These indicators are designed to be an addition to all existing state or federal facility requirements, such as Department of Human Services licensing, Department of Education codes, local code requirements, the Uniform Construction codes and, of course, federal handicapped accessibility requirements. They are meant to serve as guidelines, not requirements, and should be used to move the early childhood agenda forward toward a comprehensive approach to quality programs. Every building is different and every classroom is different, but these indicators should provide a starting point for an assessment of current preschool facilities and, hopefully, lead to the development of improved design for the new buildings needed to house New Jersey s preschool students. A minimum of 50 square feet of usable space per child which is free and open and excludes storage and major pieces of equipment. Each classroom should have open, accessible storage, such as a cubbies for each child for coat storage, personal papers, and change of clothing.
Standard cubbies sold by major manufacturers are effective and attractive.
Hanging mats are a reasonable option for some small storage spaces. Bathrooms should be open to view as a safety precaution. The bathroom should include a changing area. Some cultures find an open bathroom offensive. A school policy should be developed to handle this issue if under question.