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Grants Available from Department of Workforce Development
More than one million jobs must be filled in Indiana over the next 10 years. To help Hoosier employers fill these jobs, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) created the Employer Training Grant. The grant reimburses employers who train, hire, and retain new or incumbent workers to fill in-demand positions within recognized job fields. The Employer Training Grant will reimburse employers up to $5,000 for each employee trained, hired, and retained for six months, up to $50,000 per employer.
The Department of Workforce Development would like to learn more about Early Childhood Education. Join their upcoming Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on September 17 to share your insight on trends and validate industry data.
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Join the Go NAPSACC Collaborative for ECE Leaders
Receive a Lakeshore® materials kit and earn six training clock hours for your program by joining the upcoming Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding Go NAPSACC Collaborative with SPARK Learning Lab.
The collaborative will include:
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Action periods: Explore the practical application of strategies using the Go NAPSACC tool to assess current practices, educate staff, and implement changes to promote healthy habits.
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Learning sessions: Engage in discussions and activities centered around the Go NAPSACC online tool's learning modules.
Space is limited. Complete an interest form to join this collaborative learning opportunity with ECE program leaders and learn how to foster healthy habits in early childhood settings.
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Discover Key Takeaways from OECOSL's Town Halls
Indiana's Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) recently hosted informational town halls for providers to learn more about key system updates and recent changes to support the early child care and education system. Thank you to those who participated. A recording of the town halls is available here.
Key topics discussed in the town halls include:
- Expanded eligibility to child care assistance for employees of licensed or regulated child care programs
- On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) eligibility for public schools
- Indiana Student Performance Readiness and Observation of Understanding Tool (ISPROUT) updates
- Pay by Enrollment updates
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Follow Important Pay by Enrollment Updates
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You are required to report any changes in your vouchers to the eligibility office on a weekly basis. Please include the last day the child attended. These requests cannot be processed without that information.
- Eligibility offices can only make changes to future vouchers. Any adjustments needed for current or past vouchers will take longer to complete. Please be patient.
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Include your license number and provide the full names for any children you mention when contacting the State or your eligibility office. This will greatly improve the processing time for your requests.
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If you submitted attendance and believe there is an error with your payment (or you were overpaid for children who are no longer enrolled), it is your responsibility to reach out to paymentquestions@fssa.in.gov as soon as possible.
- Payments will be held if a provider misses two submission periods in a row. You must submit all missing periods before you submit the most recent one. All payments will be released and paid on the next payment date.
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You are not required to submit attendance through a Child Care Management System (CCMS). You can choose how you want to submit attendance, and this can be changed at any time in the future. You cannot change your data entry method for a past date.
- Providers now have 16 paid closures per calendar year for any closure reason, including federal holidays. All paid closures should be used before entering a non-paid closure.
Get Pay by Enrollment Assistance
If you have questions about Pay by Enrollment, get answers and individual support by joining the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) and the SPARK Help Desk for office hours:
Contact the SPARK Help Desk for more support by calling 1-800-299-1627.
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Get Training, Career Coaching, and Support Through INAEYC
Gain provider coaching, program support, and professional development through the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC). These opportunities include:
INAEYC Non-Formal CDA Project: INAEYC is offering Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential courses through the Indiana Non-Formal CDA Project. These courses are free for recipients, thanks to funding from The Child Care Development Fund and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). INAEYC is recruiting providers that work in the following counties with openings:
- Monroe and surrounding counties
- Parke and surrounding counties
- Jennings and surrounding counties
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Washington, Scott, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, and Crawford counties
To learn about eligibility requirements, visit Indiana Non-Formal CDA Project. If you are interested in applying or want more information, email pd@inaeyc.org.
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, September 11. Register for the webinar.
Career Coaching and Training Opportunities:
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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 contact a Workforce Coordinator to explore career coaching opportunities.
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Learn how to become a Professional Development Trainer or Approved Training Organization in Indiana, register to join the orientation on Thursday, September 12.
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Take the Professional Development (PD) Needs Survey
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Share your valuable feedback by taking the 2024 Professional Development (PD) Needs Assessment survey. The survey takes 15-20-minutes to complete.
Tell us what types of training, coaching, or resources you need, and you'll be entered to win an 11-inch tablet from the TECH Connect program by SPARK Learning Lab.
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Responda a la encuesta y participe para ganar una tableta
La encuesta de evaluación de las necesidades de desarrollo profesional (DP) de 2024 ya está activa. Esta es su oportunidad de aportar su valiosa opinión sobre los tipos de formación, apoyo/entrenamiento y recursos que necesita, especialmente en el ámbito empresarial y tecnológico.
Al completar la encuesta de 15 a 20 minutos de duración, su nombre también entrará en el sorteo de una tableta de 11 pulgadas del programa TECH Connect de SPARK Learning Lab.
Get On-Demand Tech Training Through Northstar
- Essential computer skills
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Essential software skills
- Daily technology use
Access to Northstar Digital Literacy is free, and modules can be completed on your own time. For additional assistance, contact the SPARK Learning Lab Business Department at BusinessSupport@indianaspark.com.
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Receive Support from the SPARK Help Desk
With so many opportunities offered through SPARK Learning Lab, it can be a challenge to figure out what's best for your program. Allow the SPARK Help Desk to help you!
The Help Desk is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET every Friday. Use the SPARK Help Desk to chat with real people, in real time who can quickly evaluate and answer your questions. If the SPARK team doesn’t have an answer, they can connect you with another ECE partner.
Here are three ways to get in touch with the SPARK Help Desk:
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Train with SPARK Learning Lab
Explore valuable training opportunities through SPARK Learning Lab. See a full list of upcoming in-person trainings, live webinars, and live resources, plus read training descriptions and find registration instructions at IndianaSpark.com/training.
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