Education and Training

South Dakota Leadership Certificate and Credential Programs

What is the South Dakota Leadership Program?
The purpose of this program is to develop and enhance the management and leadership skills necessary to operate a quality and successful child care program. The Leadership Credential is recognized on Level III of the Pathways to Professional Development Career Lattice and NAEYC has approved this credential as part of the Alternative Pathways for their accreditation system.
                   
Who can enroll in the program?
A child care provider can enter the program by either of two tracks. 

1. The first track is for child care providers who are currently employed as a program director or supervisor or have worked at least one year in a state licensed child care or OST program. The provider must possess a degree with emphasis in early childhood education or human development child and family studies.
2. The second track is for child care providers who share the same experience, but possess a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential or an unrelated college degree. Child care providers who are on this track are required to take a Supplemental Training course prior to enrolling in the first college course per current articulation agreements. This course is offered at no charge to providers via Dakota Digital Network (DDN).

What training is required to receive a Certificate or Credential?
The chart below shows the training required for an individual to complete the SD Leadership Certificate and the SD Leadership Credentials:

What is included in the 20 hours of Management Training?
The 20 hours of entry level Management Training is offered statewide through the Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) sites.  This curriculum meets the Division of Child Care Services, Licensing and Pathways requirements. 

The training hours focus on four areas:

• Managing Programs
• Cost of Quality in Programs
• Staff Considerations
• Policies and Procedures and Partnerships

Two college courses SDSU ECE 492/592 Leadership Course and SDSU ECE 455/555 Administration and Supervision are required as a part of the Leadership Credential. This means an individual who has completed the SD Leadership Credential will receive 6 college credits. These courses, like the Supplemental training are offered via Dakota Digital Network (DDN) to ensure easy accessibility.

What are the 10 hours of Self-Directed Approved training?
As a portion of the Leadership Credential training, each individual is required to attend 10 hours of approved self-directed training.  These 10 hours were built into the credential program to allow a child care provider to focus more intensely on Leadership and Management based topics of interest, or areas that need to be improved. 

The following guidelines have been set up to help Leadership Credential participants decide what types of training are included under this area.

• The training must be focused on Management and/or Leadership topics and be recognized under the 15 Pathways to Professional Development Training Areas. This would include, but is not limited to training on leadership, legal issues, technology, recruitment and retention strategies, supervision of staff, budgeting and fiscal procedures, administrative tools (e.g. handbooks, policies and procedures), quality improvement plans, development of program-wide evaluation systems, marketing and public relations as well as goal setting. 

• Hours obtained from sessions with motivational speakers are not eligible towards these hours.

• The training hours must relate to the child care provider’s current or future leadership responsibilities within a program.

• The training does not need to occur in one 10 hour block.  It can be composed of a variety of different training topics adding up to a minimum of 10 hours overall.

• Training can be received from professional conferences, business organizations, Early Childhood Enrichment staff, colleges and technical schools.

How do I apply for the certificate or credential?
Once a student has completed all the requirements for either the SD Leadership Certificate or Credential, they will need to:

• Complete an Application for Completion of the South Dakota Leadership Certificate and Credential Form.
• Attach all required verifications of training hours.

This form is available through the regional ECE sites and must be accompanied by verifications of all training attended to meet the requirements of the program completed. 

For information on the South Dakota Leadership Certificate and Credential Program, please contact your regional Early Childhood Enrichment site.