6.3 Ongoing Training and Professional Development

6.3.1 Required hours of ongoing training Provide the number of hours of ongoing training required annually for CCDF-eligible providers in the following settings: a. Licensed child care centers: 15 b. License-exempt child care centers: Arkansas does not allow License- exempted providers. c. Licensed family child care homes: 15 d. License-exempt family child care homes: Arkansas does not allow License- exempted providers. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: 15 f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: 15 6.3.2 Accessibility of professional development for Tribal organizations Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development are accessible to providers supported through Indian tribes or Tribal organizations receiving CCDF funds (as applicable). NA 6.3.3 Professional development appropriate for the children, families, and child care providers Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development requirements reflect the range of children, families, and child care providers participating in CCDF. To the extent practicable, how does professional development include specialized training or credentials for providers who care for infants or school-age children; individuals with limited English proficiency; children who are bilingual; children with developmental delays or disabilities; and/or Native Americans, including Indians, as the term is defined in Section 900.6 in subpart B of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (including Alaska Natives) and Native Hawaiians? Arkansas’s minimum licensing regulations require staff to attend 15 hours of job-related training annually. To support this requirement, the Lead Agency contracts with institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies to deliver quality professional development to early care providers at no charge. Training is available to support the four groups of children: infants or school-aged children; individuals with limited English proficiency; children who are bilingual; children with developmental delays or disabilities; and Native Americans. Contractors must align their courses with the state’s workforce knowledge and competency framework. The framework guides the use of intentional actions by educators to model equity, promote positive relationships and learning opportunities, and demonstrate commitment to inclusion and diversity. In addition to training, technical assistance and coaching are available to support providers’ professional growth 6.3.4 Child developmental screening Describe how all providers receive, through training and professional development, information about: (1) existing resources and services the State/Territory can make available in conducting developmental screenings and providing referrals to services when appropriate for children who receive assistance under this part, including the coordinated use of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and developmental screening services available under section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and (2) how child care providers may utilize these resources and services to obtain developmental screenings for children who receive assistance and who may be at risk for cognitive or other developmental delays, which may include social, emotional, physical, or linguistic delays: Arkansas’s Minimum Licensing Requirements offer information to providers on IDEA and supporting children with special needs. In addition, OEC contracts with a university to provide early childhood professionals quality training, coaching and resources to enable successful inclusion of children with disabilities. This is accomplished through training and individualized technical assistance with an emphasis on recognizing children who may have learning differences or disabilities, understanding the impact that sensory processing disorders have on the learning and behavior of young children, utilizing visual strategies to engineer the classroom for supporting positive behaviors, and encouraging partnerships with parents for the good of all children. The OEC contractor focuses on four primary objectives: (1) Increase the knowledge of OEC staff and other contractors regarding the mandate for inclusion, the benefits for young children, and specific disability content; (2) Increase the capacity of early educators to successfully include children with disabilities; (3) Provide information on inclusive practices to key stakeholders including health professionals, therapists, and early education networks to increase referrals to early education providers; and (4) Create a process for replicating the activities through the development of teams of regional experts (Disability Specialists). University staff provide training and technical assistance to staff of early education centers, early education family homes, Head Start Centers, EIDTs, Child Care Aware Staff, Behavior Help Staff, A- State staff, etc. These trainings are offered both in person and virtually with a variety of time slots, including day, evening, and weekends, to meet the needs of the audience requesting assistance. The project also provides materials for these providers to support their efforts toward quality inclusion. These materials include various screening and assessment instruments and a multitude of sensory toys/materials. The Child Care Aware offices have all been provided with a large tub of sensory items that can be accessed by the programs they support. Additionally, each center that requests on-site technical assistance is provided with those sensory materials that are deemed appropriate for the children on whom the assistance is provided.