Bright from the Start considers training an integral part of each program it administers. Considerable resources are dedicated annually to professional development because of the positive impact training has on the quality of services provided to Georgia's children and families.

Child Care Services Training Requirements:
During the first year of employment child care professionals (Child Care Learning Centers and Group Day Care Homes) must complete 4 hours of training in disease and injury control, 2 hours of training in abuse and neglect detection and four hours in child development/age appropriate activities training. Family care professionals (FDCH) must complete 20 hours of specifically denoted training prior to obtaining their initial Registration. Every year after the initial year, each professional (CCLC, GDCH and FDCH) is required to successfully complete ten (10) hours annually of approved training through an approved trainer.

STATE APPROVED TRAINING AND THE STATE TRAINING APPROVAL SYSTEM
There is a variety of training available to early child care practitioners in Georgia. If you operate a licensed daycare center, group home, or family day care home, you are probably very familiar with state approved training that is required yearly. Click Here if:

• You are a child care professional and would like to search for trainings that meet state licensing requirements;
• You are reviewing training programs to obtain your Child Development Associate (CDA) and want to use a Georgia Approved Trainer/Training;
• You are a Bright from the Start child care licensing consultant and would like to verify state approved training.

The online process to become a state approved trainer to deliver state approved training can also be accessed via http://www.training.decal.ga.gov.

Pre-K Teachers (Lead and Assistant):
Having appropriately trained staff is a priority for Georgia's Pre-K Program. The consistent delivery of high quality prekindergarten services is contingent on providing personnel with regular, high-quality training. Training is provided not just to classroom teachers but also to Pre-K Project Directors, Site Directors, Principals, Superintendents, and Resource Coordinators.

Lead teachers and teacher assistants are trained in curricula and effective strategies and practices for working with Pre-K students. Project Directors, Site Directors, Principals, and Superintendents are trained in topics relating to effective management and educational support. High quality training keeps Pre-K personnel on the cutting edge of early childhood education.

Georgia State Best Practices
Go to http://bestpractices.gsu.edu to access online modules.

TRAINING FOR STATE FUNDED PRE-K PROGRAMS ONLY
This training is only available to Pre-K lead teachers, assistant teachers, directors and resource coordinators who are employed in a Pre-K program that is state funded.

Registering for State-Funded Pre-K Training
PANDA (Pre-K Application and Database Access) users may register for training on-line by going to the following website: Training Registration. Pre-K staff should attend ONE type of training per school year. Registration confirmation will be sent via e-mail.

To help you plan your training click here.

1. The guidelines relating to training for Georgia's Pre-K personnel are found in Section 14: Professional Development of the current school year Pre-K Providers' Operating Guidelines.
2. ALL Pre-K staff must attend a Bright from the Start sponsored Pre-K training during the school year.
3. TRAINING CERTIFICATES: Certificates to verify attendance at Director training, Resource Coordinator training, New Teacher Institute, and Returning Lead and Assistant Training are given out at the end of each training session. Training hours will be reflected on each certificate. In order to receive a certificate, participants must remain at the training site until the end of the training session. Under no circumstances will certificates be given early.
4. Carefully review the dates of each session of a particular training series to ensure there is no school calendar conflict. Remember if you register for a multiple-day training, you must attend all days in order to receive credit. Check your calendar carefully to ensure you can attend all days before registering.
5. Bright from the Start does not serve food or beverages at training. Be prepared to purchase drinks and/or snacks at the training venue. Also, many training venues charge for parking, so be prepared!
6. Bring a lightweight sweater or jacket to training. Many training venues keep the rooms cool, and Bright from the Start trainers cannot always adjust room temperature.
7. Providers using a Bright from the Start approved, locally developed curriculum must, by September 1, 2008, submit a staff development plan to the Assistant Commissioner for Pre-K for approval. This staff development plan will help determine compliance with the lead and assistant teacher training requirement. New Pre-K lead teachers in programs using an approved, locally developed curriculum must also attend the New Teacher Institute.
8. Remember that Project and Site Director training is offered only in the FALL. Attendance is mandatory. School system personnel must participate in one of the training options available to principals to meet the training requirement.
9. REMINDER: A $50 no-show fee is charged to providers for participants who fail to report for training; for participants who fail to complete ALL required days of training; and for participants who attend more than ONE Pre-K training per year.

To not be charged the $50 no-show or duplicate training fee, the Pre-K program provider must cancel or modify the training registration in writing (fax or e-mail) at least one (1) business day before the training begins. Registration may be cancelled or modified online or by calling the registration center at 404-463-4109. The $50 no-show or duplicate training fee for each participant will be deducted from the next Pre-K payment.