Join Indiana's Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) for one of two town halls on August 26. Learn about key system updates and recent changes to support the early child care and education system.  

These town halls will cover updates on changes resulting from the 2024 Indiana legislative session, including expanding CCDF to employees of licensed or regulated child care programs. Speakers will also share regulatory updates and the Indiana Student Performance Readiness and Observation of Understanding Tool (ISPROUT), a part of the pilot early learning assessment system from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE).

For this webinar, OECOSL Director Courtney Penn will be joined by Indiana Department of Education's Office of Kindergarten Readiness Director Dr. Kelli Servizzi. Town halls will be recorded and shared afterward. Register for one of the below sessions:

• August 26 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. ET | Register Here
• August 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. ET | Register Here

If you are a provider with active vouchers, be sure to complete the following: 

• The first payment from Tyler Technologies will be deposited on Thursday, August 15 for all providers that submitted attendance for the July 14-27 period. Payment details can be found in the portal within the Rapid Financial Solutions tile starting on Wednesday, August 14.
• Register with the new payment vendor and submit banking information in the new payment portal. You will not receive payment without completing this step. 
• If you are a provider with active vouchers as of July 14, and you did not register your banking information in the new provider portal then you will not receive a payment on Thursday, August 15. It will be held by Tyler Technologies until you have registered your banking information. If this is done before August 24, then your first payment will be on August 29.
• If you have late attendance before July 13 that was not entered in the EPPIC system, you can submit an appeal for payment consideration before Friday, August 16. Please request an appeal form at paymentquestions@fssa.in.gov.
• You MUST keep a backup attendance method (Child Care Management System (CCMS), electronic tracking, or paper sign in sheets with parent signature) for up to 3 years in addition to submitting absences in the provider portal.    

For additional assistance, please reach out to the SPARK Help Desk at 1-800-299-1627. 

The Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC) has several ongoing opportunities for provider coaching, program support, and professional development. These opportunities include:  

INAEYC Self-Paced CDA Training and Scholarship: Applications are now available for the INAEYC Self-Paced CDA Training pilot and a new scholarship opportunity to pay for it. Scholarships will be offered to 50 participants, with priority given to support family child care owners and operators to fulfill their education waiver agreements with Indiana licensing. Auspices and early educators can access the application packet and review information on INAEYC's CDA navigation webpage. For more information, connect with CDA Navigators Pam Richa’rd (prichard@inaeyc.org) and Charlotte McCall (cmccall@inaeyc.org). 

Career Coaching and Approved Trainer Opportunities: Program leaders who want extra support to implement professional development plans with staff, pursue higher education, or take the next step in their careers can reach out to a Workforce Coordinator to explore career coaching opportunities. Learn more by joining Workforce Wednesday Career Coaching Opportunities Webinars on August 14 or 28. Learn how to become a Professional Development Trainer or Approved Training Organization in Indiana by registering to join an orientation session. 

Indiana Educator Job Board Help with NIMBLE: Have questions about using the Indiana Educator Job Board to post job openings? Join Dr. Kristin Trostel and Matt Scholfield from NIMBLE for open office hours from 12 to 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 14. Register for the webinar.

Help shape the future of professional development in early childhood education and care by taking the 2024 Professional Development (PD) Needs Assessment survey. The Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning (OECOSL) and SPARK Learning Lab are launching the survey on August 20.

The survey gathers insights from early care and education (ECE) program leaders, program teachers, caregiving staff, and ECE system partners to understand the current needs in business and technology. 

Your feedback will help us prioritize training, coaching, and resources to ensure we address the most pressing needs and preferences in professional development and networking opportunities in 2025. 

Save the date to make your voice heard. 

Reserva la fecha para la evaluación de Necesidades de Desarrollo Profesional (PD) 2024

Nos complace anunciar que la Oficina de la Primera Infancia y el Aprendizaje Fuera del Horario Escolar (OECOSL) y SPARK Learning Lab están lanzando la encuesta de Evaluación de Necesidades de Desarrollo Profesional (PD) 2024. ¡Esta es tu oportunidad de moldear el futuro del desarrollo profesional en la educación y el cuidado de la primera infancia! Fecha de apertura de la encuesta: Martes, 20 de agosto de 2024 

La encuesta recopilará opiniones de líderes de programas de educación y cuidado infantil (ECE), maestros de programas, personal de cuidado y socios del sistema ECE para entender las necesidades actuales en negocios y tecnología. 

Tus comentarios nos ayudarán a priorizar la capacitación, el entrenamiento y los recursos, asegurando que atendamos las necesidades y preferencias más importantes en cuanto al desarrollo profesional y las redes de apoyo en 2025. 

¡Reserva la fecha! Asegúrate de participar y hacer escuchar tu voz.  

Sharpen your digital literacy skills with a learner account through Northstar Digital Literacy. SPARK is partnering with Northstar to offer no-cost self-guided modules and online assessments. 

This opportunity covers a variety of topics, from Excel basics to navigating Telehealth appointments. The best part? You can complete these assessments anytime, anywhere. 

Children under six years of age are the most vulnerable to lead poisoning, but a quick and simple test can help families determine if children show signs of lead exposure. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) is offering free lead testing for your program, with results in just 10 minutes. 

If you're interested in partnering with the IDOH to bring lead testing to your early childhood program, call 317-233-1296 or complete this form. Schedule testing around drop-off or pick-up times to facilitate parental involvement.    

Take advantage of this opportunity to promote health and safety for the children in your care. Have questions? Contact the SPARK Help Desk via phone 1-800-299-1627, email help@indianaspark.com, or chat with an expert on IndianaSpark.com.