We are currently offering Pre-K CLASS Observation Trainings this Summer scheduled for June, July, and August. Space is limited so we encourage you to register now for the location or date your prefer.

This energizing, camp-style, five-day training is designed to equip new educators with the essential skills, strategies, and confidence needed for those first steps in the classroom.

Make your CDA credential active again!

The CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program has returned for a limited time, and it's a fantastic opportunity you won't want to miss! This year, the CDA® is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and as part of the festivities, the Council is bringing back this special program to help you reactivate your credential.

Special Olympics Young Athletes is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities ages 2-7.

Learn more about Special Olympics Arkansas competition and training during 2025 Sports Camp.

Dates are available for the 2025/2026 Conscious Discipline Training Opportunities in Arkansas. Class sizes are limited and fill quickly.

Registration is now open for the LETRS EC Professional Development Course!

Don’t miss Arkansas Family Child Care Association’s Annual Conference! Connect with like-minded professionals for a day of learning, networking, make n’ take, door prizes, and fun!

Recent statewide storms caused the Administrator Conference to be cancelled but the rainbow after the storm is that the conference will now be presented over Zoom, May 12 – 16, 2025, allowing many more early childhood directors to gather, share and grow together.

Are you overwhelmed with tax season and need encouragement, support, or even better yet, RESOURCES? AR Resource Connections has resources to take the mystery out of tax filing that supports both Child Care Providers and Families!

Arkansas Children's Week (ACW) has been a statewide tradition for more than 30 years! ACW is a celebration of children of all ages and their educators and families. Through ACW, early educators and youth development professionals highlight the needs of children and families and the accomplishments of the adults who work with them.

Free, one-hour virtual skill-building groups to support optimal wellness in Arkansas’s early childhood educators and staff.

The Better Beginnings incentive grant is a one-time cash award given upon initial certification for each star level achieved, based on availability of funding. The amount is determined by both the star level achieved and the total allowed capacity of the facility.

All children grow and develop at their own pace. The Kindergarten Readiness Indicator Checklist identifies the skills, knowledge, and behaviors that help children be prepared to enter school with confidence. Use this checklist to focus on the areas you can help your child with to be ready for kindergarten.

Arkansas Resource Connections is offering a new, streamlined service that brings efficiency and effectiveness to the job search and hiring process for early education professionals.

Directors Orientation is a series of foundation level trainings that are required for all new directors. Essential to the success of program directors is finding the information they need and developing a network of peers who share and understand their responsibilities. Directors Orientation is the first step toward both of these objectives. 

View courses, resources, helpful links and more.

Explorers Curriculum is designed for early childhood educators and preschool-aged children. It can be used in any setting, including private preschool programs, public school programs, and family child care homes.

AR Resource Connections is a FREE, comprehensive online resource for early childhood providers and professionals, offering over 2500 resources to assist in your day-to-day work.

ECEP provides LENA Grow to infant and toddler classrooms to support teacher-child interactions. LENA Grow is a strength-based coaching framework that facilitates early educators with increasing conversational turns, enhancing language environments, and supporting social emotional development. Research has found a relationship between classrooms that participated in LENA Grow and an increase in CLASS scores.

In early 2025, NAEYC is implementing a revised accreditation system with tiered levels of quality assessment. This pilot study will evaluate the reliability and validity of the tiered assessment system across diverse communities and program types.

The CDELS are being revised, and the workgroup is interested in hearing your feedback. Your responses to these survey items will be used as we consider how the CDELS could be enhanced to better meet the needs of Arkansas’ children and educators.