TECTA Orientation

If you are a child care professional employed in a DHS or DOE licensed program, you are eligible for training and support from TECTA.

TECTA Orientation serves as the first step in your partnership with TECTA for professional development support. In the 30-hour free training hosted through our eight TECTA sites at public colleges and universities across the state, you will learn the core professional competencies for child care in several specialized categories related to the age group you service, your service location, or your professional role.

TECTA Orientations are designed to meet the training needs for Center-Based programs, Infant/Toddler programs, School-Age programs, Administrators, and Family Child Care programs.

TECTA ORIENTATION SPECIALIZATIONS

For ECE professionals working with children ages 3-5 in childcare centers
For ECE professionals working with children in a family or group home
For ECE professionals working with children ages birth-2 years in childcare centers
For ECE professionals working with school-age children in childcare centers
For ECE Directors, Owners, Program Coordinators and other administrative staff working in childcare centers

Center-Based For ECE professionals working with children ages 3-5 in childcare centers Family Child Care For ECE professionals working with children in a family or group home Infant/Toddler For ECE professionals working with children ages birth-2 years in childcare centers School-Age For ECE professionals working with school-age children in childcare centers Administrator For ECE Directors, Owners, Program Coordinators and other administrative staff working in childcare centers

LITERACY: 30 BOOKS AND BEYOND ORIENTATION

The 3-hour Introduction to Literacy: Early Literacy Matters TCCOTS training was expanded into the 30-clock hour TECTA Early Literacy 30: Books and Beyond Orientation. This online Orientation includes curriculum and guided instruction delivered as an eLearn course.

ADVANCED ACES ORIENTATION

Orientations are also available for ACES (Building Strong Brains). To enroll in ACES, you must have completed a TECTA orientation and completed 2+ hours of academic coursework. Adverse Childhood Experiences and their relationship to brain development, toxic stress, and physical/mental health are covered in this advanced orientation.

Professional Development

For DHS and DOE licensed childcare professionals, TECTA serves as your professional development partner. As an early childhood professional, you can construct your own professional development pathway guided by TECTA advisors located at one of our eight TECTA sites across the state of Tennessee.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Beginning in Orientation and throughout your child care career, TECTA advisors will provide guidance regarding DHS requirements for professional development, technical assistance, as well as your personal academic goals as a child care professional.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

TECTA advisors partner with you in navigating TECTA programs for financial support and advisement for obtaining academic hours, certificates, credentials, and degrees at Tennessee high schools, community colleges, and universities with accredited early childhood education programs. All TECTA financial support is dependent on the availability of funds.

CDA® Credential Support

CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CREDENTIAL™ (CDA) SUPPORT

TECTA supports the academic pathway to obtaining the CDA® Credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition. We also provide support for renewing your Credential.

If you’re ready to begin this step on your professional development pathway, TECTA Advisors will support you by:

Advising you through the CDA® application and academic requirements
Hosting CDA® support group meetings
Completing the CDA® Assessment Observation Instrument
Reviewing your required Competency Statements and Resource File
Providing the TECTA Assessment Fee Scholarship to cover the cost of the CDA

These steps may vary for high school students enrolled in ECEC courses and for early childhood professionals in Family Child Care. Please work with your TECTA Advisor to determine your specific steps to earning your Credential.

To learn more about the CDA® Credential, visit the Council for Professional Recognition.

College Completion

OBTAINING AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DEGREE

TECTA partners with Tennessee public colleges and universities to help Child Care professionals complete academic degrees. TECTA funds tuition for early childhood education certificate programs through graduate programs. However, funding is limited and varies from year to year. Funding is designed as a last-dollar scholarship option and will only fund tuition not covered by other scholarships. Please contact your TECTA advisor for details about tuition funding through TECTA.

Online Training

ONLINE TRAINING OPTIONS

Our online training programs provide access to courses that teach and enhance the skills and concepts of early learning and child care program management. All training is free and is approved to meet the annual training requirements from Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS).

TENNESSEE CHILD CARE ONLINE TRAINING SYSTEM (TCCOTS)

The Tennessee Child Care Online Training System powered by ProSolutions is available at no cost to Tennessee residents. The course catalog is available for training on Child Development and Learning, Health, Safety & Nutrition, Leadership and Professionalism, and Organizational Development and Administration. All courses are available in Spanish.

To get started, register for training by creating your ProSolutions account.

TN-ELDS ONLINE TRAINING

The Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards (TN-ELDS) were developed to document the continuum of developmental milestones from birth to age five. Online training is available as an option for additional preparation on how to implement the standards in your daily practice.

Online training is available as an option for additional preparation on how to implement the standards in your daily practice.

SUMMER RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Each summer TECTA hosts a Summer Research Institute, providing impactful, research-based training on many relevant topics. Be sure to check the calendar for the next upcoming Institute.

TECTA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTES

TECTA Leadership Institutes offer specialized training for Tennessee’s child care leaders, Directors, Assistant Directors, Owners, and other professionals in the field of Early Childhood Education. Leadership Institutes are offered regionally and statewide for anyone with an interest in child care program administration.

Leadership Training and Credentials

ADMINISTRATOR CREDENTIAL

The Administrator Credential is an academic program designed for child care program directors. Training is provided through the Administrator Academy, a competency-based program that blends curriculum training with business and management education. Contact the TECTA Leadership Development Team at tectaleadership@tnstate.edu if you are interested in joining the next Administrator Academy.

INFANT/TODDLER CREDENTIAL

In addition to the Administrator Credential, TECTA now offers a statewide Infant/Toddler credential for caregivers of children birth to age three. Contact Sara Mietzner, ETSU Site Coordinator, at mietzner@mail.etsu.edu for more information about this credential. To apply, complete this application and email it to Sara Mietzner at mietzner@mail.etsu.edu .

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTES

TECTA hosts Higher Education Institutes every fall and spring exclusively for community college and university faculty and administrators of Early Childhood Education programs. Be sure to check the calendar for the next upcoming Institute.