W E L C O M E! Tracy S. Gruber Director Utah Office of Child Care

Transcription

1 Chi l dcar epr of es s i onal Devel opmenti ns t i t ut e UTAHPROFESSI ONAL DEVELOPMENTPROGRAMS FORTHESTATELI CENSED EARLYCHI LDHOODEDUCATOR THI SBOOKVAL I DUNTI LMAY31, 2017

2 W E L C O M E! Thank you for your commitment to improving the lives of Utah children through participation in Early Childhood Professional Development! Your commitment to your personal professional development will have a lasting impact not only for your career but for the children in your care. Increasingly, research is demonstrating the importance of high-quality child care on the long-term emotional, behavioral and cognitive development of young children. Your competencies are critical to helping children develop skills that will allow them to achieve their dreams and aspirations, well into adulthood. Your participation in this professional development opportunity is also an important milestone in your career. The professional learning opportunities available provide a continuum of learning and support activities designed to prepare you for the work you do with young children in Utah. Through your professional development you will ensure that the highest quality of service is being provided to Utah families. We applaud your commitment to your professional development and to the children of Utah. As you review this booklet, please contact the Child Care Professional Development Institute if you have any questions. Tracy S. Gruber Director Utah Office of Child Care

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contact Information Page 3 Professional Development Award System Description Page 4 Training Options for Professional Development Award Page 5 Utah s Career Ladder Pages 6 & 7 Frequently Asked Questions Pages 8 9 Scholarships Page 10 Demonstrated Competency Page 11 Professional Development Plan Worksheet Pages Earning A CDA Page 14 CDA Tracking Worksheet Page 15 Training Registry Page 16 **THIS BOOK VALID UNTIL MAY 31, 2017**

4 CONTACT INFORMATION CARE ABOUT CHILD CARE UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Serving Box Elder, Cache and Rich Counties 6510 Old Main Hill Logan, Utah Phone: Fax: careaboutchildcare.usu.edu CARE ABOUT CHILDCARE WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Serving Weber, Davis and Morgan Counties 1351 Edvalson St Dept 1309 Ogden, Utah Phone: Fax: CARE ABOUT CHILDCARE CHILDREN S SERVICE SOCIETY Serving Salt Lake and Tooele Counties 655 East 4500 South #200 Salt Lake City, Utah Main Phone: Training: Fax: CARE ABOUT CHILDCARE UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY Serving Summit, Utah, Juab and Wasatch Counties 800 W University Parkway 163 Orem, Utah Phone: or Fax: CARE ABOUT CHILD CARE USU EASTERN Serving Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, San Juan and Uintah Counties 451 East 400 North, WIB 120 Price, Utah Phone: Fax: usueastern.edu/childcare CARE ABOUT CHILDCARE FIVE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS Serving Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Washington and Wayne Counties 1070 W S Bldg B St George, Utah Phone: Fax: UTAH DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SERVICES OFFICE OF CHILD CARE 140 East 300 South / PO Box In Salt Lake: Toll Free: Fax: CHILD CARE LICENSING PROGRAM PO Box South Highland Drive Rm 247 Salt Lake City, Utah Main: Fax: CHILD CARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE Utah State University 6515 Old Main Hill, Logan Utah Phone: Toll Free: Fax:

5 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD SYSTEM ***ALL APPLICATIONS DUE BY MAY 31 st 2017*** The Professional Development Award System is a voluntary statewide professional development program for early childhood educators in a child care setting. The goal of this award is to increase the quality of child care by caregivers receiving ongoing education and training. Eligible caregivers completing the requirements, and who maintain a minimum of ten hours of approved training per year, will receive a yearly cash bonus. Caregivers who choose to get a Level 4 or higher will get a substantial increase in award amount. Caregivers are only eligible for one CCPDI award per fiscal year. Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for participation in the Professional Development Award System you must meet the following requirements: 1. Currently and continuously employed, in a paid position, for at least 12 months and 20 hours per week with one or more unrelated children ages 0 12 in an eligible program and be at least 18 years of age. An eligible program is defined as a Utah state licensed child care program that provides child care, in lieu of parental care, to support working parents. The child care program must be open full day (6+ hours), full week (5 days) and year round (12 months). 2. Employment must be in one of the following positions: a. A licensed family child care provider who cares for at least one unrelated child. b. A licensed family second caregiver. c. A licensed child care center teacher, caregiver, assistant director, director, or owner. 3. Must complete 10 hours of Career Ladder approved annual training, college credit, CEU, or professional activities. The same class can only be used once every three years. See page 5 for information on the annual training requirement. Professional Development Award System at a Glance Career Ladder Level Levels 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Demonstrated Competency Level 5 Level 6 Level 7 Level 8 Level 9 AA Level 10 BA $95 $115 $135 $380 $475 $570 $665 $760 $855 $950 Number of Awards 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6 th 7 th 8 th 9 th 10 + award award award award award award award award award awards $150 $168 $215 $263 $380 $475 $570 $665 $760 $855 Career Ladder Level + Number of Professional Development Awards = $ Your Annual Professional Development Award $. Money amounts are subject to change each year. 4

6 Options for Professional Development Award Annual Training Caregivers must complete 10 hours of Career Ladder approved annual training from the following list of options: 1. Take an approved Career Ladder class from your local Care About Childcare agency. A list of all approved classes can be found at: career ladder courses. For a calendar of upcoming classes see: 2. Take an approved Career Ladder online training. A list of all approved classes can be found at: development/approved careerladder courses. 3. Take a training that offers Continuing Education Units(CEU), such as a local early childhood conference. Approved conferences and workshops will appear on the training calendar listed above on #1. Any CEU from an early childhood entity can count. Some CAC classes are available for CEU credit. Many online entities also offer CEU credit. 4. Take a 1 credit college class from an institution of higher learning (university, college, or community college). The class must relate to the field of early childhood or child development. 5. Participate in a Professional Activity. A qualifying Professional Activity must advance the field of early childhood in some way, and be above and beyond the current job responsibilities of the applicant. For a list of approved activities, see: (put in link to page on CCPDI website, once established). If an applicant wishes to participate in a Professional Activity not on the approved list, he/she may apply to have the activity approved by filling out the form at this link: (put in link to page on CCPDI website, once established). The applicant will need to fill out and submit a Professional Activities Documentation Form (put in link to page on CCPDI website, once established) once the activity is completed in order to receive credit. 5

7 UTAH CAREER LADDER Career Ladder Level Content Areas Training Options Level One (Basic) Health (H), Safety (S) and Basic Child Development (BCD) including: Level 1: Required Training First Aid Certification Creating a safe environment CPR Certification (includes infant & child) Food Handler s Permit Preventing and reducing injuries AND one option listed below Levels 2 3 (Basic) Promoting good health Nutrition Illness Prevention Basic strategies for working with children and introduction to child development Areas of Child Development(ACD) including: ACD 1 Learning Environment ACD 2 Physical and Intellectual Development ACD 3 Social and Emotional Development ACD 4 Families ACD 5 Program Management ACD 6 Professionalism ACD 7 Observing and Recording ACD 8 Child Development hours of any of Level 1 approved Career Ladder courses (at least 20 hours must be face to face training) 2. A 2 credit college course from an accredited university completed within the past 5 years, specific to early childhood or the ages you currently work with. Community Career Ladder Level 1 Classes To see what other classes are being offered for Level 1: and go to Class Calendar and sort on Career Ladder Level 1 Check with your local CAC Agency Level 2: Career Ladder Level 1 AND 40 hours of classes (at least 20 hours must be face to face), 10 hours in 4 of the 8 child development content areas. Level 3: Career Ladder Level 2 AND 40 hours of classes (at least 20 hours must be face to face), 10 hours training in the remaining 4 child development content areas CAC Career Ladder Classes 10 hours each 1. Learning Environment: Great Place for Kids 2. Physical and Intellectual: Strong and Smart 3. Social and Emotional: Learning to Get Along 4. Families: Working Together 5. Program Management: Creating Good Child Care 6. Professionalism in Child Care: More Than Babysitting 7. Observing & Recording: Looking to Learn 8. Child Development: Advanced Child Development Community Career Ladder Level 2 & 3 Classes To see what other classes are being offered for Levels 2 & 3: Go to the appendix at the back of this booklet careaboutchildcare.utah.gov and go to Class Calendar and sort on Career Ladder Levels 2 & 3 Check with your local CAC Agency 6

8 Career Ladder Level Content Areas Training Options Level 4 (Demonstrated Competency) Demonstrated Competency Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) For an updated list of other Demonstrated Competencies that can be used for Level 4 go to or page 9 of this booklet Levels 5 8 (Specialized) Specialized Topics (SP E) Levels 5 8: Option 1 Previous Career Ladder Level (4 7) AND 40 hours (20 hours must be face to face) of upper level career ladder courses specialized for each Level advancement Community Career Ladder Levels 5 8 Classes To see what other classes are being offered for Levels 5 8: Go to the appendix at the back of this booklet careaboutchildcare.utah.gov and go to Class Calendar and sort on Career Ladder Levels 5 8 Check with your local CAC Agency Level 9 Level 10 Option 2 CEU Credit For each Level 3 early childhood CEU credits that have not already been used to earn a Career Ladder Level and have been completed within the past 5 years Option 3 College Credits For each Level 3 early childhood college credits from an accredited university, that have not already been used to earn a Career Ladder Level and have been completed within the past 5 years Option 4 Professional Activities See page 5 for details Option 1 Associate Degree from an accredited college or university that includes 15 semester credits or 22.5 quarter credits in early childhood education or specific to the ages you work with. Option 2 Level 8 plus an Associate Degree from an accredited college or university in a non early childhood related field Option 1 Bachelor Degree from an accredited college or university that includes 15 semester credits or 22.5 quarter credits in early childhood education or specific to the ages you work with. Option 2 Level 8 plus a Bachelor Degree from an accredited college or university in a non early childhood related field 7

9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS & CAREER LADDER What is Utah s Early Childhood Career Ladder and how do I receive a level? The Early Childhood Career Ladder s primary focus is to increase the quality of care in early childhood settings and to provide ongoing education and training experience. The Career Ladder Program consists of ten Career Ladder Levels. Participants may complete the levels in any allowable order but must fulfill all requirements of the level option that is chosen. How can I hop on the Career Ladder? You begin with level 1 or you can also hop on the Career Ladder at Level 4 with a Demonstrated Competency Certification, Level 9 with an eligible Associate Degree and Level 10 with an eligible Bachelor Degree. What is a Professional Development Award (PDA) and am I eligible? The Professional Development Award is an annual cash bonus that recognizes child care providers for their education, training and longevity in the field. Child care providers who have a level on the Career Ladder, meet the requirements of 10 hours of Career Ladder training per year and work at least 20 hours a week in an eligible child care setting for at least one year are eligible for the Professional Development Award. I need a Demonstrated Competency Certification (DCC) to receive Level 4 what does that mean? A Demonstrated Competency Certification must include training, an observation and an assessment. An example of a Demonstrated Competency would be a CDA (Child Development Associate Credential) or Utah High School Skills Certification A & B. Check CCPDI s website for other approved Demonstrated Competency Certifications. When can I apply for a Professional Development Award (PDA)? A provider can apply for the Professional Development Award once a year on their anniversary date. PD Awards applications can be received within one week prior to the anniversary date, but MUST be submitted no later than May 30 th each year. A provider new to the field can apply for a PD Award after they have worked in an eligible child care program for at least one year. How do I find out what my Anniversary is and will it ever change? The Anniversary will always be the first of a month. For new applicants the Anniversary will be assigned taking into account two factors, the date the application is submitted and the provider s hire date. The Anniversary will not change from year to year unless a provider leaves the field and then returns and requests a PD Award. Anniversary s can be viewed on the provider s profile page on the Registry. I missed my Anniversary, Can I still apply for a Professional Development Award? An eligible provider can receive one PD Award each fiscal year (July 1 June 30). However, all PD Award requests MUST be submitted no later than May 30 of each year. If a provider misses this deadline, they will forfeit their award for that fiscal year. They can then request their next fiscal year award on their Anniversary. 8

10 Can college credits be used to earn a level on the Career Ladder? Once a Level 4 is earned using a Demonstrated Competency Certification, individual early childhood college credits (or specific to the ages you work with) can be used to advance on Levels 5 8. Individual college credits must be from an accredited university with a grade C or better and have been completed within the past 5 years of application. Can I use a college degree to earn a level on the Career Ladder? An Associate or Bachelor degree in early childhood (or a related field with at least 15 early childhood credits or specific to the ages you work with) can be used to earn Levels 9 or 10 respectively without earning any lower Career Ladder levels. An Associate or Bachelor Degree without sufficient early childhood credits (or specific to the ages you work with) can be used to earn Levels 9 or 10, but only after Level 8 is earned. If a degree is more than five years old, a current resume highlighting at least 75% of time spent in the field since the degree date is required. Other options include having earned a Level 8 on Utah s Career Ladder or been working at least 20 hours in a paid position for at least 5 years from the PD application date and have completed 40 hours in Utah Career Ladder approved classes, or completed a 3 credit college course in Early Childhood or related field or completed 2 CEU credits in Early Childhood related field. How do I find out what Career Ladder Classes are available in my area? You can access the Utah EC/SA Workforce Registry to find out which classes are coming up, see the classes that you are registered for, view your transcript and see where you are on the Career Ladder. The EC/SA Workforce Registry s website is careaboutchildcare.utah.gov. You will need a username and password to view your profile. If you don t know your username and password you can access the password reset on the login screen at careaboutchildcare.utah.gov. For any questions, please contact the CAC agency in your area or CCPDI. Are there scholarships available to help me with the cost of my professional development? Yes, scholarships are currently available to help offset the cost of obtaining a CDA and National Administrators Credential (NAC). See page 11 and also check the CCPDI website for a listing of any other available scholarships. If my program closes for a few weeks for vacation, does that mean that I am not eligible for a PDA? No, as long as the program is open at some point during every month (not exceeding 4 weeks off) you are eligible for the PDA. What do I do if I have taken more than four weeks of continuous leave? Caregivers who take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks of leave, and are on FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act), are eligible for a consideration for continuous employment. Documentation will be requested to confirm FMLA eligibility. Can I participate in the Career Ladder if I am not eligible for a Professional Development Award? Yes; anyone who is interested, may take Career Ladder and Endorsement courses, and be awarded a certificate of completion for them. Please note, there is no money attached to these awards. 9

11 Scholarships Any provider currently working at least 20 hours a week with children in a paid position is eligible to apply for up to a $150 reimbursement scholarship. Scholarships may be used for obtaining a CDA, taking a college level early childhood course, the face to face NAC, or taking a community face to face Career Ladder class that exceeds $200 in cost. With the $150 reimbursement you will personally be reimbursed for that amount, upon sending proof of payment with application to CCPDI. Those participants who are working in state licensed facilities, and who are participating in the Professional Development Program, are eligible for $325 toward obtaining a CDA. The $325 scholarship will be a check made out directly to the CDA Council that you will include with your application along with your personal payment of $100 to total the full $425 cost of the CDA. A $325 reimbursement option is also available with proof of payment. In this case the reimbursement will be made payable to the CDA applicant who made the payment. Providers who choose to earn a Demonstrated Competency using an option other than a CDA, who use an approved CCPDI Observer can have CCPDI pay the $100 observer fee directly to the observer. A list of CCPDI approved observers can be found on the CCPDI website. Only one scholarship per person per fiscal year. The Scholarship application can be found on CCPDI s website. 10

12 DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCIES A Demonstrated Competency is necessary to earn a Level 4 on the Career Ladder. It is a certification that includes three components: training, observation and assessment. For scholarship opportunities see page 10. A Level 4 may be bypassed with a qualifying college degree (Level 9 or 10). APPROVED DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCIES Current CDA (Child Development Associate) Current CCP (Child Care Professional Credential) Utah High School Skills Certificate A&B Current NAC + 6 Specific CL Courses + Observation Current Teaching Credential + Observation An Early Childhood Practicum Current Montessori Certification Portfolio Option (must have level 4 prior to 7/1/11) CEU Option (must have level 4 prior to 7/1/11) Current NAFCC Accreditation for Family Providers Associates Degree in EC or related field (CL 9) Bachelor s degree in EC or related field (CL 10) (all others not listed as current must be within the last 5 years) CHECK CCPDI WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON APPROVED DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCIES ABOUT THE CDA The Child Development Associate (CDA) is a national credential and is a stepping stone on the path of career advancement in early childhood education. In Utah, the CDA is one of the Demonstrated Competencies you can earn to receive Level 4 on the Professional Development Award System. TO LEARN MORE If you would like more information on earning your CDA, you can contact your local CAC Agency, CCPDI or go to The Council s website. EARNING A CDA The Council for Professional Recognition (The Council), headquartered in Washington, DC, operates the CDA National Credentialing Program. Their contact information is: Council for Professional Recognition th St. NW Washington, DC Phone: ; Toll Free: ; Website: TYPES OF CDA (Direct Assessment) Preschool (center based) A center based preschool setting is a state approved child development center where a candidate can be observed working with a group of at least eight children, all of whom are aged 3 through 5 years old. In addition, a center based program must have: (1) at least 10 children enrolled in the program (not necessarily in the candidate's group), and (2) at least two caregivers working with the children on a regular basis. Infant/Toddler (center based) A center based infant toddler setting is a state approved child development center where a candidate can be observed working with a group of at least three children, all of whom are under age 3. In addition, a center based program must have: (1) at least 10 children enrolled in the program (not necessarily in the candidate's group), and (2) at least two caregivers working with the children on a regular basis. Family Child Care A family child care setting is a family child care home where a candidate can be observed working with at least two children, 5 years old or younger, who are not related to the candidate by blood or marriage. The setting must meet at least the minimum level of applicable state and/or local regulations. Family child care settings are also eligible in localities where there is no regulation of family child care. 11

13 PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKSHEET Use this document to plan your professional development. If you have questions about the Career Ladder or the Professional Development Award, contact your local CAC Agency or CCPDI / Planned Career Ladder Level 1 (40 hours of career ladder training) CPR, First Aid Certification & Food Handler s Permit (counts for 10 hours) Planned Career Ladder Level 2 (Level 1 plus 40 hours of career ladder training) Planned Career Ladder Level 3 (Level 2 plus 40 hours of career ladder training) Planned Career Ladder Level 4 Demonstrated Competency 12

14 Planned Career Ladder Level 5 (Level 4 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits or Professional Activities) Planned Career Ladder Level 6 (Level 5 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits or Professional Activities) Planned Career Ladder Level 7 (Level 6 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits or Professional Activities) Planned Career Ladder Level 8 (Level 7 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits or Professional Activities) Planned Career Ladder Level 9 (Associate Degree) Planned Career Ladder Level 10 (Bachelor Degree) **See page 5 for Information on Professional Activities** 13

15 CDA Credentialing: A Self-Paced and Candidate Driven Professional Development Process Overview 1 Prepare 120 hours of Professional Education 480 hours of Professional Experience Professional Portfolio Family Questionnaires Purchase a Competency Standards book 2 Apply Online YourCDA application or paper CDA application Anytime of the year Identify a CDA Professional Development Specialist $425 Assessment Fee Application review and approval Ready to Schedule Notice delivery to the Candidate with a six-months assessment deadline 3 Demonstrate Verifi cation Visit with a CDA Professional Development Specialist Review of documents prepared in step 1 above Observation of Candidate in the classroom Refl ective dialogue CDA Exam at a Pearson Vue test center Both completed in any sequence but before a six-month deadline 4 Earn Scores electronically submitted to the Council by PD Specialist and Pearson Vue Credentialing decision 14

16 CDA TRACKING WORKSHEET Hours of Training Competency Goal (s) Title of Training # of hours Total # of hours Safe, Healthy, Learning Environment Physical & Intellectual Social & Emotional Families Program Management Professionalism Observing & Recording Child Development Total # of Training Hours Required Training Hours: 120 Total training hours needed, with at least 10 hours in each Competency Area. 15

17 UTAH S EARLY CHILDHOOD/SCHOOL AGE WORK FORCE REGISTRY The Utah Early Childhood/School Age Work Force Registry is a convenient way to check on available Career Ladder classes and the status of your Professional Development Award application. As a caregiver, you have an individual account where you can register for Career Ladder classes, look at your Career Ladder transcript and current classes you are registered for as well as many other features. If you are a new user or forget your username and password you can request it on line by using the password reset option on the login screen or contact the Child Care Professional Development Institute or your local CAC Agency for assistance. The training registry can be accessed at Write your username and password below, for easy access. My USERNAME is: My PASSWORD is: Once you log in, you can: View the current Career Ladder classes for which you are registered View a list of completed Career Ladder classes (transcript) View your Career Ladder status and courses used for each level of the Career Ladder View information about your Professional Development Award Register for Career Ladder classes Develop and make changes to your program s Marketing Page (advertise to parents) Write your Professional Development Award (PDA) Anniversary here: My PDA ANNIVERSARY DATE is: Remember to apply for your Professional Development Award before May 31st every year 16

18 Funding for CCPDI is provided by the Child Care and Development Fund through the Utah Department of Workforce Services, Office of Child Care and Utah State University, College of Education & Human Services, Department of Family Consumer and Human Development Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer