Qualifications: Teacher: Must be at least 18 years old and have a bachelor's in fields of education or human development and at least 2 years experience in child care; or a bachelor's in elementary education and at least 2 years experience in child care; or a bachelor's in elementary education if working only with school-age children; or a bachelor's in early childhood education; or and associate's in early childhood development; or certification as a Child Development Associate; or certification in Montessori teacher training program and at least 1 year experience in a Montessori school or child care setting; or a child development technician diploma; or at least 5 years supervised experience in a child care center; or a prekindergarten teacher endorsement.
Provider/Child Ratio:
| Age Range | Ratios for Center Based Care in South Dakota State |
| Infants | (1:5) |
| Toddlers (up to 3 years) | (1:5) |
| Preschool (3 - 6 years) | (1:10) |
| Schoolage | (1:15) |
| Mixed age group | according to number in each group |
| Age Range | Ratios for Family Child Care in South Dakota State |
| All ages |
(1:12) with no more than 4 children under the age of 2 years and no more than 2 of those 4 can be under the age of 1; provider's children under the age of 6 must be counted |
Important Contact Information:
Child Care Licensing Agency
South Dakota Department of Social Services
Division of Child Care Services
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 773-4766
Toll Free: (800) 227-3020
Fax: (605) 773-7294
Child Care Subsidy Agency
South Dakota Department of Social Services
Division of Child Care Services
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501-2291
Phone: (605) 773-4766
Toll Free: (800) 227-3020
Fax: (605) 773-7294
Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Department of Education
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD, 57501
Phone: (605) 773-4640
Fax: (605) 773-3782
Child Care Food Program Agency
Department of Education
Child and Adult Nutrition Services
800 Governors Drive
Pierre, South Dakota 57501-2294
Phone: (605) 773-4746
Fax: (605) 773-6846
State Child Care Resource & Referral Contact
South Dakota State University
926 Harvey Dunn Street
Brookings, SD 57007
Phone: (605) 688-5730
Toll Free: (800) 354-8238
Fax: (605) 688-6763
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Division of Child Support
Department of Social Services
700 Governor's Drive
Pierre, South Dakota 57501-2291
Phone: (605) 773-3641
Fax: (605) 773-5246