Co-
ordinated Staff Develop-ment and Training / Section 411.01(5)(c)1.c., F.S., requires coordinated staff development and teaching opportunities for early learning providers.
Section 1002.65(2), F.S., states that to improve educational outcomes, the Legislature intends that all voluntary prekindergarten instructors will continue to improve their skills and preparation through education and training so that the aspirational goals will be achieved according to statute.
Criteria:
At a minimum for chart A, the coalition must:
- Describe how it will ensure the provision of coordinated staff development and training of coalition or service provider staff, including helping school readiness and VPK providers meet educational goals; and
- Provide a measurable Objective(s) that directly correlates to ensuring the provision of coordinated staff development and training along with Current Situation, Activities, and Outcome(s) that assess whether the objective was achieved.
2.4Coordinated Staff Development and Training
2.4.1. Describe how the coalition ensures the provision of coordinated staff development and training (s. 411.01(5)(c)1.c., F.S.), including helping VPK providers meet educational goals. (s.1002.65, F.S.) The Coalition’s Professional Development Plan offers special trainings/workshops to increase the quality of childcare in Putnam,St. Johns,Clay, Baker, Bradford and Nassau Counties. In addition to workshops to increase quality, providers are offered scholarships towards CDAcredentials, higher education courses and accreditation.
The Coalition’s Primary Service Provider offers trainings monthly through Episcopal Children’s Services (ECS) Regional Training Institute for Early Childhood Educationis published on the ECS website on a quarterly basis. Topics for trainings are based on provider, family, Coalition and community needs. Training sessions are centered on the eight areas required for a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA).
In addition, ECS provides a link to The Northeast Florida Master Training Calendar which is a collaborative partnership of the ELC of Duval (ELC of Duval) and its community professional development partners, including the Jacksonvillve Children's Commission (JCC), Episcopal Children's Services (ECS), Child Development Education Alliance (CDEA), University of Florida/IFAS Extension Office (UF/IFAS), Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida (FIE), Jacksonville Urban League-Head Start and the North Florida Association for the Eductaion of Young Children (NFAEYC).
The PutnamCountySchool Districtoffers one parent training at each school offering school readiness services each quarter. These workshops are coordinated through the individual classrooms. If parents are unable to attend one of the workshops, they are allowed to arrange for alternate training through the classroom. Alternate training may require the parent to volunteer for a classroom event.
The Regional Training Institute for Early Childhood Education offers Online CDA courses leading to a National CDA Credential. In addition to receiving training in eight CDA subject areas, candidates complete a professional resource file and undergo on-site observations in which their classroom skills are rated. The Coalition provides CDA and other training scholarships for providers in its counties.
The ELC, through their Primary Service Provider, works with the DOE Regional VPK Facilitator to support the VPK low performing providers by offering space and assistance with VPK training efforts as well as technical assistance in the workplace. The Primary Services Provider trained in the School Readiness Standards will offer training on these standards to School Readiness and Voluntary Pre-kindergarten providers.
The Coalition has further collaborated with community colleges and other parties in the counties to begin to develop a career ladder for early learning classroom teachers to build their professional competencies and to build college credits to achieve degrees in the field. Some CDA programs can articulate into college credits.
Identify expected results relative to this element in the chart A below:
Required Element / Current Situation / Objective / Activities / Outcome2.4.1. Coordinated Staff Development and Training / The Primary Service Provider provides a variety of training opportunities to school readiness and VPK providers and parents.
The Coalition provides funding for at least 20 CDA scholarships annually. Less may actually be funded based on provider demand and funding.
The Coalition has collaborated with community partners and colleges to allow CDA classes to articulate into at least nine to twelve college credits that may be applied towards an associate’s degree in Early Childhood. Local colleges are also working with the Coalition to offer Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education and to inform providers of the availability of these programs to assist providers in meeting their educational goals and the aspiration goals established in VPK legislation (F.S.1002.65(2)). / 1. Ensure the opportunities for school readiness and VPK provider staff to access high-quality, low-cost (or free) training related to early learning.
2. Increase the number ofProvide the opportunity forteachers thatto have access to CDA training.
3. Increase awareness of A.S./B.S. degree opportunities and financial assistance available to teachers that complete the CDA program. / 1. The Primary Service Provider will publish and distribute a quarterly training calendar, providing at least 6080training opportunities annually.
2. Provide annual stipends for CDA trainings, academic/articulation, accreditation/re-accreditation programs, and awards for special conferences and trainings for providers requesting assistance through the Coalition’s ProfessionalDevelopment Planto the extent funding is available.
3. Send a post-CDA educational letter that includes higher educational programs in Early Childhood Education or related fields available in the local area along with information on financial aid and scholarships. / 1.75% of the ELC sponsored classes will show an increase in the participants’ knowledge and skill as evidenced by the cumulative pre and post course or training assessments log.
2. At least 5 teachers annually in our service area will be eligible to be awarded their CDA credential through ELC sponsored training courses as evidenced by their CDA application log.
3. All CDA recipients will receive a post-CDA educational letter as evidenced by a distribution log.
Identify the elements of the coalition’s coordinated staff development and training plan in chart B below:
Does the coalition’s coordinated staff developmentand training plan include: / Yes / No / Responsible
Entity
* / Which Groups
Participate
A link to Early Learning Guidelines / DOE, FOEL / SR and VPK
Continuum of training and education to form a career path / ELC, ECS, ELC of Duval, UNF, FSCJ, SJRCC, FCTI / SR and VPK
Articulation from one type of training to the next / ELC, ECS, ELC of Duval, UNF, FSCJ, SJRCC, FCTI / SR and VPK
Quality assurance through approval of trainers / DOE, ECS / SR and VPK
Quality assurance through approval of training content / DOE, ECS, FSCJ, FCTI, SJRCC, UNF / SR and VPK
A system to track practitioners’ training / ECS, FSCJ, FCTI, SJRCC, UNF / SR and VPK
Assessment or evaluation of training effectiveness / ECS, FSCJ, FCTI, SJRCC, UNF / SR and VPK
Administrators’ Credential / DOE, DCF / SR and VPK
Specialized strategies to reach informal providers / DCF, ELC / SR
Other (explain):
* Please designate whether the entity is performing services for VPK and /or School Readiness.
DCF – Department of Children and FamiliesFSCJ –FloridaState College at Jacksonville
DOE – Department of EducationFCTI – First Coast Technical Institute
ECS – EpiscopalChildren’s ServicesSJRCC – St. Johns RiverCommunity College
ELC – Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns CountiesNorth FloridaUNF –University of NorthFlorida