Professional Development (PD), also known as continuing education or training,  is designed to enhance an individual’s career and improve their professional knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness.

STARS (State Training and Registry System)  is a Washington State mandated training program for childcare providers. STARS is a career development system designed to improve childcare through ongoing training for early learning providers.

For anyone and everyone interested in further developing their knowledge in early childcare and education practices.

First and foremost, everything we do at BrightSpark is informed by our agency’s mission: “…To nurture and sustain child-centered, antiracist early learning communities.”

Child-centered: Our professional development offerings help you better support the growth and development of the children in your care.

Antiracist: Our agency highlights and challenges racist assumptions and practices that adversely impact many children so that, in partnership with you, we find ways to give every child an equitable start in life.

Our work is also informed by YOU!  We are committed to strong workforce development, engaging adults to meet the ever-changing needs of children, families and the communities they serve and support.

We strive to ensure that our professional development offerings meet community and individual needs, while aligning with the Washington State Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals.  These eight core competencies are utilized in planning all of our professional development offerings:

• “Define what early care and education professionals need to know and be able to do to provide quality care and education for children.
• Serve as the foundation for decisions and practices carried out by professionals in all early care and education settings.
• Establish a set of standards for early care and education settings that support the professionalism of the field.
• Are an integral part of a comprehensive professional development system.”

Specific competencies, and levels are identified, and form the basis for training content.

The Washington State Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals and the Core Competencies for School-Age Child Care and Expanded Learning Professionals can be found here (available in English, Spanish and Somali).

The early learning coaches at BrightSpark can help you implement what you learn in our professional development offerings and assist you in other ways as well. Our coaches practice Relationship Based coaching and you can share your specific needs with them. Please visit our Coaching page to learn more about our model and services.

Our partners include:

Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF)

DCYF is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children. Our vision is to ensure that Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally nurtured by family and community.

Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA of WA)

CCA of WA is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every child in Washington has access to high-quality care and early learning programs. Our commitment is to work alongside families, child care providers, caregivers, and communities to meet the diverse and specialized learning needs of every child in our state.