The Division of Early Learning is excited to share that Florida Early Childhood Educators are eligible for a $75 stipend upon the successful completion of any of the following courses by June 30, 2021, or until the stipend funding is depleted. The maximum stipend an eligible participant can receive is $225. (3 courses/events x $75 = $225). Successful completion may include an end of course assessment or certificate of completion. All application and stipend forms are available here.
From Department of Children and Families: Child Care Training System – Cost $10 per course
• Trauma Informed Care for Child Care Professionals (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Challenging Behaviors Awareness and Prevention (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Supporting Children with Developmental Disabilities (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Language and Vocabulary in the VPK Classroom (5 hrs./.5 CEUs) (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Emergent Literacy for VPK Instructors (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Early Literacy for Children Birth to Three (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• English Language Learners in the VPK Classroom (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Implementing the Florida Standards in Infant and Toddler Classrooms: Birth Through Two Years (5 hrs./.5 CEUs)
• Integrating the Standards: Phonological Awareness (2 hrs./.2 CEUs)
From the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services: BEESS Portal – Cost: FREE
• Effective Teaching Practices for Students with Disabilities: Focusing on the Content Areas (20 in-service points)
• Inclusive Practices for the Developmentally Appropriate Pre-K Classroom (10 in-service points)
From the TEACH or DOE websites: Children’s Forum Portal or Florida DOE Education & Training
Cost: Contact College directly for cost.
• Infant/Toddler Specialization (12 credit hours)
• Early Childhood Inclusion Specialization (12 credit hours)
• Preschool Specialization (12 credit hours)
Through the Training Portal: FLAEYC Training – Cost: $95
Multi-Course Training (6 Course Bundle) Includes:
• What Early Childhood Professionals Need to Know about COVID-19
• Domestic Violence Issues and Awareness
• Behavioral and Mental Health Issues Related to Coronavirus
• Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
• Reopening Your Program after the Coronavirus
• Food Safety Considerations for Early Childhood Programs During the Coronavirus (7.5 hrs/.75 CEUs)
Access available with a subscription to myTeachstone or by contacting your local ELC or Regional Facilitator – Cost: FREE
Teachstone will not award the in-service hours or certificate of completion until the participant completes all seven of the modules below.
• Language & Literacy: Asking Questions (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Developing Vocabulary (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Early Writing (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Expressing Ideas (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Knowledge of Print (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Letter Recognition (1 hr. in-service points)
• Language & Literacy: Rhyming Words (1 hr. in-service points)
Questions & Answers (Q&A)
Q1: Do I need to take all 7 of the Teachstone classes and then submit the certification to get a stipend for the classes?
A: Yes. First, you must submit your application and supporting documentation. Second, you will need to complete all seven courses, submit your certification, and application for the stipend to receive a $75 stipend. You will be eligible for two additional $75 stipends, if you take two additional non-Teachstone courses included on the approved OEL Training Event/Courses for Early Childhood Educators Professional Development list.
Q2: I took many of the courses offered through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) before. May I retake the course and apply for a stipend?
A: No. The intent is to promote additional knowledge and skills and increase the number of hours of professional development of early childhood professionals in four topic areas—trauma informed care, infants and toddlers, dual language learners, emergent and early literacy, and serving children with special needs. As more courses related to those topic areas are identified, they will be added to the list of approved courses.
Q3: We have been working on plans to get more of our instructors in the Career Pathway registry. I understand that to qualify, they must meet the core training requirements listed in the Florida Early Learning and Afterschool Career Pathway document. Are there approved trainings on the PDG approved OEL Training Event/Courses for Early Childhood Educators Professional Development list for stipends that we could recommend to providers to meet the core training requirements?
A: Yes. Trauma Informed Care for Child Care Professionals (TICC) and Implementing the Florida Standards in Infant and Toddler Classrooms: Birth through Two Years.
Q4: Is there a reason why the other Core courses were not included? Could this be reconsidered? It would make sense to have the professional development efforts of PDG align with the Career Pathways.
A: We will take that into consideration for the PDG year 2 stipends. However, for the current stipends (year 1), the course choices for the stipends are aligned with PDG priorities as indicated in the answer to Q2.
Q5: Which courses on the PDG-approved OEL Training Event/Courses for Early Childhood Educators Professional Development list meet the criteria for the following? I would like to encourage my providers to take advantage of the PDG incentive to enter the Career Pathways.
– Florida Early Learning Developmental Standards approved training
– Florida Core Competencies for Early Educators
A: See answer to Q3. The course choices for the stipends are aligned with PDG priorities in the areas of trauma- informed care, infants and toddlers, dual language learners, emergent and early literacy, and serving children with special needs.
The Florida Early Childhood Educator Training Stipend Program is funded through the ESSA Preschool Development Grant – Birth through Five; funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families award # 90TP0068-01, and matching funds from the Florida Department of Education/Division of Early Learning.
Sponsorship by the State of Florida, Division of Early Learning.
