Additional Course to be Required for PQAS Certification

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development & Early Learning (OCDEL) recently adopted a new set of Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (PA PSCECE), which require an additional self-paced Professional Development (PD) Registry course for Professional Development Instructor Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) approval, beginning July 1.

The new course, “Submitting PQAS Courses in the PD Registry,” meets enhanced PSCECE standards.

Changes to PQAS Application Requirements

Currently, instructors seeking Professional Development Instructor PQAS approval must complete the following self-paced PD Registry courses:

  • Overview of Keystone STARS: Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)

  • Engaging Adult Learners

  • The Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators

On July 1, Pennsylvania will add “Submitting PQAS Courses in the PD Registry” to this list of required courses, as part of the PQAS application requirements for all new PD Instructor PQAS instructors.

PQAS-approved instructors who have already updated courses to align with PA PSCECE do not need take this additional course.

However, if you currently have PQAS approval, but have not submitted any courses since May 2022, you must complete the additional course prior to submitting any new courses into the PD Registry.

Learn More

To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.

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