TECTA - Professional Development (2024)

The Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance (TECTA) providesFREE30-hours of Orientation DHS approved training to child care staff and administrators.TECTAOrientation is an academic gateway with a curriculum centered on professional core competencies. Research shows that quality early childhood education plays an important role in preparing children to enter school ready to learn. The key to quality programs is the preparation of personnel with whom young children spend a significant portion of their time. Participation isfreeto anyone employed in a DHS or DOE licensed program. Certificates of Completion are awarded to those who complete the Orientation training.

You are allowed to miss (2) Orientation classes; however, they must be completed with 18 months in order to receive your Certificate of Completion.

Participants may choose from the orientation specializations below:

• Administrator - Designed for directors, assistant directors, owners, program coordinators and other administrative staff
• Center-Based -Designed for early childhood professionals working with children ages 3 to 5 in child care centers
• Family Child Care -Designed for early childhood professionals working with children in a family or group home child care
• Infant/Toddler -Designed for early childhood professionals working with children ages birth to 2 years in child care center
• School-Age -Designed for early childhood professionals working with school-aged children in child care centers
• ACES Orientation ( Building Strong Brains) - Designed for early childhood professionals who have previously completed a TECTA orientation and /or successfully completed 2+hours academic coursework. In this advanced orientation you will learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences and how it relates to brain development, toxic stress, and physical/mental health.
• Literacy30: Books and Beyond Online Workshop- Self-Guided - This course is hosted by TECTA @ Chattanooga State Community College. Visit www.tecta.info for registration information.

ONLINE ORIENTATION HELPS

.What does it mean?

As a high school student you have your choice of electives. The Early Childhood Education Careers elective has two components: ECEC I and II. If you choose this elective and complete both of these courses with a grade of ‘B’ or above then you are eligible to receive a certificate fromTECTAthat confirms that you also meet the standards of theTECTACenter-Based Orientation class.
Normally individuals must complete the 30-hour Orientation class while working in a licensed child care program to receive theirTECTACertificate of Completion. But, because the ECE Careers classes contain an amount of information and training equivalent to the Center-Based Orientation class you qualify to receive aTECTACertificate of Completion after completing ECEC I and II with a ‘B’ or above. This means that you are eligible for tuition support fromTECTAfor college coursework in the field of Early Childhood Education beginning your first year of college at any of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) community colleges and universities.
To apply send a completedTECTACenter-Based Orientation/ECE Careers I & II Application with a copy of your high school transcript to:

Attn: Mrs. Lisa Walsh
Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance
Tennessee State University
3500 John A. Merritt Blvd, Box 9500
Nashville, TN 37209
Fax: 615-277-1686
Phone: 615-277-1687

Click on the link to download the HSE Application .

Tennessee Child Care Online Training System powered by ProSolutions

The Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards (TN-ELDS) is an online training which is designed to provide an introduction to and exploration of the TN-ELDS in order to meet the TN Department of Human Services required training on developmental learning for infants, toddlers, and pre-school age children.
To access the TN-ELDS e-learning portal, visitwww.tnelds-training.com. Certificates for Training are issued after successfully completing each module. These certificates are recognized by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) as training hours for all staff employed in licensed child care facilities

The Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance can help you move toward completing an Early Childhood Degree. Financial support is made possible through funding from the Tennessee Department of Human Services to Tennessee State University for the operation of the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance ( TECTA) Program.

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