W E L C O M E! Congratulations!

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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 LJ UNE30, 2013

2 W E L C O M E! Congratulations! Your participation in Early Childhood Professional Development is an important milestone. Utah s Professional Development Award is a national model among Early Childhood Professional Development systems. There has never been a more exciting time to begin a career in early care and education. New knowledge about the human brain indicates that the early years are a time of intense learning and can have a tremendous impact on a child s future. Research shows that professional training, education and continuing professional development is a critical aspect of a quality early childhood program. The early childhood caregiver s work is challenging and rewarding and can have a lasting influence on children, their families and society. Thank you for your dedication to the children and families of Utah. Lynette Rasmussen, Director Utah Office of Child Care Utah Office of Work & Family Life

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contact Information Page 3 Professional Development Award System Description Page 4 Utah s Career Ladder Pages 5 & 6 Frequently Asked Questions Pages 7 & 8 Demonstrated Competencies Pages 9 & 10 CDA Tracking Worksheet Page 11 Professional Development Plan Worksheet Pages 12 & 13 Training Registry Page 14 **THIS BOOK VALID UNTIL JUNE 30, 2013**

4 CONTACT INFORMATION CCR&R BRIDGERLAND Serving Box Elder, Cache and Rich Counties Utah State University 6510 Old Main Hill Logan, Utah Phone: Fax: CCR&R NORTHERN Serving Weber, Davis and Morgan Counties 1309 University Circle Ogden, Utah Phone: Fax: CCR&R METRO Serving Salt Lake and Tooele Counties Children s Service Society 124 South 400 East #400 Salt Lake City, Utah Main Phone: Training: Fax: CCR&R MOUNTAINLAND Serving Summit, Utah, Juab and Wasatch Counties Utah Valley University 800 W University Parkway 163 Orem, Utah Phone: Fax: CCR&R EASTERN Serving Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, San Juan and Uintah Counties Utah State University College of Eastern Utah 451 East 400 North, CBB 120 Price, Utah Phone: Fax: CCR&R WESTERN Serving Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Washington and Wayne Counties Five County Association of Governments 88 East Fiddlers Canyon Road, Suite H Cedar City, Utah Phone: Fax: UTAH DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SERVICES OFFICE OF WORK AND FAMILY LIFE OFFICE OF CHILD CARE 1385 South State St., Salt Lake City, Utah In Salt Lake: Toll Free: Fax: CHILD CARE LICENSING PROGRAM PO Box North Mario Capecchi Drive Salt Lake City, Utah Main: Fax: CHILD CARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE Utah State University 6715 Old Main Hill, Logan Utah Phone: Toll Free: Fax:

5 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD SYSTEM 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. The program also will move caregivers up on the Career Ladder and reward longevity in the field. 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, and who remain in the field for 5 years or more, will get a substantial increase in award amount. Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for participation in the Professional Development Award System you must meet the following requirements: 1. Currently and continuously employed for at least 12 months and 20 hours per week with one or more unrelated children ages 0-12 in an eligible program. 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 group second caregiver. c. A licensed child care center teacher, caregiver, director, or owner. 3. Must complete 10 hours of approved annual training Professional Development Award System at a Glance Levels 1-3 Basic Level 4 Demonstrated Competency Education Level Level 5 Level 6 Level 7 Level 8 Level 9 AA Level 10 BA $95 $380 $475 $570 $665 $760 $855 $950 Years of Experience 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years 6 to 10 years 11 to 15 years 16 to 20 years 21 to 25 years 26+ years $95 $143 $190 $238 $380 $475 $570 $665 $760 $855 Your Education Level + Years of Experience = $ Your Annual Professional Development Award $. Money amounts are subject to change each year. 4

6 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 30 hours of any of following classes: -Promoting good health -Nutrition -Illness Prevention CCR&R Career Ladder Classes - 10 hours each -Child Development Healthy Care -Child Development Ages & Stages -Child Development Learning in the Early Years Levels 2 3 (Basic) -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 Community Career Ladder Level 1 Classes To see what other classes are being offered for Level 1: -Go to the appendix at the back of this booklet - and go to Class Calendar and sort on Career Ladder Level 1 -Check with your local CCR&R Level 2: Career Ladder Level 1 AND 40 hours of classes, 10 hours in 4 of the 8 child development content areas. Level 3: Career Ladder Level 2 AND 40 hours of classes, 10 hours training in the remaining 4 child development content areas CCR&R 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 CCR&R 5

7 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 Levels 5 8 (Specialized) Specialized Topics (SP-E) Levels 5 8: Option 1 - Previous Career Ladder Level (4-7) AND 40 hours of specialized classes for each Level advancement Career Ladder Endorsements - 40 hours each -Infant and Toddler -Special Needs -Guidance & Emotional Wellness -Family Child Care -Theories & Best Practices -School Age -From Preschool to Kindergarten, School Readiness -Relationship Touchpoints -National Administrators Credential (NAC) -Developing Your Child Care Business 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 CCR&R Option 2 - CEUs For each Level - 3 early childhood CEU s that have not already been used to earn a Career Ladder Level and have been completed within the past 5 years Level 9 Level 10 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 1 - Associate Degree from an accredited college or university that includes 15 semester credits or 22.5 quarter credits in early childhood education 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 Option 2 Level 8 plus an Bachelor Degree from an accredited college or university in a non early childhood related field 6

8 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 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 Career Ladder, 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 and 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? A provider can apply for the Professional Development Award once a year on their old Training & Longevity (TLS) date. After July the TLS date will be called 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 date is referred to as the Training and Longevity date on the old Career Ladder system. The anniversary date will always be the first of a month. The anniversary date will not change from year to year unless a provider leaves the field and then returns and requests a PD Award. 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, then they will need to wait until their anniversary date comes again. 7

9 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 can be used to advance on Levels 5-8. Individual college credits must 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 s or Bachelor s degree in early childhood (or a related field with at least 15 early childhood credits) can be used to earn Levels 9 or 10 respectively without earning any lower Career Ladder levels. An Associate s or Bachelor s degree in an unrelated field 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. If you have not worked at least 75% of time in the field since your degree date, please contact CCPDI for additional information. Do Career Ladder Classes expire? Yes, Career Ladder classes do expire after 5 years. Some Career Ladder classes have a refresher option. Please contact your local CCR&R to find out more information about this option. How do I find out what Career Ladder Classes are available in my area? You can access Utah s Caregiver 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 Caregiver 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 and for any other questions, please contact the CCR&R 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 and renewing a CDA and National Administrators Credential (NAC). Check 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. 8

10 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. An example of a Demonstrated Competency is a CDA. To see an up-to-date list of other Demonstrated Competencies which can be used for Level 4, go to or call your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency or CCPDI. 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. CDA SCHOLARSHIPS CDA Scholarships are available to assist in covering the cost of earning and renewing your CDA. To see a complete list of current requirements, amounts and deadlines for the CDA Scholarships go to or call your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency or CCPDI. 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. 9

11 THE CDA PROCESS Professional Experience: Complete 480 hours (about 3 months, full-time) of experience working with young children. Formal Training: Complete 120 clock hours of formal approved education/training/coursework. The training must fit into eight specific content areas which must include a minimum of 10 hours in each content area: 1. Planning a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment safety, first aid, health, nutrition, space planning, materials and equipment, play 2. Steps to Advance Children s Physical & Intellectual Development large and small muscle, language and literacy, discovery, art, music 3. Positive Ways to Support Children s Social & Emotional Development self-esteem, independence, self-control, socialization 4. Strategies to Establish Productive Relationships with Families parent involvement, home visits, conferences, referrals 5. Strategies to Manage an Effective Program Operation planning, record keeping, reporting 6. Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism advocacy, ethical practices, work force issues, professional associations 7. Observing and Recording Children s Behavior tools and strategies for objective information collection 8. Principles of Child Development and Learning developmental milestones from birth through age five, cultural influences on development Professional Resource File: Compile a resource file which includes an autobiography, competency goal statements and a resource collection. Observation: Using the CDA observation booklet, a CDA adviser will observe the candidate working as a primary caregiver with a group of children. Parent Opinion Questionnaire: Distribute and collect parent opinion questionnaires. Verification Visit: A CDA national representative will make an appointment with the CDA candidate to review the resource file, administer the Early Childhood Studies Review (a multiple choice exam) and interview the candidate. TO LEARN MORE If you would like more information on earning your CDA, you can contact your local Child Care Resource & Referral, CCPDI or go to The Council s website. 10

12 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 CompetencyArea. 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 Child Care Resource & Referral or CCPDI Career Ladder Level 1 (40 hours of career ladder training) CPR, First Aid Certification & Food Handler s Permit (counts for 10 hours) Career Ladder Level 2 (Level 1 plus 40 hours of career ladder training) Career Ladder Level 3 (Level 2 plus 40 hours of career ladder training) Career Ladder Level 4 Demonstrated Competency 12

14 Career Ladder Level 5 (Level 4 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits) Career Ladder Level 6 (Level 5 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits) Career Ladder Level 7 (Level 6 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits) Career Ladder Level 8 (Level 7 plus 40 hours of career ladder training or 3 CEU s or 3 College Credits) Career Ladder Level 9 (Associate Degree) Career Ladder Level 10 (Bachelor Degree) 13

15 CAREGIVER REGISTRY The Utah Training 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 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 or contact the Child Care Professional Development Institute or your local Child Care Resource & Referral 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 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 30 th every year 14