My Professional Development
Professional Development can mean attending conferences, training events, college classes or earning Registry Credentials and various college or university degrees. Get started today!
Using the Registry Statewide Training Calendar
There are many ways to grow professionally and develop skills. As a professional that works with children, taking advantage of these opportunities is necessary. Becoming a better provider means providing better care for the children of Wisconsin. Professional Development can mean attending conferences, training events, college classes, or earning Registry Credentials and various college or university degrees.
To ensure Wisconsin’s Early Childhood Care and Afterschool Education workforce has access to quality professional development opportunities, the Wisconsin Registry developed the Professional Development Approval System (PDAS). Through this system, the Wisconsin Registry reviews both trainers and training events.
The Registry Statewide Training Calendar is a digital bulletin board to find training events offered by Trainers and Training Sponsor Organizations that are reviewed by the Wisconsin Registry.
Types of Training
There are two types of training reviewed and approved by the Wisconsin Registry – Registered Training and Tiered Training. While the hours completed for both types of training count towards required continuing education needed each year, there are some differences to know:
Registered Training:
- Approval: The training is approved on the title and description.
- Trainer: The trainer may not be approved by the Wisconsin Registry.
- Attendance: The trainer or training sponsor organization is not required to submit attendance to the Wisconsin Registry. You may receive a attendance certificate to submit to the Wisconsin Registry at the time of your membership / membership renewal.
Tiered Training (There are 4 training tiers):
- Tiers 1-3: Offered by a Registry approved trainer / specialist
- Tier 4: Credit-based training offered only through institutions of higher education.
- Attendance: The trainer / training sponsor organization is required to submit attendance to the Wisconsin Registry.
- Accumulation of tiered training can move an individual up on the Registry Career Levels.
Featured Resources
Professional Development Planning
The Wisconsin Registry has partnered with WECA to offer the Professional Development Plan tool within a personal profile. This tool allows individuals to plan out goals for their professional development as well as have access to a WECA Professional Development Counselor. It is a free tool available to those with a Wisconsin Registry account.
Registry Credentials
Registry Credentials combine cutting-edge learning with the latest in research and techniques. These credit-based programs are focused on job specific skills so students can apply the practical knowledge they’ve learned to their current positions. Registry Credentials are a stepping stone to advancement for any aspect of the early care and education field. Accredited technical colleges and universities located throughout state of Wisconsin offer credential coursework.
Each professional credential has the following common elements:
- Credit based – (12-18 credits per credential) and taught by a professional educator through an institution of higher education.
- A sequence of 4-6 specific courses, which build upon one another, requiring students to apply what they’ve learned in previous courses.
- Culminates in a Capstone Course and the development of a final project or portfolio.
- Concludes with a Registry Commission where the credential candidate demonstrates to a Registry Commissioner the new knowledge and skills they have learned.
- Developed, approved, and awarded by the Wisconsin Registry.
Child Care Foundational Training
Early Childhood Pathway
The non−credit courses approved by the Department of Children and Families to meet the entry level training requirements for a child care teacher are Introduction to the Child Care Profession and Skills and Strategies for the Child Care Teacher. Training Sponsor Organizations offering the entry level courses include:
- 4-C Madison
- 4C for Children
- Acelero
- Child Care Matters Network
- Childcaring
- Child Care Resource & Referral
- The Early Education Station
- Family Connections
- Family and Childcare Resources of N.E.W.
- Madison Area Technical College
- Miracle’s Training Center
- Networx LLC
- Northwest Connection Family Resources
- Northwood Technical College
- The Parenting Place
- Western Dairyland Child Care Partnership
- Work & Family Consulting
School Age Pathway
The non-credit courses approved by the Department of Children and Families for School Age only positions include Introduction to the School Age Care Profession and Skills and Strategies for the School Age Care Teacher. Training Sponsor Organizations offering the entry level courses include:
Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Courses
Wisconsin high schools can apply to offer Department of Public Instruction coursework that meets the preservice requirements for Teacher and Center Director (50 or fewer children).
The programs offered include:
- The Assistant Child Care Teacher Program (ACCT)
- The Infant & Toddler Program (I&T)
- The Wisconsin Cooperative Education Skill Standards Certificate Program for Child Services (Co-op: Child Services) or the Child Care Teacher Program (CCT)
Featured Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How is credit-based training verified through the Wisconsin Registry?
All training from higher education must be verified by an official transcript before the credits or CEUs can be added to a member’s account. The Wisconsin Registry will only accept official transcripts from accredited colleges or universities. Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Wisconsin Registry in an unopened, originally sealed envelope or by secure email from the institution of higher education.
Official transcripts are reviewed by the Director of Operations or Coordinators to determine what courses will be verified on a member’s account. Related coursework is determined by the regulations set by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Credit-based training is searchable on our statewide training calendar. Search for training on the Statewide Training Calendar.
Q2. What are related credits and degrees?
Related degrees will be in education and are most related to the field of early care and education.
Early childhood specific degrees include:
- Early childhood education
- Child development
Related degrees include:
- Elementary education
- Community engagement & education
- Instructional Assistant
- Child Guidance
- Any degree in the school of education or with education in the degree title
School age related degrees are degrees in a field of study that are most related to working with school age youth. Examples include:
- Social work
- Coaching
- Juvenile justice
- Recreation
Related Credits are courses specific to the field of early care and education. This encompasses courses within the Early Childhood Education major and Elementary Education major. Other subjects such as foreign language, finance, marketing, etc. will also count as related credit.
General education courses such as psychology, sociology, or humanities are not considered specific enough to the field to be counted.