AB212 Professional Development Program and Services for State-funded Child Development Programs in Contra Costa County

The AB212 Professional Development Program (PDP) supports continuing education, professional growth and development, and leadership development for employees working at state-funded child development programs in Contra Costa County.

Funding for the AB212 PDP comes from the California Department of Education, Child Development Division with the intent to assist counties in improving the retention of qualified child care employees who provide state-subsidized child care services to children 12 years of age and under.

The AB212 PDP has two distinct components that strive to encourage professional development to advance individuals in their academic and career goals while promoting team work and collaboration in the workplace setting.

The AB212 PDP has two distinct components that strive to encourage professional development to advance individuals in their academic and career goals while promoting team work and collaboration in the workplace setting.

Our AB212 PDP is committed to increasing the quality of education services for young children by supporting and nurturing a professional Early Care and Education workforce.

Since 2001, the AB212 funds have been used to leverage other funding by partnering with First 5 Contra Costa, the Community Colleges, and the Contra Costa Child Care Council to extend the benefits to Early Childhood Educators employed in state-funded programs.

Who is eligible?

• The AB212 PDP for state-funded educators requires the following eligibility requirements be met:
• Employed in a licensed state-funded child care facility
• Work directly with children ages 0-12 years who receive state-subsidized child care services
• Employed 15 hours a week or more with the same state-funded child care employer for nine (9) months preceding a stipend request
• Intend to continue working at the same facility

For more information, contact the AB212 PDP staff:
Ruth Fernández, Manager Educational Services (925) 942-3413, or rfernandez@cccoe.k12.ca.us
Terrissa Hein, Education Liaison, (925) 753-5415, or thein@cccoe.k12.ca.us

AB212 Professional Development Program and Services for State-funded Child Development Programs in Contra Costa County

COMPONENT I: Individual Professional Growth and Development

The AB212 PDP recognizes that professional growth and development is an individual journey. This journey begins with your decision and commitment to lifelong learning. Participation in the AB212 PDP is voluntary.

Program Goals

• Provide on-going and relevant professional development opportunities for early care and education (ECE) professionals.
• Mobilize resources and information in the early care and education field through the development and nurturing of cross-agency partnership and collaborations.
• Connect ECE professionals with local agencies, professional associations, educational institutions and resources that contribute to their professional growth and development.

Program Benefits

• Program participants have access to customized resources, instructional tools, technology, and professional development events and activities that support career and education advancement.
• Professional development and training opportunities are provided at no cost.
• Individualized advising and coaching services to obtain/renew/upgrade California Child Development Permits. Click here to download appointment request form.
• Financial stipends and incentives.
• Support processing child development permits and a Temporary County Certificate issued by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, Credentialing Unit upon request.

Program Eligibility

If you are interested in participating in the AB212 PDP, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Employed in a licensed state-funded child care facility in Contra Costa County
• Work directly with children ages 0-12 years who receive state-subsidized child care services
  
• Employed 15 hours a week or more with the same state-funded child care employer for nine (9) months preceding a stipend request
• Intend to continue working at the same facility

Program Participation Requirements

1. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT - For 2011-12 ALL AB212 participants are required to complete (after July 1, 2011) three (3) units of general education or early childhood/child development toward permit or degree, as documented on transcript with grade of C or better. Coursework planned must be completed prior to May 31, 2012 to be considered for any incentives.
2. QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN - All AB212 participants are required to:

• review an area of need from the most recent Desired Results Program Action Plan completed at their program,
• develop a Quality Improvement Plan for the newly identified need,
• complete action steps from the approved Quality Improvement Plan, and
• write a summary of activities and reflections on professional growth achieved through the plan. Contact your AB212 PDP Representative for more information, if needed. Click here to download program requirements chart.

Application Process

All participants are required to complete a new AB212 Application and Planning Tool form even if no information has changed. Applications must be submitted by November 15, 2011 for eligibility for funding in 2011-2012. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

An AB212 PDP representative will sign the Application and Planning Tool form after it is reviewed and approved. Changes or modifications to your Application and Planning Tool form need to be approved before implementation.

Important Dates to Remember

November 15, 2011	Application and Planning Tool form (must be received on or before)
April 15, 2012	Quality Improvement Project Reflection Summary form (must be received on or before)
June 01, 2012	Educational Requirement completed (must be received on or before with copy of transcript with grade C or better) Request for Annual Participation Incentive form and all incentives (must be received on or before). All supporting documents must be received with the incentive request form.

AB212 STIPENDS for PROGRAM YEAR 2011-2012

The amount of the incentives will be based on the number of eligible applications received by November 15, 2011.
Priority will be given first for completion of annual participation requirements. Additional incentives will be announced after January 1st, 2012. Click here to download frequently asked question document.

For more information, contact the AB212 PDP staff:
Ruth Fernández, Manager Educational Services (925) 942-3413, or rfernandez@cccoe.k12.ca.us
Terrissa Hein, Education Liaison, (925) 753-5415, or thein@cccoe.k12.ca.us

Would you like to receive information about upcoming professional development events, trainings, and information? Click here and share your e-mail address with us. By replying to our e-mail contact you will be added to our contact list. Periodic announcements and program information will be sent directly to you at your e-mail address.

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AB212 Center-Based Team Professional Development Grants

COMPONENT 2: Team Professional Growth and Development

The Program's Philosophy is to:

Foster on-going professional development opportunities that enhance classroom practices promote collaboration and in turn nurture and develop high functioning teams.

The program strives to foster:
Peer-Learning - through the creation of professional learning communities.

• Communication - to identify areas of staff expertise and areas for staff growth.
• Collaboration - to promote sharing of professional knowledge, to put knowledge gained from professional development opportunities into practice in the classroom, and to support team-based approaches to program improvement.
• Professional Development – to focus in areas that have been identified by the staff team at the site.
• Personal Growth and Emotional Support for Staff - to support the retention of a stable and skilled workforce.

Eligible Groups:

Contra Costa County child care programs that provide services to children who receive state subsidized child care services. Eligible teams should be at least 5 participants. Grant money goes to the center to support the activities of the team. Teams may include staff in a teaching position, instructional assistant, site supervisor or center director position. Individual staff members can not receive funds or stipends.

Request for Applications Summary and Invitation 2011-2012

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Contra Costa County Local Planning Council for Child Care and Development (LPC) invites applications from state-funded centers for a Center-Based Team Professional Development Grant. The LPC has allocated AB212 funds to award up to 10 state-funded centers to receive grants up to $5,000. The LPC reserves the right to cancel this offer at its discretion at any time before the execution of the contract agreement. These grants are funded by the California Department of Education and are contingent upon funding availability. The goal of the Center-Based Team Professional Development grant program is to support and empower teams of early care and education professionals to identify and engage in professional development with a team spirit and commitment to program goals.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Applicants are asked to identify an area of program need from the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) classroom summary and define it with a brief statement. Based on the area of program need identified, centers are expected to describe their team's Professional Development Goal to meet their identified program need and what they expect to accomplish through participation in the center-based team model program. Example: Increase staff ability to observe, recognize, and provide appropriate intervention strategies that will improve children's social interpersonal skills.

Also, grantee teams will be required to participate in evaluation activities and to use evaluative tools that will assist the Local Planning Council in evaluating the success and measuring the impact of the AB212 Center Based Team Professional Development Grant Program. Click here to download CBTM Grants 2011-2012 RFA

IMPORTANT DATES

The Local Planning Council (LPC) staff has established the following table of important dates. All deadlines are subject to change at the LPC's discretion.

 

	EVENTS	DATES
1	Release RFA	July 29, 2011
2	Notice of Intent to Apply – teams of at least 5 participants due Registration for Grantwriting Workshop due	August 5, 2011
3	Mandatory Grant Writing and Application Workshop- Mandatory Who should attend? At least 3 team members who will be responsible for writing and submitting the grant application. Application materials will be distributed at the workshop.	August 18, 2011 County Office of Education 77 Santa Barbara Road Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
4	Follow-up Conference Call for Grant Writing Workshop Attendees ONLY - to address questions	August 22, 2011
5	Proposal and Application due date	September 12, 2011 Received no later than 5 p.m. at the CCCOE - 77 Santa Barbara Road. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
6	Review Period	September 13-16, 2011
7	Tentative site visits	Week of September 19-23, 2011
8	Issue Notice of Awards	October 1, 2011
9	Grant Award Notification packet sent to grantees	Week of October 1, 2011
10	Grantee Seminar - Mandatory	October 10, 2011 Specific date, time, and location TBA

Note: A supplemental questionnaire is no longer required for second year applicants.

Click here to access Application forms and instructions for 2011-2012 CBTM grants

For more information or questions about the CBTM Professional Development Grants contact: Ruth Fernandez at (925) 942-3413 or rfernandez@cccoe.k12.ca.us