Bill > HB1079

This bill establishes specific staff-to-children ratios for licensed child care facilities in Missouri, requiring different ratios based on the age of the children. For infants under one year old, facilities must have one child care worker for every four children; for one-year-olds, the ratio is one worker per six children; for two-year-olds, one worker per eleven children; for three-year-olds, one worker per fifteen children; for four-year-olds, one worker per twenty children; and for children five and older, one worker per twenty-five children. When a facility has children of mixed ages, the ratio will be based on the age group with the largest number of children. The bill maintains existing provisions that require child care facilities to be licensed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with numerous exceptions for certain types of care settings such as home-based care, religious organizations, schools, and temporary or occasional care arrangements. The bill also preserves requirements for facilities to disclose their licensure status to parents and provide information about their disciplinary policies. Importantly, facilities receiving state or federal funds (with some specific exceptions) cannot be exempt from licensure, ensuring oversight and standardization of child care settings across the state.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1079&year=2025&code=R