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: License-exempt child care centers are not eligible to participate in CCDF. c. Licensed family child care homes: 15 d. License-exempt family child care homes: License-exempt family child care homes are not eligible to participate in CCDF. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: 15 f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: Non-regulated or registered in-home child care providers are not eligible to participate in CCDF. 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). The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has access to the Lead Agency’s training and professional development. 6.3.3 Professional development appropriate for the diversity of children, families, and child care providers Describe how the Lead Agency’s training and professional development requirements reflect the diversity 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? The Lead Agency offers age specific trainings created from the MS Early Learning standards, they are as follows: Early Learning Standards ELS For Infants & Toddlers: Approaches to Learning, ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Cognition, ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Language and Communication, ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development, ELS For Infants & Toddlers: Social and Emotional Development, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Approaches to Learning, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Creative Expression, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: English Language Arts, ELS for Three- & Four-Yer Olds: Mathematics, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Physical Development, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Science, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Social Studies, ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Social and Emotional Development Infant/Toddlers Emergent Literacy for Infants and Toddlers, Music is in the Air: For Infants & Toddlers, Supporting Positive Behaviors: Infants & Toddlers, The Central Role of Early Childhood Educators: Infant & Toddlers Preschool Early Learning Environment for Preschoolers, Emergent Literacy for Preschoolers, Supporting Positive Behaviors: Preschool, The Central Role of Early Childhood Educators: Preschool MS Transition Toolkit School-age Supporting Positive Behaviors: After School, Bridging Teaching with Assessment, Detection of Child Abuse, Differentiated Instruction, Making Lesson Planning Fun, Making the Most of Outdoor Play, The Power of Play, Cooking Up Some Fun, The Central Role of Families in the Early Childhood Program, ePyramid Model, Health & Safety Topic trainings, Family Child Care Technical Assistance Health & Safety Environments, Keeping Children Safe, Redirection, Learning Environments, Infant Development, Physical Development, Social/Emotional Learning, Creative Arts, Language Development, Science, Sand/Water Play, Math, Block Play, Dental Hygiene, WOYC ￿ Week of the Young Child Family Engagement, Lesson Plans for Multi-Age Groups, Taking Care of You before Taking Care of Others, The Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) is a valid and reliable instrument designed to measure business and professional practices of family child care programs. The BAS measures quality on a 7-point scale. It is appropriate for the full range of regulated home-based programs ￿ family child care, group family child care, Head Start, and Early Head Start. The BAS is also available in Spanish. Professional Development Training(s) Introduction to Business Administration Scale (BAS) - 2-hour training Technical Assistance provided on the following: Qualifications and Benefits Work Environment Fiscal Management Recordkeeping Risk Management Provider-Family Communication Family Support and Engagement Marketing and Community Relations Provider as Employer Children with Special Needs/Early Inclusion The Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center (MECIC) supports Mississippi’s ability to support access to quality inclusive early learning environments for young children with disabilities. The comprehensive approach MECIC provides throughout the state, highlights the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS) and the U. S. Department of Education’s (U.S. DE) joint policy statement on early childhood inclusion. The policy statement emphasizes access to early learning programs where early educators provide individualized and appropriate supports for young children with disabilities (U.S. DHHS & U.S. DE, 2015). However, children with disabilities and their families continue to face barriers accessing high-quality early childhood programs, often resulting in segregated learning environments for preschool children with disabilities (U.S. DHHS & U.S. DE, 2015) or families leaving the workforce to care for their children (US Chamber of Commerce Foundation & Mississippi Economic Council, 2020). As Mississippi continually develops processes to support families and early childhood educators, young children with disabilities and those at-risk continue to be a priority population for MECIC to ensure families and early educators have access to supports that promote quality early childhood inclusion. Citing the U.S. DHHS and the U.S. DE joint policy statement on early childhood inclusion, states should ensure access to specialized supports (2015). MECIC provides specialized supports, including comprehensive services for families and young children, as well as quality professional development and technical assistance for early childhood educators. As a traditionally medically underserved state with sparsely populated rural areas; Mississippi faces many challenges for quality early childhood inclusion. Current Kids Count Census Factbook (2020) and current research out of the Children’s Foundation (2020) highlights 31% of our children are living in poverty, 19% of children 4 and under living with grandparents, and 79% of children have not received a developmental screening by age three; all indicators of children who are at-risk for developmental delays. The staff of the Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center supports young children with disabilities and those at- risk having access to the learning environment, participation in all learning activities, and appropriate support for all children, early educators, and families. 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: rofessional practices of family child care programs. The BAS measures quality on a 7-point scale. It is appropriate for the full range of regulated home- based programs ￿ family child care, group family child care, Head Start, and Early Head Start. The BAS is also available in Spanish. Professional Development Training(s) Introduction to Business Administration Scale (BAS) - 2-hour training Technical Assistance provided on the following: Qualifications and Benefits Work Environment Fiscal Management Recordkeeping Risk Management Provider-Family Communication Family Support and Engagement Marketing and Community Relations Provider as Employer Children with Special Needs/Early Inclusion The Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center (MECIC) supports Mississippi’s ability to support access to quality inclusive early learning environments for young children with disabilities. The comprehensive approach MECIC provides throughout the state, highlights the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS) and the U. S. Department of Education’s (U.S. DE) joint policy statement on early childhood inclusion. The policy statement emphasizes access to early learning programs where early educators provide individualized and appropriate supports for young children with disabilities (U.S. DHHS & U.S. DE, 2015). However, children with disabilities and their families continue to face barriers accessing high-quality early childhood programs, often resulting in segregated learning environments for preschool children with disabilities (U.S. DHHS & U.S. DE, 2015) or families leaving the workforce to care for their children (US Chamber of Commerce Foundation & Mississippi Economic Council, 2020). As Mississippi continually develops processes to support families and early childhood educators, young children with disabilities and those at-risk continue to be a priority population for MECIC to ensure families and early educators have access to supports that promote quality early childhood inclusion. Citing the U.S. DHHS and the U.S. DE joint policy statement on early childhood inclusion, states should ensure access to specialized supports (2015). MECIC provides specialized supports, including comprehensive services for families and young children, as well as quality professional development and technical assistance for early childhood educators. As a traditionally medically underserved state with sparsely populated rural areas; Mississippi faces many challenges for quality early childhood inclusion. Current Kids Count Census Factbook (2020) and current research out of the Children’s Foundation (2020) highlights 31% of our children are living in poverty, 19% of children 4 and under living with grandparents, and 79% of children have not received a developmental screening by age three; all indicators of children who are at-risk for developmental delays. The staff of the Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center supports young children with disabilities and those at- risk having access to the learning environment, participation in all learning activities, and appropriate support for all children, early educators, and families. 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: The Lead Agency contracts with the Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center (MECIC) to provide professional development on monitoring development and developmental screening. These professional development trainings emphasize the importance of recognizing concerns for development and how to make referrals to Part C and Part B. Further, MECIC: R&R hosts monthly developmental screening days and an autism specific screening day in April. The MECIC: R&R will provide developmental, social-emotional, and autism screenings as requested by families. Developmental screening information will be provided to families during consumer education events and shared with families who are receiving assistance through the Lead Agency. The Nurturing Homes Initiative uses the Early Childhood Screens III, which evaluates the key predictors of school success. Each screen takes approximately 10￿15 minutes per child and allows for comparison of performance to the cutoff scores for delays and giftedness, as well as to the performance of same-age children. Examiners use one Data Sheet per child per screening. Our screening tools address the domains of Physical Development, Language Development, Academic Skills/Cognitive Development, and Self-help and Social-Emotional Skills. To screen infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds, select the Early Childhood Screen III (0￿35 months) To screen three-, four-, and five-year-olds, select the Early Childhood Screen III (3￿5 years).