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Early Childhood Education Trainer Approval Systems and/or Training Approval Systems

Approval of training and trainers is one method of ensuring appropriate and meaningful professional development activities are occurring in line with the philosophy and direction of the professional development system. A combination of approved content and deliverers can help ensure that trainings and coursework are high quality. A training approval system is a set of standards that training must meet, usually linked to core knowledge and principles of adult learning. A trainer approval system is a set of standards and qualifications for those who offer training.

For more information about professional development systems, see the Early Childhood Professional Development Systems Toolkit, developed by NCCIC, which provides a compilation of resources organized by the elements of an early childhood professional development system. The toolkit is intended to serve as a practical guide for State/Territory policymakers and stakeholders, and includes definitions and overviews of the elements of a professional development system; State stories and examples; selected resources; and planning tools. It is available at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/goodstart/index.html.

At least 23 States have implemented some type of trainer and/or training approval process or a trainer registry: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Several States include a practitioner registry and/or a trainer directory as a component of their professional development systems. This information is not always specified, but may be included on State Web sites. The following information provides some details about each State’s trainer and/or training approval system, followed by a quick-reference table.

These examples do not include all States that have trainer and/or training approval systems, but are meant to represent a range of approaches States have taken to develop/implement this component of a professional development system. NCCIC does not endorse any organization, publication, or resource.

Statewide Trainer Approval Systems and/or Training Approval Systems

Arizona: Trainer Approval

SStarCCEEDS (Statewide Child Care and Early Education Development System) is a career development registry for child care and early education professionals. SStarCCEEDS is a tool designed to assist practitioners in tracking their education and training. SStarCCEEDS trainers complete both the practitioner and trainer application for the registry and must achieve a Practitioner Career Level III-A or higher.

Arkansas: Trainer Approval

The Arkansas Early Childhood Professional Development System (AECPDS) is administered through Arkansas State University Childhood Services. The State’s Trainer Registry is a component of AECPDS and is funded by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education  within the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

The Trainer Registry application is available at
http://chs.astate.edu/chsdownloads/TRAINER%20REGISTRY%20APPLICATION%20Revised.pdf. For additional information, visit http://chs.astate.edu or call Vicki Sterns, AECPDS’s registry coordinator, at 888-429-1585.

Connecticut: Training and Trainer Approval

Connecticut Charts-A-Course (CCAC) is the statewide professional development system for early education and school-age care providers. Its mission is to support career development and program improvement by promoting the achievement of national and State professional standards. The Departments of Social Services, Education, and Connecticut Community Colleges jointly support CCAC.

Since its inception in 1997, the Training Program in Child Development has given thousands of child care providers in Connecticut access to quality and affordable workshop training. The trainers include early childhood professionals who bring a wide array of experience and skill to their classrooms. In commitment to the high standards of the program, trainers must meet specific education and experience requirements and be approved by CCAC.

CCAC has a Quality Assurance System to ensure and document the credibility and reliability of Core Area of Knowledge curriculum content and delivery, create a more highly specialized training experience for participants, as well as provide an ongoing professional development experience for CCAC-approved trainers. In this system, random, unannounced observations of trainers are conducted, and trainers must submit a self-evaluation form and participate in a meeting to discuss the results. Details about the Quality Assurance System are in the policies and procedures document.

The trainer application form is available at
www.ctcharts-a-course.org/forms/trainerapp.pdf. For additional information, call CCAC at 800-832-7784 or 203-397-4036 or visit www.ctcharts-a-course.org.

Delaware: Training Approval

Delaware First: Career Development for Early Childhood Professionalswas launched in 1989 by the Office of Child Care Licensing to create a statewide career development system for providers. This project was designed by a collaboration of leaders from State government, higher education, and the child care community with facilitation from a team of consultants. In 2007, the Delaware Department of Education assumed management of Delaware First. With monies from the Child Care and Development Fund, this project continues to be an early care and education community collaboration.

Delaware First approves training that meets annual licensing requirements. Potential trainers can submit a curriculum approval application outline, which is then reviewed by a committee of three licensing staff members.

For additional information, visit www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst or call the Delaware Department of Education at 302-735-4236.

Florida: Training and Trainer Approval

The mission of Florida’s Child Care Services Program Office within Department of Children and Families is to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of children while in care through licensing and regulatory activities. This department is statutorily responsible for the administration of child care licensing and training throughout the State. Approved training is tracked, and providers can check their transcripts through an online system.

Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) is a department-approved training program that consists of a minimum of 120 hours of early childhood instruction, 480 contact hours with children ages birth through 8, and formal assessments leading to two areas of certification, birth through 5 and school age.

For additional information about FCCPC, visit https://training01-dcf.myflorida.gov/dcf/cct/fccpc_training_provider.html or call 888-352-2842.

Georgia: Training and Trainer Approval

The Georgia Child Care Training Approval System is funded by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and housed at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Trainer and training applications must be approved for the training to meet the minimum 10 clock hours of training required for child care licensing. Based on education, experience, and completion of training for trainers and/or orientation, trainers are approved with a Trainer I, Trainer II, Trainer III, or Specialty Trainer designation.

Additional training and trainer resources are available at www.training.decal.state.ga.us/bfts/resources.do. For more information, call the Georgia Child Care Training Approval System at 706-542-6999 or visit www.training.decal.state.ga.us/ bfts/welcome.do.

Idaho: Trainer Approval

IdahoSTARS (State Training and Registry System), a voluntary professional development system, is a joint project between the University of Idaho’s Center on Disabilities and Human Development and the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children. The system is funded by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and includes trainer and training approval . Trainers are approved based on education, experience in the field, and training experience. There are three categories of Trainer: Trainer (those with background in early childhood), Exempt Trainer (higher education faculty, etc.), and Specialty Trainer (those with expertise in an area other than early childhood). Training is approved based on the nine Early Care and Education Core Knowledge Components. One time events can be approved as a Special Request Conference or a Special Request Training. Applications follow.

For additional information, visit www.idahostars.org/resources/trainer/ or call 800-926-2588.

Maine: Trainer Approval

In 1999, the Maine Office of Child Care and Head Start contracted with the Muskie School of Public Service to manage a comprehensive, coordinated career development system for Maine—the Maine Roads to Quality: Child Care and Early Education Career Development Center (MRQ). MRQ works to promote the quality of child care and early education through professional development; address the training and education needs of all child care and early education professionals at all levels of their careers and in diverse practice settings; offer multiple ways for professionals to achieve their career goals; increase linkages between training and formal education so professionals can pursue their career paths; recognize professionalism and those who pursue their career goals and the programs that support them; and collect information and monitor the effectiveness of the career development system.

The MRQ Trainer Registry establishes the standards for trainers who deliver the Core Knowledge Training. Trainers are required to meet Core Knowledge area experience, training experience, and educational requirements that increase from Novice Level to Level 5. The MRQ trainer application is available at http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads/pdfs/TrainerApp05.pdf. Additional information about the registry is available at http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads/pages/trainerregistry.htm.

For more information, call MRQ at 207-780-5846 or visit http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads/.

Maryland: Training and Trainer Approval

The Office of Credentialing is responsible for approving people and organizations to offer training to Maryland’s child care provider community. This office also approves coursework to be used toward meeting the requirements of the Maryland Child Care Credential and child care registration and licensing regulations. Child care training approval requirements are regulated under COMAR 13A.14.08. All approved training offered to child care providers is classified by the six Core of Knowledge curriculum areas. This approval process outlines the requirements for individual trainers as well as organizations. It sets the minimum criteria for training content, with which the child care community must comply as stated in the regulations.

Approved trainers must meet specific education, experience, and training requirements. These vary for Pre-service, Core of Knowledge Training, and Continuing Training. Trainer requirements, applications, a sample lesson plan, and other information are available at www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/credentials/train.htm.

Additional information about the Credentialing Branch within the Office of Child Care/Division of Early Childhood Development, Maryland Department of Education is available at www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/credentials/.

Missouri: Trainer Approval

The Opportunities in a Professional Education Network (OPEN) initiative’s mission is to implement a career development system for Missouri’s early childhood and school-age/after-school professionals. OPEN began in 1995 with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Danforth Foundation. OPEN’s current funders include the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Missouri Department of Social Services, Department of Health and Senior Services, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Boone Early Childhood Partners, Area Resources for Community & Human Services, and Success By 6® at the United Way of Greater St. Louis. The initiative includes the following system components: core competencies, trainer registry, professional achievement and recognition system, and finance and compensation.

The Trainer Registry is a database for trainers in the field of early childhood and school-age/after-school or youth development education in Missouri. It collects and verifies trainers’ education and experience, and assists in the development of trainer criteria for a trainer approval system through the Section of Child Care Regulation within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The trainer enrollment form is available at www.openinitiative.org/content/pdfs/TrainerRegistry/TrainerRegistryForm.pdf. Additional information about the Trainer Registry is available at www.openinitiative.org/content.aspx?file=TrainerRegistry.txt.

For additional information, call the OPEN initiative at 877-782-0185 or 573-884-3373 or visit www.openinitiative.org/Content.aspx?file=Home.txt.

Montana: Training Approval

In 1998, the Early Childhood Project (ECP) was funded to manage and oversee early care and education career development activities in Montana. Career development is funded through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services from the Child Care and Development Fund. ECP manages the Montana Practitioner Registry database, conducts research, identifies training and education gaps, approves training for State licensing requirements, and develops new opportunities for learning. The Practitioner Registry is voluntary in Montana and has been created to professionalize the early care and education field.

The Training Approval System is designed to assure quality by approving non college -credit training that relates to the early care and education knowledge base content areas. In addition, to be included on Montana’s Training Calendar, all agencies, organizations, and people sponsoring non credit training for early childhood practitioners must apply for approval. The training application is available at www.montana.edu/ecp/ pdfs/Training/Training%20Approval%20Application%20June%2005.pdf. Additional information about the system is available at www.montana.edu/ecp/training.html.

For additional information, visit www. montana.edu/ecp or call 406-994-4746.

Nevada: Training and Trainer Approval

In April 2002, the Nevada State Child Care Advisory Committee formally adopted a voluntary career ladder and a set of core knowledge areas . The Nevada Registry was developed as the structure to implement these components. The Nevada Registry is available through the Nevada Office of Early Care and Education, is funded through the Child Care and Development Fund, and is administered through a contract with the Washoe County School District.

On October 1, 2004, the State Bureau of Services for Child Care Licensing designated the Nevada Registry the official site for approving all noncollege-credit (informal) training on a statewide basis. Information about the training approval process is available at www.nevada-registry.org/training/index.shtml.

For additional information, visit www.nevada-registry.org or call the Nevada Registry at 775-850-8038 or 775-850-8058.

New Jersey: Trainer Approval

Professional Impact NJ (formerly the New Jersey Professional Development Center for Early Care and Education ) is a comprehensive statewide professional development system for educators, which includes a career lattice linked with educational opportunities and resources.

Instructors in the field of early care and education, out-of-school time, or primary education must complete an individual instructor application as well as become a member of The NJ Registry for Childhood Professionals Serving Children Birth Through Age Thirteen. Membership in the registry is renewed annually, and instructors must be active members in the registry to maintain approval. Each instructor is approved as an associate instructor, instructor, or master instructor, depending on his or her educational level and work experience. The New Jersey Registry for Childhood Professionals Individual Instructor Application form is available at www.njpdc.org/docs/NJ_Registry_Application_for_Invidual_Instruct.pdf. The Consultant application form is available at www.njpdc.org/docs/NJ_Registry_Application_for_Consultants.pdf. Additional information about the Instructor Approval System is available at www.njpdc.org/index.php?cat=njregistry&page=IAS.

For additional information about Professional Impact NJ visit www.njpdc.org/ index.php?cat=home or call 908-737-4240.

New Mexico: Training and Trainer Approval

The New Mexico Office of Child Development, in the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD), maintains a Trainer Registry. It is a database of people who have been approved by CYFD as being qualified to provide training to early care and education practitioners. The approval system and registry is based on New Mexico’s seven core competencies for personnel working in early care and education. People are encouraged to apply for approval before providing training in one or all of the seven competency areas. It is facilitated through the statewide network of training and technical assistance programs with oversight from the Office of Child Development.

For more information about the Trainer Registry, visit www.newmexicokids.org/Educators/ or call the Office of Child Development at 505- 827-7946.

Oklahoma: Training and Trainer Approval

The Center for Early Childhood Professional Development (CECPD) was created using monies from the Child Care and Development Fund. CECPD functions as the approval entity for Oklahoma’s tiered training system, the Oklahoma Training Approval System. It supports those who work in licensed child care settings in Oklahoma—family child care homes, child care centers, and Head Start programs.

CECPD coordinates training opportunities within the State of Oklahoma. The approved training series includes a curriculum of 13 caregiver courses, including the required Entry Level Child Care Training, 3 director and administrator modules, and 5 family child care home provider courses. Educators teaching the training series must be registered through the Oklahoma Training Approval System.

The Oklahoma Training Approval System has three trainer approval levels, plus a category for content expert. The trainer levels are apprentice, practitioner, and specialist. The levels are based on education and experience. Apprentice trainers work with coaches until they have acquired the skills for the Practitioner level. All trainers must complete a 16-clock hour CECPD adult education course within 1 year of the application approval.

For more information, call CECPD at 888-446-7608 or 405-799‑6383 or visit www.cecpd.org.

Oregon: Training and Trainer Approval

The Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education is located at Portland State University. It works to promote the quality of childhood care and education for Oregon’s children and families by providing a career development system for practitioners.

The Center administers the Oregon Registry Trainer Program, which offers voluntary certification and ongoing support for trainers and adult educators in the early childhood profession. The program includes three types of certified trainers: standardized trainers, community trainers, and master trainers. Trainers are qualified through their experience as trainers and their experience and education in the field. Community trainers and master trainers must complete an Oregon Registry Trainer Program orientation. Oregon Registry training sessions reflect standards at three different levels of depth and complexity: beginning knowledge, intermediate knowledge, and advanced knowledge. By following standards in the Core Body of Knowledge, Oregon Registry trainers are able to offer high-quality learning experiences for professional development connected to the Oregon Registry Steps (career lattice).

Information about the Oregon Registry Training Program, the trainer application, and a matrix for planning training sessions are available at www.centerline.pdx.edu/trainer/index.php.

For additional information, call the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education at 877-725-8535 or visit www.centerline.pdx.edu/index.php.

Pennsylvania: Trainer Approval

Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality, sponsored by the Department of Public Welfare’s Office of Child Development, is a quality improvement program in which all early learning programs and practitioners are encouraged and supported to improve child outcomes. Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development (formerly Pennsylvania Pathways) is a comprehensive, statewide system for practitioners serving children and families in early childhood and school-age programs.

Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development administers the PA Quality Assurance System (PQAS) for certifying those who train or provide technical assistance to child caregivers. PQAS maintains a registry of approved trainers to help ensure that training and technical assistance activities meet quality standards. There are three categories of approved instructors: certified instructor or certified technical assistance consultant, affiliate instructor, and specialty discipline instructor or specialty discipline technical assistance consultant. The PQAS orientation is required for all individual applicants. It consists of three online courses: Core Body of Knowledge/Professional Development Record, Adult Learning Principles, and Introduction to the Professional Development online calendar. Organizations may also offer approved training when the oversight of and requirements for trainers are comparable to those of PQAS.

Additional information about PQAS, sample professional development modules, technical assistance service plans, approval policies, and scoring instruments are available at www.pakeys.org/profdev/Default.aspx. For more information, call Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development at 800-284-6031.

South Carolina: Training and Trainer Approval

The Center for Child Care Career Development (CCCCD) has been designated by South Carolina Department of Social Services to administer the South Carolina Child Care Training System for all annual training hours. Trainers are required to submit registration information and a training content outline in advance to the Center for each training scheduled. The training registration form is available at www.sc-ccccd.net/TRAINING%20fORMS/Registration%20form%20revised%208-31-07.doc.

There is also a voluntary certification process available for qualified trainers. Those who have earned a 4-year degree with coursework in early childhood content areas, have professional experience in early childhood programs/content areas, and coursework in teaching adults, can apply to become a South Carolina certified child care trainer. Certified trainers are also required to submit training content outlines for each training scheduled. These outlines go through an objective scoring process to ensure they represent current best practices in early childhood education and in principles of adult education. The certified trainer application is available at www.sc-ccccd.net/TRAINING%20fORMS/Certified%20Trainer%20Application.DOC .

Additional information, a training outline format, training outline guidelines, and training outlines suggestions are available at www.sc-ccccd.net/Trainers.htm. For more information, call CCCCD at 864-250-8581.

Texas: Trainer Approval

The Texas Early Care and Education Career Development System (TECECDS) provides an avenue for early childhood practitioners and administrators to pursue their professional development along a continuum of increasingly complex education and skill levels. Training provides instruction in the core knowledge and skills for center-based practitioners, home-based care practitioners, and center-based administrators.

Registered trainers must complete an online or face-to-face orientation, application, and course-approval form. For additional information, visit www.uth.tmc.edu/tececds/leadin.html or call 713-500-3835.

Washington: Training and Trainer Approval

In 1997, the Washington State Legislature appropriated funds to develop and implement a career development system for professionals in early childhood and school-age programs. Washington STARS (State Training and Registry System) is a career development system designed to improve child care through basic and ongoing training for child care providers. The Department of Early Learning is the regulatory authority for the licensing requirements and the administrator of the STARS Registry, a Web-based database that tracks provider records. The Washington Association for the Education of Young Children has a contract to administer other components of the program, including information dissemination and publicity, training and trainer approval, and the scholarship program.

For additional information, call Washington STARS at 800-727-3107 or 253-854-2565 or visit https://apps2.del.wa.gov/stars/default.asp.

West Virginia: Training and Trainer Approval

West Virginia S.T.A.R.S. (State Training and Registry System) Professional Development for Early Care and Education includes all practitioners working in a variety of settings—child care centers, private and public preschools, Head Start programs, family child care homes and facilities, early intervention programs, school-age child care programs, parent education programs, regulatory agencies, and training organizations.

Key components include the Training Approval System to ensure that training provided throughout the State meets the minimum standards of the core competencies and that trainers are qualified to provide such training. A training registration form must be completed by a S.T.A.R.S. trainer for training that counts toward the West Virginia Training Certificate in Early Care and Education.

For additional information, visit www.wvearlychildhood.org/stars.asp or call West Virginia S.T.A.R.S. and West Virginia Early Childhood Training Connections and Resources at 888-983-2827 or 304-529-7603.

Wisconsin: Training and Trainer Approval

The Registry—Wisconsin’s Recognition System for the Childhood Care and Education Profession—acknowledges and highlights practitioners training, experience, and professionalism. Practitioners can earn continuing education units (CEUs) for completing training that is at least 5 hours in length and taught by a qualified trainer. Training providers can offer CEUs if the training and trainer have been approved by the Wisconsin CEU Training Approval System, which is administered by The Registry.

Additional information about the Wisconsin CEU Training Approval System is available at www.the-registry.org/ html/ceu.html . For more information about The Registry, visit www.the-registry.org/ registry.htm  or call 608-222-1123.

Wyoming: Training and Trainer Approval

Wyoming’s STARS (Statewide Training and Resource System) is an umbrella program for Wyoming’s Training Registry, scholarship program, early childhood clearinghouse, and professional development programs. Administered by the Wyoming Children’s Action Alliance, the training registry registers trainers who are qualified to teach in specific areas of the State’s core competency areas. The training registry also connects local providers to trainers in their communities. Approved trainers must have their trainings approved to be counted in the Registry.

For additional information about the Training Registry, visit www.wykids.org/training/ or call the Wyoming Children’s Action Alliance at 800-400-3999 or 307-635-2272.

Quick Reference Table: States With Implemented Trainer and/or Training Approval Systems

State System Name Web Site Phone Number(s)
AR Trainer Registry http://chs.astate.edu 888-429-1585
AZ SStarCCEEDS Trainer Registration www.asccaz.org/SCCEEDS/ 800-905-4389
CT CCAC-Approved Training Program www.ctcharts-a-course.org 800-832-7784 or 203-397-4036
DE Delaware First Training Approval www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/delfirst 302-735-4236
FL FCCPC Training Program https://training01-dcf.myflorida.gov/dcf/cct/fccpc_training_provider.html 888-352-2842
GA Georgia Child Care Training Approval System www.training.decal.state.ga.us/bfts/welcome.do 706-542-6999
ID IdahoSTARS Trainer Approval System www.idahostars.org/resources/trainer/ 800-926-2588
MD Office of Credentialing www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/
child_care/credentials/train.htm		 410-767-0335
ME MRQ Trainer Registry http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads/pages/
trainerregistry.htm 		207-780-5846
MO OPEN Trainer Registry https://www.openinitiative.org/content.aspx?file=
TrainerRegistry.txt		 877-782-0185 or 573-884-3373
MT ECP Training Approval System www.montana.edu/ecp/training.html 406-994-4746
NJ Professional Impact NJ Instructor Approval System www.njpdc.org/index.php?cat=njregistry&page=IAS 908-737-4240
NM CYFD Trainer Registry www.newmexicokids.org/Educators/ 505-827-7946
NV The Nevada Registry www.nevada-registry.org 775-850-8038 or 775-850-8058
OK Oklahoma Training Approval System www.cecpd.org/OK%20TAS/trainingApproval
Explan_new.html		 888-446-7608 or 405-799-6383
OR Oregon Registry Trainer Program www.centerline.pdx.edu/trainer/index.php 877-725-8535
PA Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System www.pakeys.org/profdev/Default.aspx 800-284-6031
SC Child Care Training System www.sc-ccccd.net/Trainers.htm 864-250-8581
TX Trainer Registration www.uth.tmc.edu/tececds/ 713-500-3835
WA Washington STARS https://apps2.del.wa.gov/stars/default.asp 800-727-3107 or 253-854-2565
WI Wisconsin CEU Training Approval System www.the-registry.org/html/ceu.html 608-222-1123
WV S.T.A.R.S. Training Approval System www.wvearlychildhood.org/stars.asp 888-983-2827 or 304-529-7603
WY STARS Training Approval www.wykids.org/training/training-approval.html 800-400-3999 or 307-635-2272

Updated September 2008

 
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