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: 30 clock hours of annual training for directors; 24 clock hours of annual training for caregivers. b. License-exempt child care centers: N/A c. Licensed family child care homes: 30 clock hours of annual training for primary caregivers; 24 clock hours of annual training for substitute/assistant caregivers in LCCH who are counted in ratio on more than ten separate occasions in one training year; and 15 clock hours of annual training for substitute/assistant caregivers in a RCCH who are counted in ratio on more than 10 separate occasions in one training year. d. License-exempt family child care homes: N/A e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: N/A f. Non-regulated or registered in-home child care: N/A 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 Early Learning Guidelines, Professional Development Core Competencies, and the TECPDS Trainer and Workforce Registries, as well as the TEA training on the Pre-K guidelines, are available online to tribes and tribal organizations. The three Board areas with tribal organizations coordinate directly to communicate about relevant and appropriate activities including professional development activities. 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? The infant/toddler and Pre-K guidelines address special needs, English language learners, and cultural diversity. The infant/toddler guidelines define and discuss inclusive practices, including why the practices are important and ways to learn and assist with inclusive practices. The guidelines also offer resources for teachers and early learning programs. The infant/toddler guidelines address culturally appropriate practices. These include communicating with families to understand home life and traditions, recognizing children’s home language, and honoring diversity and awareness as a concept and core value of society. The Pre-K guidelines address English language learners’ diverse needs, including recommendations for instruction and strategies for success. The guidelines also address issues regarding children with disabilities, how those children can be fully integrated into school and life, and what opportunities those children need to be successful. The guidelines discuss preparation and examples of strategies to implement in a classroom. The Texas Core Competencies reference diversity, dual-language learners, and family and community relationships. Core Competency Area 6, Diversity and Dual Language Learners, addresses the following core concepts: Children’s cultural identity is developed within the family and community setting; Programs should work to maintain a child’s cognitive, linguistic, and emotional connection to the home culture and language; Children can learn more than one language at the same time; and Children’s language and literacy skills in their home language will transfer and support learning of a second language. Core competency Area 7, Family and Community Relationships, addresses the following core concepts: Families are the primary influence on a child’s development; Family context and situations vary greatly in terms of living arrangements, goals and values, ethnicity, and culture; Programs and practitioners are better able to support children’s development when they provide experiences and set expectations that are aligned with those of the family; Practitioners communicate frequently and positively with parents to ensure that parents are informed about their children’s needs and interests while in care, collaborate and problem-solve when children are met with challenges, follow up on parent requests and joint decisions, and provide resources and referrals to appropriate aids and services; Early childhood programs and practitioners must be responsive to the unique contexts and situations created by interdependencies between family systems, social institutions, and communities; and Forming collaborative partnerships with community organizations, childhood advocates, businesses, and families increases the capacity of the program. CCR minimum standards for caregivers provide the option of obtaining remaining training hours in cultural diversity for children and families and care of children with special needs. For caregivers providing care for children under 24 months of age, one hour of caregivers’ annual training must cover the following topics: Recognizing and preventing shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma; Understanding and using safe sleep practices and preventing SIDS; Understanding early childhood brain development; and TWC is funding the Texas Infant/Toddler Specialist Network through CLI, as discussed in Section 7.4. 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: As required by CCS rule §809.15 and described in Section D-1004.a of the CCS Guide, Boards are required to ensure that parents qualifying for a subsidy receive information on developmental screenings as part of the intake process. Boards have the flexibility to choose methods for disseminating developmental screening information to parents and child care providers, including providing information through Board websites and providing a link to the Early Childhood Texas Developmental Screenings. TWC/Texas provides child care providers with numerous resources, to include professional development opportunities through various initiatives: The Texas Infant/Toddler Specialist Network through CLI, as discussed in Section 7.4, provides training and resources on supporting infant and toddler teachers and administrators of providers serving infants and toddlers on the use of developmental screenings; CLI Engage offers free online training related to developmental screening, as well as access to a free child progress monitoring tool; AgriLife Online Child Care Training provides numerous online child care training courses focused on child development; HHSC ECI provides training on developmental learning strategies, early brain development, and on screening for developmental delays; HHSC CCR Minimum Standards requires all child care provider staff to be trained on the developmental stages of children and understanding early brain development and must receive additional training hours annually in topics that include child growth and development, caring for children with special needs, and observation and assessment.