Indiana Code Title 12. Human Services § 12-17.2-4-14.5

Sec. 14.5. (a) As used in this section, “bordering state” means any of the following:

(b) As used in this section, “child care facility” means:

(c) As used in this section, a “comparator group size” for an age range set forth in subsection (g) is the largest group size that is allowed for that age range under the law governing licensure of child care facilities in a bordering state.

(d) As used in this section, a “comparator staff to child ratio” for an age range set forth in subsection (g) is the lowest staff to child ratio that is allowed for that age range under the law governing licensure of child care facilities in a bordering state.

(e) As used in this section, “group” means a portion of the children for whom a child care facility is providing supervision who are generally assigned by the child care facility to be supervised:

(f) As used in this section, “staff to child ratio” means, for a specified age range, a fraction:

(g) The office of the secretary shall annually determine the comparator staff to child ratios and comparator group sizes for each of the following age ranges:

(h) The office of the secretary shall ensure that:

The office of the secretary shall annually evaluate the comparator staff to child ratios and comparator group sizes to determine the need for any changes to Indiana's staff to child ratios and maximum group sizes.

(i) Not later than December 1 of each year, the office of the secretary shall publish on the website of the office of the secretary the:

for each age range set forth in subsection (g).

(j) Except as provided in subsection (l) or (m), for the duration of each calendar year, a licensed child care center may maintain for each age range set forth in subsection (g) the:

that are posted on the website of the office of the secretary under subsection (i) as of December 1 of the immediately preceding year.

(k) A student who:

is a staff member of the child care center for purposes of the child care center's staff to child ratio under subsection (j).

(l) The maximum group size for children in an age range under subsection (g), when supervised in an indoor or outdoor area of a child care center that provides at least seventy-five (75) square feet of space per child, is equal to three (3) times the maximum group size that would otherwise apply for that age range.

(m) The maximum group size for children supervised in a child care center's cafeteria, regardless of the age range or ranges of the children under subsection (g), is equal to the number of seats available to children in the cafeteria.