Trainings for Early Childhood Educators

FREE Online Trainings

Below is a list of organizations that offer certificates after completing the training/webinar.

Self-paced

California Early Childhood Online (CECO) – 40 hours offered. Self-paced. Note: Mandated Reporter training in CECO will not count toward a stipend.
Family Engagement Toolkit – 2 Modules. Self-paced.
The Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework – earn 14 hours. Self-paced.
Helping Parents to Feed Well so Children Can Eat Well – earn 2 hours. Self-paced.
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars – Earn a certificate by attending in real time or viewing a recording.
edWeb – Earn a certificate by attending in real time or viewing an edWebinar. Must be ECE related edwebinars.
NAEYC webinars archive: 3 trainings (Must have or create NAEYC account to access).
Part 1 Early Childhood Leaders Managing the Stress of Working in Response to COVID-19 – Upon completing the webinar, complete this survey to receive your certificate of completion (with hours).
Part 2 Emergency Response Strategies to Support Young Children and Families during COVID-19– Upon completing the webinar, complete this survey to receive your certificate of completion (with hours).
Strategies 2.0 – Trauma Informed Care, Family Strengthening Essentials, or Foundations for Practice. Self-paced.

Low Cost Online Trainings

Expand for Entire List of Approved Trainings for Quality Matters

Please check with each organization to learn about trainings offered in your area. Be sure to find out how many hours are offered for each training. Not every training on this list is currently available.

If you do not see a training listed and wish to have a training approved, please complete this form.

Trainings Offered By Local Partners

Each link will take you to the organization’s training page

Any Quality Matters, consortium meetings, orientations, or workshop hosted by WestEd E3 Institute or FIRST 5 Santa Clara County will also be accepted for the 21 hours of PD. This includes any technical assistance training provided by WestEd Quality Improvement Coordinators. In addition Santa Clara County Local Early Education Planning Council meetings are also accepted.

Please note trainings offered by WestEd E3 Institute will count as double hours for the Quality Matters Stipend Program and for the QRIS rating. This will be noted on your training certificate.

Early Childhood Conferences that are conducted by nationally and regionally recognized early childhood organizations or training groups such as:

National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Reggio Emilia Alliance
Zero to Three
Peninsula Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC)
California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAEYC)
Painting the Future Conference – Pacific Oaks College
Inclusion Collaborative State Conference – Santa Clara County Office of Education

Common Organizations or Trainings
Below is a list of approved training that satisfy the 21-hour requirement.

California Collaborative on the Social and Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (CA CSEFEL)
California Early Childhood Online (CECO)
California Early Childhood Mentor Program – Mentor Seminars and Director Mentor Institutes only
California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN)
CCDAA Training and Meetings
Developmental Screening Using Ages and Stages (FIRST 5 Community of Learning Calendar)
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars – Earn a certificate by attending in real time or viewing a recording.
edWeb – Earn a certificate by attending in real time or viewing an edWebinar. Must be ECE related edwebinars.
Educare Professional Development Institute
Family Child Care At Its Best
Learning Genie Training and Webinars
Local Planning Council meetings
Outdoor Classroom Project Training
Pre-K Glad (Orange County Office of Education)
Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC)
Quality Assist Inc. Trainings (online)
SEEDS of Early Literacy
Sobrato Early Academic Language Model
Teaching Pyramid
Teaching Strategies Training
Teachstone (i.e., myTeachstone, CLASS trainings)
The Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework (National Alliance of Children’s Trust & Prevention Funds)
Transforming Challenging Behaviors

If you do not see a training listed and wish to have a training approved, please complete this form.

Trainings Offered by Individuals

Holly Elissa Bruno
Shalek Chappill-Nichols
SEEDS of Early Literacy (Kidango only)
Julie Kurtz

Note that ECE/CD college coursework can also be used to satisfy the 21-hour requirement. Hours are calculated using the following conversion: 1 semester unit = 15 hours; 1 quarter unit = 10 hours.

Professional Development that satisfies the 21-hour PD requirement should:

Offer education and training that is beyond a teacher or director’s job requirements.
Enhance the teacher’s direct work in supporting children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, and/or enhance the director’s skill in supervision, management, and administration.
Enhance teachers’ and directors’ understanding of QRIS.
Be conducted through college coursework or by an individual certified in the tool or subject in which he or she is offering training. Hours spent in training activities should be documented through certificates issued by the trainer or training organization.