### Question
How is the "early childhood educator" defined?


### Answer
The term **early childhood educator** is defined in *20 U.S.C. § 9501* as follows -

> a person providing, or employed by a provider of, nonresidential child care services (including center-based, family-based, and in-home child care services) that is legally operating under State law, and that complies with applicable State and local requirements for the provision of child care services to children at any age from birth through the age at which a child may start kindergarten in that State

#### Citation:
  - *20 U.S.C. § 9501*
  - Heading: **CHAPTER 76-EDUCATION RESEARCH, STATISTICS, EVALUATION, INFORMATION, AND DISSEMINATION > SUBCHAPTER I-EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM**

