Skip to content
If you are seeking child care, call the Child Care Aware of Washington Family Center: 1-800-446-1114

Professional Development

We collectively work to provide you with the most equitable and innovative adult learning opportunities in child care and early learning education practices.

Who We Are

BrightSpark Early Learning Services

CCA of WA Professional Development Academy logo

Education for Every Early Learning Provider

BrightSpark partners with CCA of WA’s Professional Development Academy to provide a variety of opportunities for you to achieve your STARS hours, such as in-person training, virtual training, workshops, customized training at early learning programs, book studies, or institutes/conferences.  All of our professional development opportunities meet Washington State’s mandated training program requirements for early learning providers.

 

NEW BrightSpark has a new registration platform.  Once you click on “Register for classes …” you will be asked to create an account.  Each individual will need to create their own account in order to register and their own email address.

Trainings Offered

You've got options!

Our Professional Development team offers a wide range of classes to suit you and your teams’ needs. From virtual trainings hosted on Zoom to customized in-person workshops, we offer information on a variety topics that are meaningful for early learning providers providing all types of care. View our different options below!

Quarterly Class Offerings

Every quarter, the Professional Development offers new, exciting classes taught by either BrightSpark staff or community leaders in early learning. Classes are held either online or virtually, and always earn attendees STARS credits!

View classes

Provider talking to children


 

Provider holding baby

Customized Trainings

No matter how big or small your team is, the BrightSpark Professional Development team can create customized trainings that suit your needs! Offered either virtually or in-person (on-location at your program site!), we work with your schedule to offer trainings on the topics that are most important to you.

Learn more


 

Deep Dive Trainings

Deep Dive trainings are offered throughout the year and cover a variety of complex trainings that are critical for early learning educators. These trainings last multiple sessions, are lead by BrightSpark experts, and provide a wholistic understanding of several nuanced topics, including expulsion prevention, the business of Child Care, and trauma-informed care.

More information coming soon!

Provider plays with child


 

Caregiver holding child

Professional Development Institute

We offer a yearly Professional Development Institute (or PDI), which is a weeklong,  “conference” jam-packed with multiple STARS-approved classes per day!

The 2025 PDI is happening May 3rd and May 13 – 15th, 2025.

All sessions May 13 – 15 will be virtual

May 3rd will be in-person in Federal Way, WA.

Registration for the Professional Development Institute for 2025 opens at the beginning of April 2025.  Continue to check back for updates.

Our Philosophy

Our BrightSpark Approach

First and foremost, everything we do at BrightSpark is informed by our agency’s mission to nurture and sustain child-centered, antiracist early learning communities.

Child in toy car

Our professional development offerings help you better support the growth and development of the children in your care (child-centered). Our agency highlights and challenges racist assumptions and practices that adversely impact many children so that, in partnership with you, we find ways to give every child an equitable start in life (antiracist).

Our work is also informed by YOU! We are committed to strong workforce development, engaging adults to meet the ever-changing needs of children, families and the communities they serve and support.

Integrating Core Competencies

We strive to ensure that our professional development offerings meet community and individual needs, while aligning with the Washington State Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals. The Washington State Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals and the Core Competencies for School-Age Child Care and Expanded Learning Professionals can be found here (available in English, Spanish and Somali).

These core competencies are utilized in planning all of our professional development offerings:

Resources & FAQ

Training Resources

Navigating STARS requirements and other trainings to maintain your provider license can be confusing, but we’re here to help! (All preservice training and in-service training is mandated through the Washington State Administrative Code, Chapter 110-300, titled “Foundational Quality Standards.”)

FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

Get in touch!

Do you have questions about BrightSpark’s Professional Development program, or are you looking to connect with us? We’d love to hear from you!