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DATE:
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January 20, 2026
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TO:
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Licensed Child Day Centers, Religious Exempt Child Day Centers, Unlicensed Center-Based Subsidy Providers
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FROM:
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Jeffrey S. Williams, Assistant Superintendent, Child Care Health and Safety
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SUBJECT:
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Virginia Preservice Training – Center-Based, School-Age Track Available
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This memo is to inform providers that updates to the Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff will become available to providers in two phases; the first beginning on February 2, 2026. The training has been separated into age-appropriate categories, as required by House Bill 1024, which passed in the 2024 General Assembly. Provider input for these courses was gathered through listening sessions in summer/fall of 2024 and feedback surveys listed in the Readiness Connections newsletter.
The updated preservice training now includes the following required courses:
- a foundations course for all staff (regardless of program type or age of children in care), and
- program and age specific courses (which will be based on the type of program a staff person works in and the ages of child with whom the staff person works).
The release of the foundations course and a center-based school-age course will be available on February 2, 2026. New staff who will only be working in a center with school-age children can begin taking these courses to meet the requirements for preservice training. The 10-hour preservice training will remain available for all other new staff who will be providing care in a family day home setting or care for children birth to five in a center. Age and program specific courses for these staff will be released on May 1, 2026. More information as well as links to the course registration page can be found on the Training and Professional Development | Child Care VA webpage on February 2, 2026.
Courses available on February 2, 2026:
• Virginia Preservice: Foundations (All Child Care Staff); 3 hours
• Virginia Preservice: Child Day Center (School-Age Care); 1.5 hours
Courses available on May 1, 2026:
• Virginia Preservice: Child Day Center (Birth to Five Care); 3 hours
• Virginia Preservice: Family Day Home Care; 3 hours
*Until these courses are available, new staff working in a family day home setting or in a center with children birth to five must continue to take the current 10-hour preservice training.
If you have any questions after reading this memo, please email childcarelicensing@doe.virginia.gov.
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