Professional Development System

Professional Development System
Signing Up for the PDS Registry
Documents and Applications
I'm In, Now What?!
Enrollment in IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry

Professional Development System

The Professional Development System (PDS) provides resources, training, education, scholarships, and incentives to improve the quality of early care and education services in Idaho. This system is possible through the collaboration of state agencies, colleges and universities, and many others.

The IdahoSTARS Registry is designed to track the status, wages, working conditions, and employment of early care and education practitioners in Idaho. Training, education and experience can be applied toward placement on the IdahoSTARS Career Pathway. Children and Families are the ultimate beneficiaries of the highest quality child care.

You must attend a Professional Development System (PDS) Orientation to become involved in the PDS. Call the Idaho CareLine by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588 to register for an orientation.

News: PDS Evolution

Just like all of you who have been gaining skills and knowledge over the past years during your involvement in IdahoSTARS, the IdahoSTARS team has been learning too. The evolution of the IdahoSTARS Career Pathway and the Incentive Program is in keeping with our philosophy of improvement over the years in IdahoSTARS PDS.
Explanation of the 2008 IdahoSTARS Registry and Incentives Evolution (Adobe PDF)

Professional Development System includes:

• Definition of core knowledge
• Trainer Registry and Approval System
• Training Approval System
• Training/Workshop Calendar provided by the Idaho Training Clearinghouse
• Credentialing and Certification Systems
• Career Pathway System
• A voluntary Early Childhood Professional Registry System designating the career pathway level for incentives
• Incentive Systems for recognition of experience and increased education linking  training with compensation and longevity in the field
• Scholarship Systems to assist early childhood professionals in increasing their training and level of education
• Community Education/Outreach for the advancement of early child care and education through the IdahoSTARS webpage
• Mentors to provide regular feedback to enrolled providers

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Signing Up for the PDS Registry

Anyone working as a professional in the field of early care and education or supporting individuals who work in this field are welcomed to register in the IdahoSTARS Registry. Participants could include:

• Family & Group Child Care Homes
• Relative caregivers
• Foster Parents
• Head Start programs
• Child care centers and half day Preschools
• Public and private schools – pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade including Family Consumer Science Instructors
• Higher education – community and tribal colleges and universities including Family Consumer Science Instructors
• Community agencies serving children and families

How to Apply:

1. Dial 2-1-1 and ask for your regional Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) office,
2. Sign up and attend the PDS Orientation,
3. Complete the PDS application packet, send your application to the IdahoSTARS PDS office, and be ready to receive your placement information in the mail within six weeks.

• If you are an employee of a child care facility - You may be eligible for incentives and scholarships for training or academic credits if you have regularly scheduled work directly with children in a child care setting at least 15 hours a week, have been in the early childhood profession for at least six months, and earn less than $15/hour.
• If you are an owner/director of a child care facility - You may be eligible for incentives and scholarships for training or academic credits if you have regularly scheduled work directly with children, staff, and or parents in a child care setting at least 30 hours a week, have been in the early childhood profession for at least six months, and earn less than $15/hour

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Enrollment and Ongoing Involvement in IdahoSTARS

Calling all Idaho Early Childhood Care and Education Professionals! After you are enrolled, start attending IdahoSTARS approved training and/or college courses to accumulate either approved hours of training or college credit to qualify for the Career Pathway Incentives. You may be eligible for scholarships through IdahoSTARS to help pay for training opportunities, so check it out. For more information, dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588 and ask for your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Office to sign up for an IdahoSTARS Registry Orientation.  Remember - You will only be awarded training hours by signing in on the IdahoSTARS Approved Training Attendance Sheets and/or by securing a Post Approval for trainings that are not IdahoSTARS Approved Training.

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