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 hours annually. b. License-exempt child care centers: Fifteen hours annually. c. Licensed family child care homes: Fifteen hours annually. d. License-exempt family child care homes: Five hours annually. e. Regulated or registered in-home child care: Five hours annually. 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 Lead Agency contracts with the CCR&R network to provide training and technical assistance to all 11 tribes. This contract includes coordination and support for the Wisconsin Inter Tribal Child Care Association (WITCCA), which holds four to five annual meetings using agendas developed by the tribal agencies and ad hoc calls and meetings as needed. WITCCA provides the opportunity for statewide professional development opportunities that include train the trainer events for key early education related trainings, as requested by the tribes. This contract includes funding for an annual conference, planning collaboratively with and around topics identified by the tribes. The contract with the CCR&R network also requires CCR&Rs to develop and implement plans for targeted services to tribal providers in their communities. Activities include onsite consultation, training, learning cohorts, and other supports that focus on needs identified by tribal providers. A CCR&R agency in Northern Wisconsin hosts an annual conference to support tribal child care professionals and those serving tribal children by providing professional development related to culturally relevant topics and topics of interest as identified by the tribes. The conference is open to all 11 tribes and early childhood professionals serving tribal children. Additionally, this CCR&R agency, along with input from tribal leaders and partners, developed curriculum that incorporates culture into the early learning standards. Course content includes developmentally appropriate practice, Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, and the WMELS Framework in Practice: Exploring the Teaching Cycle while Reflecting the Lives of Children, Families and Communities. This training is delivered when requested by the Tribes in the CCR&R service delivery area and is open to all Tribal early childhood programs throughout Wisconsin. The Lead Agency continuously assesses quantity, location of, and format of training events for accessibility among all tribal providers providers and meets with both tribal agencies and contract administrators to ensure topics are aligned with tribal needs. New and existing trainings are scanned for cultural relevance, inclusivity, and appropriate themes. 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 works in conjunction with training agencies (e.g., CCR&Rs, YoungStar trainers, WI Registry, WAN, etc.) to ensure that needed professional development offerings are available to and appropriate for providers who work with diverse communities of children. A number of Early Childhood Credentials were created to give providers access to specific credit-based coursework (12 - 18 credits each) that reflects the needs of their community and the children they work with. Wisconsin offers the following specialized credentials (https://wiregistry.org/credentials- overview/): • Infant/Toddler, • Preschool, • Afterschool and Youth Development, • Administrator, • Family Child Care, • Leadership, • Program Development, • Inclusion (re-designed and new curriculum available in 2024), • Supporting Dual Language Learners, and • Diversity The WI Registry Board and Credential Committee review and approve curricula for credential coursework and is responsible for storing, updating, and distributing resources for credential instructors statewide. The Lead Agency also continues to fund the T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Program which pays for 90% of the cost of attending credit-based education including the credential courses in a Wisconsin 2-year or 4-year Institute of Higher Education (IHE). The Lead Agency partners with contracted agencies and Wisconsin IHEs to ensure that credit and non-credit based professional development opportunities are available in multiple languages, through multiple mediums (online, in-person), and in more local community sites (e.g., the Infant/Toddler, Preschool, Family Child Care, Administrator, and Supporting Dual Language Learners credentials are offered in Spanish by the University of Wisconsin-Platteville online (https://www.uwplatt.edu/department/child-care- education). The Lead Agency contracts with CCR&Rs to develop trainings that are culturally appropriate in collaboration with tribal nations. This work includes partnering with tribal child care providers to embed language and culture (including teachings, materials, and practices) into trainings and coaching related to the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and the Wisconsin Pyramid Model. The WI Registry integrates culturally appropriate practice in all train-the-trainer events and empowers trainers to support the needs of tribal communities when leading trainings. All approved Registry trainings must include a Diversity Inclusion Statement explaining how the training delivery and content is reflective of the unique needs of the communities in which the training is delivered. The Lead Agency provides inclusion-related support to families and providers through the Early Childhood Inclusion webpages: (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/eci). These pages are updated frequently and provides needed information around: Disability laws (e.g., The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)), current best practices for working with and supporting children with disabilities (e.g., adapting activities and materials, creating supportive environments, supporting a child’s social and emotional needs, etc.), writing inclusive policy statements, making referrals, etc. The Lead Agency, with assistance from other WI Departments, created The Wisconsin Early Childhood Inclusion Tool Kit (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/youngstar/pdf/eci/wi-eci-toolkit.pdf) to help families and providers better understand how the three main Departments (DHS, DPI and DCF) work together to support the needs of young children with disabilities and their families. This resource is available in both English and Spanish. The Early Childhood Inclusion webpage also contains a page dedicated to trainings and presentations (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/eci/trainings) that focus on helping providers learn how best to support young children with disabilities and/or varying needs. The Lead Agency also collaborates with WAN to provide training throughout the state that is culturally relevant and provides a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is evidence based and utilizes both the NAA standards of Quality and the NAA Core Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies. 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 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies to provide information on developmental screening and the Wisconsin Child Find system to parents and providers. This includes making referrals and requests for screening, information on Birth to 3 and special education services through Local Education Agencies (LEAs). Child care providers are offered training and assistance on implementing the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Developmental Milestones checklist, and other screening tools. Child care providers are offered training and assistance on implementing the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Developmental Milestones checklist, and other screening tools. Training and Technical Assistance are provided through contracts with SFTA and local CCR&R's. Additionally, computer-based training and professional development online modules are available to providers on an ongoing basis. The Lead Agency partnered with early intervention specialists and special education service providers to develop the YoungStar Early Childhood Inclusion (ECI) webpage at https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/eci/ . The information contained within the ECI webpage continues to be updated in order to provide parents and providers with the most current information and best practices around supporting infants and toddlers with special needs. Specifically, the webpage https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/eci/child-development provides families and child care providers with information about the different types of assessments (developmental monitoring, screening, and evaluation). It also contains links for where parents and providers can go to make a referral to either IDEA Part C (early intervention - DHS) or IDEA Part B (early childhood special education - DPI). Also, a link under the Screening Resources within the Developmental Screening menu directs parents and providers to the page dedicated to Wisconsin's Child Find process. Additional resources and contact information for State specific mental health supports (WI-AIMH) and Pyramid Model supports, as well as links to National organizations can be found here: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/eci/resource-library. The Lead Agency has requirements embedded in contracts with CCR&R agencies and within the YoungStar service delivery contract that require providing information, resources, training, and professional development on developmental screenings and how to access and make referrals for screening.