November 20, 2020 Tuition-Free Courses Available for ECE Professionals Are you an early learning professional who is interested in earning an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or Child Development Certificate? No- and low-cost options are available for eligible professionals in Pennsylvania through the Professional Development Organization (PDO). Professional Development Organization The Professional Development Organization (PDO) is a grant-funded educational collaboration among four universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and numerous partner universities, colleges, and community programs across the state to advance the career pathways of the early childhood workforce. PDO funding covers tuition, expenses, and other supports to help eligible early childhood educators earn credit-bearing credentials and degrees. Tuition-Free Courses Tuition-free courses are eligible for early childhood professionals who: are Pennsylvania residents, work in a Keystone STARS program, and work a minimum average of 25 hours per week over an entire work year (during non-COVID times). To determine your eligibility, complete the online application. Once your eligibility is confirmed, a PDO Liaison from your region will contact you to discuss your professional development options. Available Pathways The following pathways are available to advance your academic and professional development: Child Development Associate Certificate (CDA) Associate’s Degree, Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree, Early Childhood Education Steps To Take If you are interested in taking advantage of this limited-time opportunity, complete these three steps: Apply for Tuition Assistance Complete the application. Once submitted, an ECE Liaison will contact you to confirm your eligibility for tuition assistance, guide you through the application at a PDO partner university, college, or program, and help you register for classes. Be sure to check your spam folder as it may contain an email from your ECE Liaison. Apply to a Partner School or Program Before you apply to a school, be sure to speak with an ECE Liaison who can help you navigate any fees that may be waived. Among the supports available to students is a free 24/7 tutoring service. View the full list of partner schools and programs. Register for Classes Class offerings at all schools and programs may change each semester. Check with an ECE Liaison or the school for details. View this document for examples of available classes. More Information For more information, contact Mimi Loughead at mimi@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
August 17, 2020 CDA Credential Course (North Side): Registration Deadline About Are you an early educator in the North Side of Pittsburgh who is working with young children? Are you looking to take the first step in advancing your career? Join your peers and Trying Together for this nine-month online CDA course where you will: focus on Competency Standards and Best Practices that support healthy early development in young children; complete online coursework; receive support from an experienced instructor; and receive a nationally recognized credential upon completion. Session Details Course Timeline: September 14, 2020 – May 31, 2021 Delivery: Online (Schoology and Zoom) Course Instructor: Theresa Hetler CDA Orientation Date: September 2, 2020 Registration closes on September 2, 2020. Space is limited. Registration To register, complete our online form. Please note that this listing is not a one-day, in-person event. This online course runs from September 14, 2020 to May 31, 2020. More information will be provided after registration. More Information For questions or more information, please contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
July 7, 2020 CDA Community of Practice Are you an early educator who is interested in advancing your career? Join Trying Together starting July 14 for our six-week online course, “CDA Community of Practice.” About This online course is intended for individuals who have completed the necessary hours and requirements for a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. During this community of practice, participants will explore the current theory, research, and best practices related to early childhood. Participants will focus on the completion of portfolio requirements, as well as preparation for the CDA credential exam. This course will be hosted on Zoom. Participants will receive the Zoom link via email from the course instructor. For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Course Details Timeline: July 14 – August 18, 2020 (Six Weeks) Sessions will be held every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. Instructor: Theresa Hetler, Workforce Development Strategist Course Type: Online (Zoom Meetings) Registration Deadline: Friday, July 10 Registration To register for this course, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Space is extremely limited. Registrations must be submitted no later than Friday, July 10. More Information For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org.
July 29, 2019 New Services Available on Pennsylvania’s PD Registry In July, Pennsylvania’s PD Registry received new enhancements that will help support early childhood professionals. New Services Available Through the PD Registry website, early childhood professionals can now apply for or access: Rising STARS Tuition Assistance CDA Voucher Director Credential Early Childhood Education Career Pathway Early Childhood Career Pathway The Early Childhood Education Career Pathway is a tool to support the ECE profession in entering the field prepared for success while growing the existing professional’s capacity to advance in their intended field. This tool is now available on PD Registry. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website. Note The Career Lattice will still be used for Keystone STARS designation and Education and Retention Awards (ERA) until further notice. Additionally, early childhood educators that currently meet the expectation of particular career lattice level will be honored at that level by being grandfathered into the Career Pathway level that is equivalent if verified within the determined timeline. Many individuals have already uploaded transcripts before the new enhancements went live on July 1. You will still need to complete your profile to be placed on the career pathway. If transcripts were already uploaded, this step will not be needed again. To view tip sheets on completing the profile and uploading transcripts, please view them at the PA Keys website. More Information For more information on these enhancements, watch the recorded webinar, visit the FAQ document, and view tipsheets and more on the PD Registry. Questions? Call 1.800.284.6031 or email registry@pakeys.org. *Information provided by The Pennsylvania Key
July 23, 2019 East End CDA Credential Course: Registration Deadline Are you an early educator working with young children in a center, home, or school setting? Are you looking to advance your career? Join Trying Together for a nine-month Child Development Associate (CDA) course that will meet in a classroom setting and include online coursework, both supported by an instructor throughout. Course Timeline This course runs from September 6, 2019 through May 18, 2020. More Information For questions or more information, contact Theresa Hetler at 412.567.3329 or theresa@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network. Registration To participate in this course, complete the registration process below. Registration closes on August 21, 2019.
December 12, 2018 Child Development Associate Courses Available In partnership with the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC) is offering a series of courses that fulfill the educational training requirements for the infant-toddler, preschool, or renewal Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials. Additionally, a series of professional development courses are available that can be taken individually for required DHS training hours or as a full 3-hour college credit course. Available Courses Child Development Associate Based on the CDA pursued, students may choose from the following courses, which will be offered at the Youngwood campus and by Web Conferencing (video conference) to all WCCC education centers: Child Health, Safety & Nutrition – ECE 190-CDA May 13 – July 29, 2019, Web Conference Observation & Assessment – ECE 191-CDA January 15 —April 30, 2019 Choose one: Infant & Toddler Development – ECE 179-CDA April 15—July 29, 2019 Child Growth & Development – ECE 180-CDA April 4—July 25, 2019 For more information, see this flyer. Early Childhood Professional Development Child Health, Safety & Nutrition – ECE 190-KU January 16 – May 1, 2019, Westmoreland-New Kensington For a listing of all available courses, see this flyer. Certification and Costs Each course is three college credits and can be applied towards an Associate degree at Westmoreland County Community College. The initial certifications require three courses, while renewal requires one course. The additional work experience, portfolio, and professional requirements required by the CDA Council must be completed independently by the candidates. Tuition is $210 per course (or $14 per class) and $100 for the textbook. Rising STARS Tuition Assistance and the TEACH Scholarship are both accepted. Registration To register, call 1.800.262.2103, ext. 4204. Questions Questions should be directed to: Dr. Brandi Weekley at 724.925.6715 or weekleyb@westmoreland.edu. Vicki Hricik at 724.925.4013 or hricikv@westmoreland.edu.
January 28, 2018 CDA Credential Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential A Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential is the most widely recognized credential in the early childhood field and is a key stepping stone on the path to career advancement. The CDA Credential is based on a core set of competency standards that guide early learning professionals in their work to build on their professional experience and expertise. As a nationally recognized credential, a CDA Credential enables early learning professionals to work in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms, in addition to early learning programs across the United States of America. Several topics are studied in a CDA program, including, but not limited to: A healthy and safe learning environment Physical, cognitive, language and creative development Social and emotional development Positive guidance Creating positive relationships with families Program and classroom management Observation and assessments Professionalism in early childhood education By earning a CDA Credential, early learning professionals strengthen their professional skill sets, gain opportunities to advance their careers, increase their confidence in the classroom, and reinforce their commitment to support young children and families. Trying Together CDA Credential Preparation Program Trying Together’s Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential Preparation Program offers 135 hours of professional development over the course of approximately six months, focused on practice knowledge and skills early learning professionals need to become credentialed. Program participants can matriculate up to nine course credits at Carlow University or Community College of Allegheny College (CCAC) or up to 12 credits at Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC) once they obtain their CDA credential. This program is intended for early learning professionals in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Trying Together offers this program at a community-based level with the support of various funding and development partners, including the PDO at PASSHE, The Buhl Foundation, and The Pennsylvania Key. Program Details Through the program, early learning professionals choose the CDA Credential in their desired age group. Center-based Infant and Toddler CDA – The Infant-Toddler CDA is for educators who work with children from birth through 36 months. Center-based Preschool CDA – The Preschool CDA is for educators who work with children ages three to 5 years. Family Child Care CDA – The Family CDA is for educators who work with children ages birth through 5 in a family child care home setting. Home Visitors CDA – The Home Visitor CDA is for educators who visit with families of children age 5 and younger in their homes. They support parents, meet the needs for their child, and visit regularly to provide early education to the child and family. Through the Trying Together CDA preparatory course, educators attend live Zoom sessions and complete self-paced online coursework, receive support from an experienced instructor, and are eligible to apply to receive a nationally recognized credential after their exam and observation. A limited number of computers are available through the Trying Together technology lending program for individuals who qualify. These devices must be returned at the end of the program. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for this program, individuals must: reside in the state of Pennsylvania, have obtained a high school diploma or GED, work in a Keystone STARS early learning program, and work a minimum average of 25 hours per week over an entire work year (during non-COVID times). Request More Information If you are interested in participating in Trying Together’s CDA Credential Preparation Program, please complete our CDA Credential Program Interest Form. You are inquiring about Trying Together’s CDA Prep program. After completing the form, a member of our staff will contact you to to determine your eligibility and identify a CDA pathway that works best for you. PLEASE NOTE: The Spring 2025 CDA cohort is currently full. Individuals who fill out the CDA Credential Program Interest Form will be considered for the Fall 2025 Cohort. Requests for information are answered on a first-come, first-served basis. Questions For general questions about the program, contact Casey Rich at casey@tryingtogether.org or Mikaela Nagg at mikaela@tryingtogether.org. CDA Credential Renewal Support Trying Together utilizes the guidance offered on The Council for Professional Recognition website. If you have any additional questions, contact Casey Rich at casey@tryingtogether.org or Mikaela Nagg at mikaela@tryingtogether.org. Professional Development Organization (PDO) The Professional Development Organization (PDO) is a grant-funded educational collaboration among four universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and numerous partner universities, colleges, and community programs across the state to advance the career pathways of the early childhood workforce. PDO funding covers tuition, expenses, and other supports to help eligible early childhood educators earn credit-bearing Child Development Associate (CDA) Credentials, Associate’s Degrees, and Bachelor’s Degrees. Tuition-Free Courses Tuition-free courses are eligible for early childhood professionals who: are Pennsylvania residents work in a Keystone STARS program work a minimum average of 25 hours per week over an entire work year (during non-COVID times) To determine your eligibility, complete the online application. Once your eligibility is confirmed, a PDO liaison from your region will contact you to discuss your professional development options. Our Work Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 are partnering with the Early Childhood Education PDO at PASSHE to provide community-based CDA programming. Trying Together provides an Early Childhood Liaison as a member of the PDO Liaison Network to establish and maintain relationships and connections with our region’s early childhood educators, programs, and professional preparatory organizations. More Information For more information, contact Lindsey Vicoria-Bucki at lindseyv@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network. All projects featured on this webpage are supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) and Pennsylvania’s Department of Education (PDE). For more information, visit dhs.pa.gov and education.pa.gov.
