Child Care Business Administration: Legal and Financial Management, Severance, Spring 2026

Course Number:	EDX 5710 S55
Instructor:	Jennifer Severance, M.Ed.
Location:	Online
Dates and Times:	February 2 - May 17, 2026. February 3 from 1-2:30; February 10, March 10, and April 14 and May 5, 2026, from 9:00 am-4:00 pm.One virtual introductory class and four virtual classes and asynchronous online work.
Credits:	3 credits
Tuition:	Set by and payable to VT-HEC

Course Description

Course Description:

Course Description: This hands-on, 3-credit (offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels through Northern Vermont University) is designed for early childhood professionals interested in child care administration, as well as current and seasoned administrators seeking additional program management training. Each of the four class sessions is designed to help early childhood entrepreneurs/directors develop skills, knowledge, resources, and tools for effective legal and financial program management. Legal topics include liability, applicable laws and regulations, policy development, and confidentiality. The workshops are taught by experts in specific areas of program administration and by an experienced early childhood educator. The assignments for this course are designed to be used and applied in students’ own child care programs.

Audience: Aspiring or current early childhood educators seeking to develop or enhance their knowledge of child care administration.

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals: Participants will have the knowledge and skills to:

Understand fundamental business concepts, ideas and practices.
Develop leadership skills in business management and create a collaborative team environment.
Increase their capacity for running effective, profitable businesses.

Course Objectives: This course is designed to build upon and extend participants’ understanding of child care administration including budgets, business plans and practices, human resources, and legal issues that pertain to child care programs. This will be accomplished through:

Demonstrating the ability to create a strategic business plan, align financial management practices with relevant policies and identify resources to support the financial and overall program health.
Understanding what a sustainable program budget entails and acquiring the skills to develop one, including identifying costing and fee structures that embody good business practices.
Learning about sound human resource development and workforce compensation strategies.
Examining the national legal system and Vermont laws that affect child care businesses including confidentiality, liability, and mandated reporting laws.
Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of different program policies and structures, and understanding how policies, contracts, and written documentation support best practices.

Required Readings/Resources

Costs for required readings, if any, may not be included in the course tuition. Contact VT-HEC with any questions.

Talan, T.N, Bella, J.M. & Bloom, P.J. (2022). Program Administration Scale: Measuring early childhood leadership and management. Third Edition. New York, NY: Teachers College Press

ISBN: 9780807767603 (Spiral bound).

https://www.tcpress.com/program-administration-scale-pas-9780807767603

Schmidt, C. (2017). The child care director’s complete guide: What you need to manage and lead. Saint Paul, MN: Redleaf Press. ISBN:978-1-60554-492-2 (Softbound).

https://www.redleafpress.org/Child-Care-Directors-Complete-Guide-What-You-Need-to-Manage-and-Lead-P1639.aspx

NOTE: A laptop or other device with internet capability is required. Participants will need to research resources as well as create spreadsheets and documents during our sessions and for completing course assignments. Word software with Excel are preferable formats and support assignment success.

Other Suggested Readings/Texts: Other suggested readings will be provided to students in the VT-HEC Canvas course.

For additional course information

Jennifer Severance

802-324-3680

For additional registration information

VT-HEC Team

This course requires registration with the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative (VT-HEC) first. Please click on the Register Now button below.