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Professional development
and support for providers

Step Up to Quality and other early childhood organizations provide opportunities for professional development and support, helping great child care providers become even better.

A child care provider reads a book outside to a child in a blue jacket.
A child care provider reads a book outside to a child in a blue jacket.

Professional development
and training

The Nebraska Departments of Education and Health and Human Services provide a variety of professional development and networking opportunities at little to no cost.

The Early Learning Connection through Educational Service Units also provide professional development opportunities, to support the career and professional development of all who provide programs and services for young children birth through age eight.

Be sure to also check out the NECPRS training calendar for up-to-date opportunities, both in-person and virtual.

Observation tools

Enrolled programs select either the Environment Rating Scale (ERS) or the Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS) observation tool and complete the required training for that tool.

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

CLASS is an observation tool that measures the effectiveness of classroom interactions among teachers and children, including emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support. These daily interactions promote children’s social and cognitive development. 

CLASS observation tools have been developed for Infant, Toddler, Pre–K, K–3, Upper Elementary and Secondary age groups. At every age level, CLASS focuses on interactions that support learning.

The CLASS self-assessment form can be used by directors and teachers to internally identify strengths and focus on changes the program plans to make:

CLASS training options

Visit necprs.ne.gov/training-public or check out the CLASS training schedule flyer to find and register for CLASS training.

  • Introduction to the CLASS (4 hours)
    This session provides a basic understanding of the CLASS (Infant, Toddler, or PreK-3rd), its various uses, the domains, and the teacher-child interactions that support children’s learning, including additional time for guided video observations to deepen CLASS knowledge. This session does not prepare participants to complete observations in classrooms.

  • CLASS Observation
    This two- or three-day session provides a deep understanding of the CLASS (Infant, Toddler, or PreK-3), the domains and the teacher-child interactions that support children’s learning, and how to code using video observations. Completion of the online reliability test allows participants to conduct CLASS observations in classrooms per Teachstone guidelines but not for Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) needs. Note: Attending the Introduction to the CLASS session is not a prerequisite. Attending the CLASS Observation training can be taken in place of the Introduction to the CLASS training. 

Environment Rating Scales (ERS)

ERS is an observation tool that assesses the quality of interactions between adults and children, including classroom schedules, materials and spaces available and accessible to children. The use of ERS is a widely accepted method of evaluating and improving the quality of home- and center-based programs.

Environment Rating Scales is broadly defined and currently includes the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition (ECERS-3), the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition (ITERS-3) and the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale-3 (FCCERS-3).

The target audience for the ITERS and ECERS are center based programs, public schools, and Head Start/Early Head Start programs. The target audience for FCCERS is family child care providers.

The FCCERS-3 and ITERS-3/ECERS-3 self-assessment forms can be used by directors and teachers to internally identify strengths and focus on changes the program plans to make.

ERS training options

Visit necprs.ne.gov/training-public or check out the ERS training schedule flyer to find and register for Environment Rating Scales training.

  • Introduction to the Environment Rating Scales (4 hours)
This session provides a basic understanding of the Environment Rating Scales (ECERS-3 and ITERS-3 or FCCERS-3). ECERS-3 and ITERS-3 Introduction training are typically held together while the Introduction training for FCCERS-3 is usually a separate training. Participants learn some of the important concepts in the ERS, the scoring process and how using the ERS can impact the quality of an early childhood program.
  • A Closer Look (6 hours)
This session is a facilitated discussion to provide a deeper understanding of the items in each of the Environment Rating Scales. Participants should have already attended the Introduction to the Environment Rating Scales.
  • Item Analysis (7 hours)
This full-day session is a facilitated discussion of each item to provide an in-depth understanding of the items in a specific scale. This session is designed specifically for persons who will be conducting observations and is required for individuals interested in contracting with the NDE Office of Early Childhood. Participants should have already attended the Introduction to the Environment Rating Scales.
  • Practice Using the Environment Rating Scales
This one- or two-day session is for participants who have already attended the Introduction to the Environment Rating Scales and will find it beneficial to have also attended the Closer Look training for the scale they wish to practice with.

    Participants are assigned to small groups to observe in local early childhood programs and practice the observation and scoring process. Participants can practice using one scale for one day or two different scales each of the two days. If you are interested in attending a Practice Using the Environment Rating Scale training, please complete our training request form.

Become a Nebraska-approved observer

The Nebraska Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood is recruiting individuals to join a cadre of early childhood professionals to conduct observations for Step Up to Quality in community child care programs, family child care homes, school district programs, Head Start programs and for Results Matter in public school district early childhood programs.

Tools used for observations will be Environment Rating Scales (ERS) for preschool (ECERS-3), infants and toddlers (ITERS-3) and family child care homes (FCCERS-3) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) for Pre-K, Toddlers and Infants.

Learn more about qualifications for the position and access the application here.

For questions about becoming an Environment Rating Scale or CLASS observer, contact Jenny Fleming at jenny.fleming@nebraska.gov or at 531-530-9028.

Financial support
and grants

Your Step Up to Quality coach can provide resources and information to help you access additional support and funding via Step Up to Quality partners.

Quality Grants

A limited number of quality grants are available to assist child care programs working to improve the quality of care through Step Up to Quality. Grants are available through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Children and Families.

Child Care Subsidy

If your program receives child care subsidies, you may receive an increase to your subsidy rates once you reach Steps 3-5. You may receive an increase of 5% once you move up to Step 3 and an additional 5% for each additional step achieved. If your program enters at Step 3, you will not receive an increase until you move up to Step 4 or 5.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Nebraska® Scholarships

A limited number of T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood Nebraska® scholarships are available through the Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children. Scholarships assist professionals working toward an associate or bachelor’s degree or a certificate or diploma.

Child Development Associate

Limited funds are available to assist early childhood professionals who want to apply for a Child Development Associate (CDA), a nationally recognized credential for early childhood professionals. Funds help pay the initial assessment or renewal fees and are made available through the Nebraska Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood.

Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS)

Nebraska child care providers who continuously meet quality rating and improvement standards are now eligible to receive fee assistance following the expansion of a federal child care assistance program operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS). Learn more about the standards for becoming an approved MCCYN-PLUS provider in Nebraska.