Section 92-11-006 - Additional Program and Staff Requirements for Prekindergarten Programs Serving Children Birth to Kindergarten Eligibility Age in a Home-Based Program ( Does not a p ply to or include special education services in the home under Rule 51 and Rule 52 (92 NAC 51 and 52)006.01Contact Hours in Home-Based Programs. Program staff will have contact with each enrolled family at least three (3) times each month and a minimum total of 180 minutes per month. A minimum of 120 minutes will be face-to-face contact with the family. Contact may be completed by the home visiting specialist or the home visitor. If a school district or educational service unit contracts with another organization to provide early childhood services, the district or ESU will ensure the adequate number of hours are provided as required in this Subsection.006.02Family Development and Support. Each home-based prekindergarten program will include the following, as a minimum: 006.02A Written information for families about the program's philosophy, policies, and procedures;006.02B An orientation to the program for families; and 006.02C Delivery of services that are based on family needs and interests and that focus on the child's development and positive family outcomes. Services will be provided year round following a curriculum that meets the requirements of Subsection 006.03 of this Chapter.006.03Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Curriculum, Practices, and Assessment in Home-Based Prekindergarten Programs. Each home-based prekindergarten program will provide curricula that are research-based and designed to work with families that facilitate the optimal growth and development of children, and that are culturally appropriate for all families served. The program will also include a well-defined language development and early literacy emphasis, including the involvement of families in literacy activities. 006.03A Each program will have a written program plan that will include a description of program curriculum, practices and assessments used. This plan must be provided to all parents and be available to the Department upon request.006.03B Use child assessment revaluation) practices based on documentation gathered through an established system of ongoing observation and assessment to provide objective measures of each child's performance and progress in development and learning to meet the Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines: Nebraska's Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards. The summary of these standards are contained in Appendix D of this Chapter. The assessment data will be used to plan and implement teaching strategies and activities to meet the individual needs of each child. Any formal assessment tools used will meet accepted standards of reliability and validity. Developmentally appropriate practices will be implemented for all children. Individualized support will be provided for children who are not progressing within age-expectations for literacy/pre-reading and mathematics.006.04Evaluation and Quality Assurance. Each home-based program will participate in periodic program evaluations to assure program quality and positive child outcomes. The evaluation process will be designed by the Department's Office of Early Childhood and will include, but not be limited to the following:006.04A An assessment of program quality;006.04B A report of child outcomes including at least one objective measure of child performance and progress; and006.04C A written plan for dissemination of the results of the evaluation.006.05Program Staff . In order to provide home-based services, each home-based program will use one or more home visiting specialists and may in addition use one or more home visitors who meet the qualifications below: 006.05AHome Visiting Specialist. Any home visiting specialist in a home-based program will have a bachelor's degree or higher in one of the following areas: 006.05A1 Early Childhood Education006.05A2 Childhood Special Education,006.05A3 Child Development, or006.05A4 Human Services. Nursing, Social Work, Sociology or Psychology including at least twelve (12) graduate or undergraduate hours in any area of family-centered practices or child and youth development.006.05BHome Visitor . Any home visitor will have at least twelve (12) semester hours of undergraduate or graduate credit in one or a combination of the following are: (i) Early Childhood Education(ii) Early Childhood Special Education;(iv) Human Services. Nursing., Social Work. Sociology or Psychology, including coursework in the area of family centered practices or child and youth development.006.05B1 The program may employ a home visitor who does not meet the twelve (12) semester hour requirement as long as the home visitor completes a minimum of six (6) semester hours or the equivalent in training or experience within the first year of employment and meets the full twelve (12) semester hour requirement before the end of the second year of employment. Equivalencies include, but are not limited to the following: 006.05B1A Holding a current Child Development Associate Credential issued by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C. will be an equivalent for the twelve (12) semester hour requirement.006.05B1B Holding a current Nebraska teaching certificate with a K-6 elementary endorsement will be an equivalent for the twelve (12) semester hour requirement.006.05B1C Each two (2) years of employment in a program serving children birth through second grade will be an equivalency for three (3) credit hours of the twelve (12) semester hour requirement. Four or more years of experience may count for a maximum of six (6) of the twelve (12) semester hour requirement.006.05B1D Holding a Nebraska Home Visitor certificate will be equivalent to three (3) semester hours.006.05B1E Early childhood training hours (including web-based training) provided by or sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Education Office of Early Childhood will count toward the twelve (12) semester hour requirement. Fifteen (15) clock hours constitute one (1) semester hour.006.05COrientation. All staff working in the home-based program will be provided with an orientation prior to having direct responsibility for the care and teaching of children or for providing family and development services. The orientation will include job duties and responsibilities, home visiting safety procedures, information about the state law regarding reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-711, child assessment information, and information about the importance of family routines and schedules.006.05DStaff Development Plan. There will be a written plan detailing staff development opportunities for all home visiting specialists and home visitors working in the home-based program who have regular contact with children and their families. The written plan will include a professional development goal, the strategies for meeting the goal and a timeline for completion. The written plan will be reviewed and updated annually,006.05EStaff Development Hours. Home visiting specialists and home visitors who have regular contact with children in early childhood programs will participate annually in at least fifteen (15) clock hours of Early Childhood Training Center approved staff development. All staff development will relate to prekindergarten or child development,006.05FBackground checks. Home visiting specialists and home visitors who do not hold a valid Nebraska Teaching Certificate and who have contact with children will be checked by program administration against the Nebraska Central Registry of Child Abuse and Neglect, and the Nebraska Adult Protective Services Registry and have a criminal background check before being hired. No person or persons may be hired or remain employed who has a felony conviction nor any misdemeanor conviction involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct as further defined and identified in 92 NAC Chapter 21 sections 003.12 and 003.13.92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 11, § 006
Amended effective 3/18/2020