In order to apply for a trainer designation, first create an account in the Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS) and log in to your account. Then, complete your GaPDS Profile. The next step is to complete an application for a Trainer Designation. You may apply for only one Trainer Designation: Specialty Trainer, Trainer I, Trainer II, or Trainer III. Please review the matrix below for the qualifications and requirements for each designation. Scroll down for more detailed information on each requirement.

A key difference among the Trainer I, II, and III designations is the level of training that each designation is permitted to provide for licensing credit. Scroll down to the maxtrix below to review the training levels that each designation is permitted to provide.

The Trainer Designation Application requires that you submit supporting documentation showing that you meet all of the requirements; for example, college transcripts are used to meet the education requirement. Scroll down for additional detail on the types of documentation needed for each requirement.

Trainer Designation Matrix

Early Childhood Education is not considered a specialty area. The Specialty Trainer designation is for those individuals who do not meet the requirements for Trainer I, II, or III but do have qualifications in a specialty field applicable to the Bright from the Start training requirements for child care providers. Those who wish to provide training in early childhood education must qualify and apply for a Trainer I, II, or III designation.

Specialty Trainer applicants must specify one specialty area on their application. You may only provide trainings in the specialty area for which you are approved. If your degree or credentials indicate a specialty area more specific than those listed below, you will be approved only for the specific area in which you are qualified. For example, if you have a ServSafe certification, your approved specialty area will be “Foods and Nutrition – ServSafe only” and you will only be able to provide training in ServSafe topics. The following are the specialty areas recognized by Georgia Training Approval:

• Health and Safety
• Foods and Nutrition
• School Age Care
• Special Needs and Inclusion
• Administrative Management of Programs
• Social Work, Mental Health, and Family Services

Once you are approved with a designation, renewal of your designation is necessary to remain a state-approved trainer. Trainer I and Specialty Trainer designations expire after three (3) years, and Trainer II and III designations expire after five (5) years. You will receive more information about how to renew your designation once you are approved. The requirements for renewal are as follows:

TRAINER ORIENTATION

The Trainer Orientation is a short PDF presentation and online quiz that provides trainers with information about professional development and training in Georgia. To satisfy the orientation requirement, all applicants must read the material and answer questions that appear periodically throughout the presentation. Applicants will be able to access the orientation after they have submitted their GaPDS Profile and started the Trainer Designation Application.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Letters of recommendation should address your professional abilities and be written within the past six months.

All applicants (Trainer I, II, III, and Specialty) must document at least a Bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by a CHEA or USDE recognized agency. All Trainer I and Trainer II applicants must have a Career Level VIII or higher as validated by Georgia Professional Standards Commission. All Trainer III applicants must have a Career Level X or higher as validated by Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Specialty Trainer applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree with either 1) a major consistent with the relevant field OR a Bachelor's degree(any field) with at least 3 courses(9 semesters/15 quarter hours) relevant to the specialty area, OR 2)a license or credential relevant to the specialty area OR 3)a Bachelor's degree with(any field) with at least 3 courses(9 semester/15 quarter hours) relevant to the specialty area.

Credentials earned outside of the United States need to be evaluated by an educational interpreting agency accepted by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission so that a U.S. equivalency can be determined. To view the Georgia Professional Standards Commission Accepted Credential Agency list, go to www.gapsc.com

CAREER LEVELS

Trainer I and II designations require at least a Career Level VIII as validated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. A Level VIII Professional has a four-year degree in the early care education field, for example a Bachelor's Degree (BA/BS) in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or Child Development OR a Bachelor of Psychology or Social Work paired with an: ECE Associate, ECE Technical College Diploma (TCD), Montessori diploma, Technical Certificate of Credit(TCC), Child Development Associate (CDA) or containing ECE/ECE-related coursework (15 semester or 25 qtr. hours), OR other NON-ECE Bachelor's, combined with an ECE Associate, ECE TCD, or containing ECE/ECE-related coursework (15 semester or 25 qtr. hours).

The Trainer III designation requires at least a Career Level X as validated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. A Level X Professional has an advanced ECE degree, for example, a Master’s degree (MA/MS/MEd) in ECE or Child Development OR a Non- ECE Masters with an: ECE Associate, TCD, or containing ECE/ ECE-related coursework (15 semester or 25 qtr. hours) or PSC Cert Level 4 with FLD702, 708, 808 or 870.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION OF ECE- RELATED COURSEWORK FOR TRAINER I, II, AND III APPLICANTS

If you have a Major or Minor in Psychology, Social Work, or a non- ECE degree, you will need to provide documentation for your ECE-related coursework. For these degrees to be considered ECE-related, you must have 15 semester or 25 quarter hours of ECE-related courses. Provide documentation for ALL classes you want to be considered for verification. For a list of accepted courses, reference the ECE-related course list.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR SPECIALTY TRAINER APPLICANTS

• Copy of transcripts documenting at least a Bachelor’s degree
• Copies of licenses/credentials relevant to specialty area (required if major/minor is not relevant to specialty area)

(Not required for Trainer I, II, or III) Specialty Trainer applicants are required to submit documentation of a minimum of 40 clock hours of training in adult learning. This requirement refers to training you have received in how adults learn and process information.

Typically, the following college courses are used to meet this requirement: General Psychology, Educational Psychology, Human Growth & Development. The Art of Technical Assistance training and the Family Development Credential training may also be used to meet the adult learning requirement.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Adult Learning

• Copies of transcripts documenting all coursework you are using to meet the adult learning requirement
• Copies of training certificates you are using to meet the adult learning requirement
• Course description, agenda, or syllabus for each training/course you are using to meet the adult learning requirement (not required for the four courses/trainings listed above)

(Not required for Specialty Trainer) Those applying for a Trainer I, II, or III designation must meet the Training for Trainers (TFT) requirement. Training for Trainers courses and substitutions should cover different content addressing the needs of beginning, intermediate, and advanced level learners. The TFT requirements for each designation are as follows:

Trainer I: State-approved TFT I (40 hrs) OR content substitutions (see below)

Trainer II: State-approved TFT I (40 hrs) and TFT II (20 hrs) OR content substitutions (see below)

Trainer III: State-approved TFT I (40 hrs), TFT II (20 hrs), and TFT III (20 hrs) OR content substitutions (see below)

Substitutions

While there are some Training for Trainers courses that are specific state-approved trainings, you may substitute other trainings you have taken to meet the TFT requirement as long as the hours and content can be documented as meeting the requirements for the TFT. These content requirements are listed on the Training For Trainers Substitution Request Section. It typically takes several trainings to meet the content requirements when substituting for a TFT.

You may also substitute college-level credit courses that you have taught. If you have taught a college-level credit course, this is typically all you will need to meet the TFT requirements. Each course taught may be substituted for one TFT.

For each substitution you submit toward meeting the TFT requirement, you must submit a certificate of completion along with an agenda, syllabus, or other document indicating the specific content of the training. If you are substituting college-level credit courses you have taught, you must submit documentation indicating the title of the course, the college at which it was taught, the semester/quarter it was taught, and the credit hours awarded.

The Art of Technical Assistance Facilitator training and the Family Development Credential Instructor training may be used to meet the Training for Trainers requirement.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Training for Trainers

• Copies of certificates documenting completion of the state-approved TFT course(s) required for your designation

• Copies of training certificates you are using to substitute for the TFT requirement (must list trainings on TFT Substution Request Form)
• Course description, agenda, or syllabus for each training you are using to meet the TFT requirement
• For college-level courses you have taught: a syllabus or other official documentation from the teaching institution that includes the title of the course, the college at which it was taught, the semester/quarter it was taught, and the credit hours awarded

Those applying for a Trainer I, II, or III designation must document at least 3 years of early care and education experience. The experience must be supervised, may be paid or unpaid, and must involve children or programs serving young children from birth through age 5. At least one year (12 months) of the experience with young children must be direct experience (see definitions below); the other two years may be either direct experience or indirect experience. Indirect only experience will not sufficiently meet the experience requirement.

Direct Experience includes either of the options below:

• Experience working directly with groups of young children from birth through age five
• Director of a center or family day care home (Involves working on-site directly with children and adults in a child care setting on a day-to-day basis)

Indirect Experience may be used only in combination with at least one year (12 months) of direct experience. Indirect experience includes:

• Experience as a technical assistance provider from a state or federally approved project to provide technical assistance as: 1) Inclusion coordinator or education coordinator; 2) Conducted observations/assessments using nationally recognized instruments (Applicant must have received training on instruments utilized); or 3) Other TA experience to be reviewed by Georgia Training Approval
• Experience teaching High School/College/University level early childhood or child development specific course

Those applying for Specialty Trainer must document at least 3 years of experience working in the specialty area. Experience may be paid or unpaid.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Experience

• Resume documenting three years (36 months) of experience with children, at least one of which is direct experience

• Resume documenting three years (36 months) of experience relevant to your specialty area

(Not required for Specialty Trainer or Trainer I) Those applying for Trainer II or III must document that they have provided professional development to adults in the early childhood/child development field. A minimum of 30 hours is required for Trainer II and 50 hours for Trainer III. Professional development may include experience in supervisory roles, or as a trainer, co-trainer or part of a team approach to training, apprentice trainer, technical assistance provider, career advisor, or consultant.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: Professional Development

• Resume documenting 30 hours (for Trainer II) or 50 hours (for Trainer III) of experience providing professional development to adults in the early childhood education or child development field