Section 1240-04-07-.02 - DEFINITIONS(1) Bonus Payment. An amount paid through the Child Care Certificate Program that is above and beyond the basic subsidy rate and is based upon the score achieved by a child care agency.(2) Certificate Payment. Payments made through Child Care Certificate Program to a participating agency, either at the basic subsidy rate or at the higher rate paid to an eligible child care agency based upon the agency's quality rating improvement system score.(3) Child Care Agency. Includes a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home.(4) Child Care Certificate Program. A Tennessee Department of Human Services program that provides financial assistance to eligible families to help cover the cost of child care.(5) Child Care Environment. The organization of space, interactions of children with each other and with staff, the variety and type of activities offered by the child care agency, the schedule of activities for children, and opportunities provided for staff and parents relating to the areas of professional growth, parental involvement, intentional teaching, and social-emotional development.(6) Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R). A statewide network of regionally located agencies that assist parents, child care professionals, and the community by offering information on child care and by providing technical assistance, consultation, resource materials, and training to child care agencies.(7) Civil Penalty. A financial sanction imposed by the Tennessee Department of Human Services against a child care agency that has violated a licensing regulation.(8) Compliance History. A record of an agency's history with respect to attaining and maintaining compliance with applicable licensing laws and regulations.(9) Department. The Department of Human Services.(10) Director. The on-site manager for a child care agency who has overall responsibility for the daily oversight of all staff and direct child care services. The director, with the guidance of the board of directors or owner of the agency, shall be responsible for supervision, training, and evaluation of the staff, the program and the day-to-day operation of the center.(11) Educator. An individual, whether paid or unpaid, including the Primary Educator, who is responsible for meeting the supervision, protection, and basic needs of the child, and who is used to meet the adult:child ratios required by these rules. For the purposes of these rules the term educator is equivalent to caregiver as defined by T.C.A. § 71-3-501.(12) Early Care and Education. A system that includes pre-kindergarten, Head Start, and licensed center-based, group, and home child care programs, dedicated to the care, education, protection, supervision or guidance of children beginning at birth.(13) License. A permit issued by the Department to a child care agency authorizing the agency (the licensee) to provide child care in accordance with the provisions of the license, the law, and the regulations of the Tennessee Department of Human Services.(14) Primary Educator. The adult who is responsible for direct care and supervision of children in a family or group child care home and for the daily operation of the home. In a child care home, which is not operated by a child care home administrator, the primary educator is the licensee. Duties may include hiring, training and supervision of other educators.(15) Quality Rating Improvement System. The system by which all childcare agencies will be evaluated. This system incorporates four (4) evaluations over the course of a year of all childcare agencies.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-04-07-.02
Original rule filed October 30, 2001; effective January 13, 2002. Repeal and new rule filed October 21, 2008; effective January 4, 2009. Amendments filed May 1, 2018; effective July 30, 2018. Amendments filed March 31, 2022; effective 6/29/2022.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-201, et seq.; 4-5-202; and 71-3-502(a)(2) and (j).