The states selected for this research are West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and New York. While there are many similarities among the four states, there are also some glaring differences. In order to present the comparison information in a concise logical order, each of the assignment criteria will be arranged in a list format.

1. Licensure requirements of day care centers. All four states have requirements that must be met prior to receiving a license to operate. The building to be used has to pass inspection for size, structural integrity, fire safety, and sanitation availability. While each state has other requirements that must be met, New York has much more stringent requirements than any of

7. Transportation. Although each of the states examined have stated rules for transporting children from point A to point B, Ohio takes the lead on this one. It amazes me that they manage to take children anywhere because the vehicle could be filled to capacity with the items that the staff is required to take along. They must take a signed permission slip from the parents, the health record of each child, an emergency transportation and medical treatment authorization, a first aid box, and a person trained in first aid and CPR. Actually, I suppose these are very appropriate precautions to take.

11. Parental rights. Each of the states reviewed has open door policies for parents. Parents can visit the centers unannounced at any time during the operating hours, and may not be restricted from any area for their inspection. The only requirement is that they make their presence known to the staff upon their arrival. I wonder how many parents actually take advantage of this policy.

6. Health and safety requirements. All four states have safety requirements that are pretty strict on paper. The issue is whether or not these requirements are strictly enforced. One wonders if the child's welfare is always a top priority. New York has the most detailed health requirement regulations of the four. It addresses the health history of both the children and the staff who work with them. Immunization records of all must be kept up to date, and periodic physicals for the staff are mandatory.

All day care centers are run by certified teachers and are assisted by paraprofessionals. Both teachers and assistants are unionized and receive a very handsome wage even by U.S. standards. They receive five weeks of paid vacation a year and work between thirty and thirty-seven hours each week. The average staff to child ratio for children between the ages of six months and three years is one adult to 2.7 children, and the staff usually works in teams of one teacher and two assistants. For children from three to six years, the average ratio is one adult to 5.5 children. The staff again works in teams of one certified teacher with one assistant.

9. Discipline. This policy seems to be universal in intent. There is to be no corporal punishment or any unusual punishment such as punching, pinching, shaking, biting, placing hot or inedible items in a child's mouth, or striking a child with the hand or any other object. It is forbidden to use mental or emotional punishment, to chemically or physically restrain a child, withhold or force meals, rest, or toileting, or to confine a child in an enclosed space. Timeouts may be used in addition to positive approaches to discipline, but must be age appropriate and of short duration. The child must be in visual sight of an adult at all times. All four states have the same basic discipline policy, although the wording may be slightly different for each.

Some common words found in the essay are:
North Carolina, CPR Actually, Virginia Ohio, Ohio York, West Virginia, CARE COMPARISON, Child Development, west virginia, north carolina, child care, day care, care centers, licensure requirements, children staff, day care centers, Carolina West, York North, Ohio North, day care center, carolina west virginia, york north, license operate, requirements met, development related field, west virginia ohio,
Approximate Word count = 1970
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)