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 and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has implemented a system for approving individuals and organizations who provide professional development to early childhood and school-age professionals in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) maintains a registry of approved Professional Development Instructors to help ensure that professional development activities meet quality standards.
Current Approved PQAS Instructors and Professional Learning Organizations (PLOs) can find PD Registry tipsheets and more at pakeys.org/pdregistry/instructor-resources.
Before starting the online application, review the Individual PQAS Requirements for a complete list of required items for your PQAS application.
Prospective PQAS applicants need an account in Pennsylvania’s Professional Development (PD) Registry (papdregistry.org) to complete the application process. It is free to create an account. Learn how. >
Once ready to apply:
NOTE: Faculty Instructor approval and Standardized Professional Development Instructor approval including First Aid/CPR, Fire Safety, and Water Safety— After you submit your PQAS application, the system will request payment, please skip this by clicking Return to My Profile. The fee will be waived when your application is processed.
PQAS Application will be processed in the order they are received. First Aid/CPR PQAS applications will be processed within 30 days of a completed application. All other PQAS applications will be processed within 90 days of a completed application. Once processed, you will receive an email with your next steps. We appreciate your attention to these details and look forward to processing your application. If you have any questions, please email us at pqas@pakeys.org.
Any Instructor who wants to deliver professional development to early childhood or school-age professionals, should apply for PQAS approval.
| Individual Application Types | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| Faculty Instructors* | $0 |
| Professional Development Instructor | $100 |
|
Standardized Professional Development Instructor
|
$0 |
| Professional Development eLearning Instructor | $100 |
| Renewal: Professional Development Instructor | $50 |
| Renewal: Professional Development eLearning Instructor | $50 |
*After you submit your PQAS application it will request payment, skip this by clicking on any tab or exiting your screen. If you do pay the application fee, it will be refunded when your application is processed.
Organizations must meet one of the requirements below.
| Organization Application Types | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| Organizational PQAS | $100 |
| Organizational PQAS-Act 48 | $100 |
| Organizational PQAS-Higher Ed. | $0 |
| Renewal: Organizational PQAS | $50 |
| Renewal: Organizational PQAS-Act 48 | $50 |
| Renewal: Organizational PQAS-Higher Ed. | $0 |
The approval will be valid for a five-year term, after which time the organization will need to update their materials as needed and renew their approval.
| Organization Application Types | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| National eLearning Organizational PQAS | $750 |
| Renewal: National eLearning Organizational PQAS | $500 |
Special Event/Conference approval is required for individuals who do not have their individual PQAS approval. This application may be used for instructors who aren’t PQAS approved. Individuals who have let their PQAS expire or have been denied, will not qualify for a temporary approval. If your Special Event/Conference is using all PQAS approved instructors, a Special Event/Conference application is not needed.
Applications should be submitted by an approved Professional Development Instructor or an approved PQAS Organization. Application must be submitted within 60 days of the conference/event.
Upon approval, a notice will be sent to the contact person listed below via email. It is the responsibility of the contact person to submit the conference for course approval in the PD Registry. Once the event has occurred, you will have two weeks to complete all necessary documentation in the system. For coding purposes, more information about Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
Some exclusions apply to Special Event PQAS approval including, but not limited to, the Specialty Discipline topics of: Fire Safety, Pediatric First Aid/CPR, Water Safety, and Mandated Reporting. These topics may be included in a Special Event if the instructor is individually PQAS approved for that topic. College courses do not qualify for Special Event PQAS.
When you submit your special event/conference application via email to pqas@pakeys.org, you will automatically receive a response that we have received your email. You will receive notification via email once your special event/conference application is approved or if we need additional information.
Subject Line: Special Event/Conference Application and additional documentation should be submitted to pqas@pakeys.org.
These courses are located in the PD Registry. To register for the required courses, login to your PD Registry account and click on Search Training Events within the left hand menu. Enter in the title within the Course Title section and click Search.
This series is designed to help you develop strategies to demonstrate cultural competence when providing professional development and build an environment that supports and encourages discussion about cultural and linguistic similarities and differences.
pqas@pakeys.org
1-800-284-6031