Created in 2007 by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), The Pennsylvania Key implements the work and supports the policies developed and managed by OCDEL. Learn More. >
Created in 2007 by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), The Pennsylvania Key implements the work and supports the policies developed and managed by OCDEL. Learn More. >The Pennsylvania Key offers a comprehensive, statewide career development system for practitioners serving children and families in early childhood and school age programs including: child care; early Head Start and Head Start; Early Intervention; public school; and private academic school.
This system provides a clearly articulated framework that defines pathways which are tied to certification (leading to qualifications and credentials) and addresses the needs of individuals and adult learners. Elements of the Pennsylvania Keys to Professional Development system include: core knowledge competencies, qualifications and credentials, quality assurances, access, and outreach and funding.
The goal for building a professional development system is to create a quality improvement system in which all early childhood programs and practitioners are supported and encouraged to improve child outcomes. The Pennsylvania professional development system aims to strengthen early childhood and school-age programs through the development of a well-qualified, skilled, and diverse workforce.
Keystone STARS considers professional development (PD) as degree attainment/career pathway advancement and ongoing professional development. On-going PD includes training, technical assistance and coaching activities that support an individual’s or program’s continuous quality improvement. STARS PD is provided to ECE professionals with the goal of increasing knowledge, skill, and practice in their work with children and families. As a result, STARS PD will help programs achieve higher quality practices and help them achieve higher STAR levels. OCDEL funds PD aligned with CQI and the office’s priorities. Approved PD is available in the PD Registry. Quality Coaches can support programs in identifying PD that best fulfills the program’s CQI needs.
Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR trainings are provided by approved instructors who are also approved PQAS trainers for this content. The Regional ECE PDOs are responsible for confirming each instructor is approved in the PD Registry, offers an approved curriculum for Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CPR, and offer a training card or certificate that lists, at minimum, the participant’s name, full title of the offered course, and issued and expiration date.
The Program Quality Assessment (PQA) team offers a variety of professional development (PD) sessions to meet the needs of early childhood and school-age professionals. Sessions are created by the Program Quality Assessment team, in collaboration with Program Observation Instrument (POI) authors and publishers or are provided for use by the authors/publishers. All face to face and synchronous virtual sessions are offered by the PQA team and are instructed by the Program Quality Assessors.
