Paid staff development days give early learning programs time to grow, improve teaching practices, and better support young children. Florida Rule 6M-4.500 allows programs to close for one full day of staff training, if the training aligns with the areas approved by the Coalition.
Rule 6M 4.500 – (3) Holidays and Staff Training Days
(a) A recognized holiday as approved by the local coalitions shall not be counted as an absence for purposes of reimbursement. Beginning July 1, 2025, the coalition must reimburse providers for up to thirteen (13) holidays per year as authorized in the Statewide School Readiness Provider Contract and in accordance with a child’s authorized schedule. Of the thirteen (13) holidays, a provider must use at least one day for staff training. All staff training days must meet Coalition requirements to be eligible for reimbursement.*
*Providers are not required to choose a thirteenth (13) holiday. If the thirteenth holiday is chosen, the holiday must be for staff professional development.
Coalition Training Requirements
One-Day Training: The training must take place on June 1, 2026, and at least 75% of School Readiness staff, as listed in QPS**, must attend
Program Closure: No childcare services may be offered that day. The training must take place during the program’s normal licensed hours of operation.
Minimum Training Length: Training must last at least 51% of the program’s daily operating hours.
Example: If your program operates for 10 hours, training must be at least 5 hours.
Programs operating more than 12 hours must provide at least 6 hours of training.
All staff who attend the training must be paid.
**At least 75% of your childcare personnel must attend the Staff Training Day for it to qualify for reimbursement. The Coalition will compare your sign-in sheet(s) to your staff roster in QPS to verify compliance, so be sure QPS stays up to date. If less than 75% attended, the Staff Training Day will not be reimbursed, regardless of previous approval.
Coalition Approved Training Areas
Training must focus on one or more of the following areas:
1. Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards and Professional Competencies (FELDS) Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards and Professional Competencies
Training may focus on strengthening staff understanding and implementation of the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards, which outline what children should know and be able to do across developmental domains from birth to age five. Training aligned to FELDS can include:
Increasing knowledge of child development
Planning learning experiences that reflect the standards
Embedding standards into daily routines, interactions, and learning environment
2. Curriculum Used by the Provider
Training can support the specific curriculum identified in the provider’s contract with the Early Learning Coalition. This ensures fidelity of implementation and consistency across classrooms. Allowable curriculum based training includes:
Understanding the curriculum’s scope, sequence, and instructional approach
Lesson planning and daily implementation strategies
Using curriculum embedded assessments and progress monitoring tools
Setting up learning environments according to curriculum guidance
Strengthening teacher confidence and knowledge in curriculum delivery
3. CLASS®: Classroom Assessment Scoring System.
Training can focus on improving teacher–child interactions measured by CLASS® to support ongoing improvement in the interactions that matter most for children’s learning. CLASS® aligned training can include:
Emotional Support: Building warm, responsive relationships
Classroom Organization: Maximizing learning time and minimizing disruptions
Instructional Support: Promoting language, thinking, and concept development
Using CLASS® data to set goals and guide coaching
Strengthening daily practices that contribute to higher CLASS® scores
If you have questions, write to us at PDIHelpDesk@elcmdm.org or call 305-646-7220, Ext. 2350