiritual background of all staff members. Bible instruction is also required on a regular basis. 10. Why do some counties have different standards than others? The State of Florida is basically divided into 15 licensing districts and 5 individual county licensing agencies. Each agency has been authorized by the state to publish minimum standards as long as they do not fall below the minimum standards set by the State of Florida. The difference is in the number of standards that are perceived as higher than the minimum standards. For the most part, these differences are minor and are not disruptive to the approval activities of ACSI. 11. What if I cannot obtain an environmental health inspection? Environmental health inspections are required for approval unless the county states that they do not need to do an inspection due to various reasons (e.g., no food service provided or no naptime scheduled for the children). If this is your situation, you will be required to obtain a statement in writing that your program is not subject to health inspections. 12. What qualifications do inspectors have? For the most part, inspectors have experience in the administration of child care centers. They are usually taken on a series of inspection visits with an experienced inspector to learn the details of the inspection routine. 13. Does the ACSI Approval Program require a certain curriculum? No, a certain curriculum is not mandated; however, we do expect to see a balance of activities that are age-appropriate and include Bible instruction. Many of our programs use published curriculums that focus on the developmental needs of children. ACSI does publish a curriculum that is available for review from our national office. 14

15 14. How often will we be inspected? You can expect to be inspected in the late fall/early winter and again in the spring. In a few situations only one inspection will be conducted. All inspections are unannounced and take between 1 ½ to 2 hours for the average size center. 15. Can a child care program be fined by ACSI? Yes. There is a system of fines established for violations that are serious in nature and/or repeated. Non-compliance issues that are not promptly addressed following inspections or complaints will lead to the school being placed on either warned status or probation. Non-compliance issues that are left unresolved will be grounds for removing the Approval Certificate from the facility and contacting the local office of the Department of Children and Families. 16. Why must our center be a part of a Christian school or church? The religious exemption language of the Florida Statutes allows for only these types of schools to be granted an exemption. Organizational proof through official documents such as by-laws or articles of incorporation is required prior to participation in the ACSI Approval Program. 17. What types of churches will ACSI accept? Churches that are classified as Protestant would be accepted into membership by ACSI. Other churches and their ministries may seek membership in other organizations that provide similar services. 18. How often must our Approval Certificate be renewed? All ACSI Approval Certificates expire on October 1 of each year. Renewal paperwork is on line beginning in early June of each year in order for schools to prepare for the new approval year. 19. Does our program have to meet the Staff Credential requirement? Yes. Directors must have a staff credential, and the ratio of 1 staff credential per 20 children is an ACSI standard. Proof of registration into a staff credential program and active participation will meet this requirement. 15

16 20. Does participation in the ACSI Approval Program qualify me for participation in Voluntary Pre- Kindergarten? No. Participation in Voluntary Pre-kindergarten is determined by the Early Learning Coalition in your county or district. Either licensing through DCF or Gold Seal approved accreditation program through ACSI must be completed to be eligible for the VPK Program. 21. Is there a difference between Approval and ACSI Accreditation? Yes, ACSI accreditation is a separate process that involves a detailed self-study and compliance with specified standards. The ACSI Accreditation program has been approved for Gold Seal Quality Care in the State of Florida. Additional information concerning this process may be obtained from the ACSI Florida Regional Office ( ). 16