Senate Bill 359 proposes to amend the regulations surrounding the hiring of assistant child care teachers in Wisconsin. Currently, individuals must be at least 18 or 17 years old, depending on their qualifications, to serve in this role. The new bill allows licensed child care centers to hire individuals as young as 16 years old, provided they have completed early childhood education training. The bill maintains existing requirements for assistant child care teachers regarding their ability to provide sole supervision to groups of children, specifically stating that they may only do so in full-day centers if a qualified child care teacher is present on the premises.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific training requirements for assistant child care teachers, which must be completed within six months of assuming the position. These include two credits in early childhood education, a department-approved non-credit course, or an approved training program. The bill also clarifies the conditions under which an assistant child care teacher can provide sole supervision, specifying the time limits and the necessity of having a qualified supervisor present during those times.