California Code § 101216.1(c)(1): Teacher Education Requirements

This regulation establishes minimum qualifications for teachers in licensed childcare centers. To work as a teacher, an individual must have completed at least 12 college-level semester units (or equivalent quarter units) in early childhood education or child development at an accredited institution, with passing grades. Additionally, they must have at least six months of hands-on work experience in a licensed childcare center or comparable group childcare program. This ensures teachers have both theoretical knowledge and practical experience before working independently with children.

As of November 23, 2025, 18 facilities have been cited for this violation across 10 counties. This represents about 1 in 2,200 facilities statewide (0.24% of the 7,551 facilities inspected in the past 90 days). San Diego County had the most citations with 4 facilities, followed by Orange and Los Angeles counties with 3 each. While not extremely common, this violation occurs when centers are desperate for staff and cut corners on qualifications, or when they misunderstand what counts as qualifying experience or coursework.

Inspectors cite this when they review personnel files and find that someone working in a teacher role doesn't meet the education and experience requirements. Common scenarios include: hiring someone with early childhood education units but no documented work experience in a licensed setting; counting volunteer hours or babysitting instead of actual employment in a licensed facility; accepting coursework from non-accredited institutions; or having someone function as a teacher when they're only qualified as an aide. Inspectors verify education with transcripts and experience with employment verification letters. Being short-staffed is never an acceptable reason for having unqualified staff in teacher positions.

Before hiring, carefully verify that teaching candidates have both required components: official transcripts showing at least 12 semester units in ECE or child development from an accredited college, AND written verification of at least six months employment in a licensed childcare center. Don't accept online certificates that aren't from accredited institutions. Keep copies of transcripts and employment verification letters in personnel files before the person starts working as a teacher. If you have aides who are working toward teacher qualifications, clearly document their role and supervision arrangements until they meet all requirements. Create a qualification checklist for each position type so you don't confuse aide, teacher, and director requirements.

Immediately reassign the unqualified person to an appropriate role (like aide) where they can work under qualified supervision, or remove them from the facility if you cannot accommodate a different role. Hire or promote someone who meets the teacher qualifications, verifying their credentials thoroughly. Gather and organize proper documentation - official transcripts and employment verification - for all teachers in your personnel files. Review your hiring process to understand how this person was placed in a teacher role without proper qualifications, and implement verification steps to prevent it from happening again. Be prepared to show licensing during follow-up that you now have appropriately qualified staff in all teacher positions.