1. Professional Development System Online Orientation
Professional Development System Online Orientation
Welcome to the IdahoSTARS Professional Development System Online Orientation. This is the first step toward becoming a participant in the PDS Registry.
If you are interested in becoming a participant in the PDS Registry, you will need to finish watching this online video orientation, complete the Provider Information Form that is available at the end of this video and submit your contact information.
Now, let’s get started!!
Improving the quality of child care for the children of Idaho

2. What is Professional Development?
What is IdahoSTARS?
IdahoSTARS is a voluntary program that provides training in child development, education, health and safety and assessment of child care facilities based on national quality standards.
What is Professional Development?
Professional Development is the advancement of skills or expertise to succeed in the early childhood profession through continued education and/or training.
IdahoSTARS is a Voluntary program that provides training in child development, education, health and safety and assessment of child care facilities based on national quality standards. It is funded by The Child Care and Development Block Grant, a federally-funded grant that sends funding to each state in order to improve the quality of child care and help low-income families access high-quality care.  The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare receives the funding and distributes the funds to the IdahoSTARS project.
Professional Development is the advancement of skills or expertise to succeed in the early childhood profession through continued education and/or training.

3. What is the Professional Development System?
As part of the IdahoSTARS program, the PDS is a voluntary statewide professional development program for child care providers and early childhood educators working in a child care or early learning setting.
The goal of this program is to increase the quality of care for Idaho’s children by offering child care providers professional development through training and educational opportunities.
As part of the IdahoSTARS program, the PDS is a voluntary statewide professional development program for child care providers and early childhood educators working in a child care or early learning setting.
The goal of this program is to increase the quality of care for Idaho’s children by offering child care providers professional development through training and educational opportunities.

4. Early learning happens everywhere, especially at home and in child care. What happens during the early years matters.
So how does professional development support early learning?
Regular professional development and education will help you the provider stay educated in current trends and also stay fresh and excited about the field that you are in. This in turn will help you engage the children that you are educating.

5. Why should YOU, the provider, be in the Professional Development System?
Increase your knowledge and understanding of child development.
Be supported and recognized as a professional
Help ensure all children are in high quality, early learning environments.
You may be asking yourself, why should you become a part of the Professional Development System?
The answer is simple, because we need child care providers who are committed to offering the best care for children. Successful child care providers are caring, kind, patient, and flexible….these providers understand the importance of play. Providers offering a quality child care program know how important these early years are, as 90% of our brains are developed within the first 5 years. This is why child care providers have such an important job!!!
In addition, as a participant in the PDS you will:
Increase your knowledge and understanding of child development
Be supported and recognized as a professional
Help ensure all children are in high quality, early learning environments

6. You may be eligible for PDS scholarships and awards…
You may be eligible if:
You work in a child care program in Idaho designed to care for children while parents work or attend school.
You work in a child care program with operating hours that extend beyond a preschool only or academic (K-6) school day.
You work with children, staff and parents a minimum of 15 hours per week or 780 hours a year.
As a child care provider in the PDS Registry you may be eligible for scholarships and awards.
You may be eligible if:
You work in a child care program in Idaho designed to care for children while parents work or attend school
You work in a child program with operating hours that extend beyond a preschool only or academic (K-6) school day
You work with children, staff and parents a minimum of 15 hours per week or 780 hours a year

7. Opportunities for Scholarships & Awards**
Training Scholarships
Academic Scholarships
GED Scholarships
Early Childhood Care and Education Career Pathway Level Move Awards
Anniversary Awards
IdahoSTARS Essential Training Awards
There are Opportunities for Scholarships & Awards if you are eligible. Training and Academic Scholarships, GED Scholarships, Level Move awards, Anniversary Awards and IdahoSTARS Essential Training Awards.
**subject to availability of funds

8. Training and Academic Scholarships
Training scholarships:
Trainings must be IdahoSTARS approved.
Awarded based on funding
Academic scholarships:
CDA
Technical Certificate
Associate Degree
Bachelor Degree
Training scholarships help pay for professional development opportunities and GED Testing. Trainings must be IdahoSTARS approved trainings which can be found on the IdahoSTARS website Training Calendar, Distance Learning Page and also in the Lending Libraries in your local Child Care Resource Center. Training Scholarships are typically awarded up to $200 per year based on funding.
Academic Scholarships help pay for CDA, Technical Certificate, Associate and Bachelor Degree coursework. Coursework will need to be in Early Childhood Education to receive Academic Scholarships.
The more you learn, the more that you can grow. This in turn will help you manage your classroom and parents will see you as a professional.

9. Early Childhood Care and Education Career Pathway
This is The Early Childhood Care and Education Career Pathway. A Level Move reflects academic certificates or diplomas in Early Childhood Education achieved after joining the Professional Development System. The pathway also explains the different types of awards that an eligible PDS Participant can receive.

10. Anniversary Awards
After completing 15 IdahoSTARS approved training hours or 1 ECE college credit during your Anniversary Cycle.
The Anniversary Cycle is determined by the month you enter the PDS Registry. For example, if your Anniversary month is July, your Anniversary Cycle is between July 2nd, 2017 and July 1st, 2018.
Anniversary Awards acknowledge the hard work that you, the provider have done throughout the year.
Eligible Participants may apply for their Anniversary Award after completing 15 IdahoSTARS approved training hours or 1 Early Childhood Education college credit during your Anniversary Cycle.
The Anniversary Cycle is determined by the month that you enter the PDS Registry. For example, if your Anniversary month is July, your Anniversary Cycle is between July 2nd 2017 and July 1st 2018.
You may only receive one Anniversary Award or Level Move award in an Anniversary Cycle.

11. Ready to participate? Participation is voluntary
You will receive a notification from IdahoSTARS requesting the following:
PDS Initial Application
Current Pediatric CPR Certification
Current Pediatric First Aid Certification
Child Care Facility License (if applicable)
Child Care Worker License (if applicable)
Copy of Education Documents
W-9 with Legal Name
Copy of your Social Security Card
We are nearly finished with the PDS Online Orientation.
Once you have completed all of the steps to the orientation, you will receive a notification form from IdahoSTARS requesting the following:
PDS Initial Application (which you will fill out with your legal name, sign and have the director/owner sign as well)
A Copy of your Current Pediatric CPR Certification (save your original for your records)
A copy of your Current Pediatric First Aid Certification (save your original for your records)
A Copy of your Child Care Facility License – if you are required to have a license
A Copy of your Child Care Worker License – if you are required to have a license
Copy of Education Documents.
Completed and Signed W-9 with your legal name as it appears on your social security card
A Copy of your Social Security Card for name and number verification

12. Pediatric CPR and Pediatric First Aid
The Professional Development System requires that all providers have:
Current Pediatric CPR Certification, and
Current Pediatric First Aid Certification
We require Pediatric CPR and Pediatric First Aid because it increases the knowledge that a provider will have to help the children they work with.
To find a Pediatric CPR and a Pediatric First Aid class in your community, contact your Child Care Resource Specialist by calling the Idaho CareLine
When registering for the class, be sure you tell the instructor that you need Pediatric CPR and Pediatric First Aid. You may also want to check with the instructor at the beginning of class to ensure that the training is for pediatric first aid or pediatric CPR. If the certificate that you receive at the completion of the course does not clearly state Pediatric, it will not meet the requirements for PDS. Also, ONLINE ONLY courses and cards are not able to be accepted.

13. Your Steps toward becoming a PDS Participant
Complete this PDS Online Orientation and Submit your Provider Information Form (later in this overview)
You will receive your PDS Packet from IdahoSTARS PDS Office via within 2 business days of us receiving the Provider Information Form
Complete required forms and return to the PDS Office
We are delighted that you are interested in becoming a participant in the Professional Development System. Processing time begins when we receive your completed application in our office. A completed application is the two page Initial Application filled out and signed with all supporting documentation. You will be notified by the PDS Office when all documents have been received and your application is processing.
Please call your local Child Care Resource Center Office for questions about the processing of your application materials.

14. Your Child Care Resource Center Offices
Contact Us!
Your Child Care Resource Center Offices
Regional Quality Child Care Consultants are available in each
local office by dialing:
2-1-1 or
Region 1
Hayden
Region 2
Lewiston
Region 3
Meridian
Region 7
Idaho Falls
You are always welcome to contact IdahoSTARS by calling the Idaho Careline and asking to speak to your local Child Care Resource Center.
Region 4
Meridian
Region 6
Pocatello
Region 5
Twin Falls

15. Thank you!
Following this video, the Provider Information Form will be available for you to complete. You will need to close this video to access the Provider Information Form
You must enter the required information and click submit to move forward in the PDS Online Orientation process
You must complete the process to become part of the PDS and be eligible for incentives
At the completion of the orientation, you will need to close out of the video in order to access the Provider Information Form. Once you have entered the required information, please click on the SUBMIT button to move forward with the Orientation process. If you have an address you will receive an automated confirming that you have completed this orientation. Within 2 business days of completing the PDS Online Orientation, you will receive a PDS enrollment packet.

16. We are excited to work with you!
Thank you for completing the PDS Online Orientation.
We look forward to working with you!

17. Provider Information Form
Name __________________________________
Physical Address _________________________
City, State, Zip____________________________
Address ___________________________
Employer _______________________________
[ ] SUBMIT
You MUST complete this form with all requested information AND click on the submit button to move to the next step in the PDS Initial Application process. Thank You!!
You will need to complete this form, as your name and contact information is necessary to send you the PDS Initial Packet. We require the following information:
Name:
Physical Street Address
City, State, and Zip Code
Address
Employer
You MUST complete this form with all requested information AND hit the submit button to move to the next step in the PDS Initial Application process.
After you’ve submitted this form, you will receive notification from IdahoSTARS acknowledging the completion of this online overview and verifying that your PDS Initial packet will be to you within two business days.
You will receive notification that your information has been received and information on your next step to complete the PDS Initial Application process