Professional Development Opportunities
Strong leadership is fundamental to thriving early care and education programs... (Bloom & Abel, 2015)
Unlock your leadership potential! Together4Children offers professional learning to equip early child care leaders with tools to improve quality. Find a professional learning opportunity that’s right for you.
For more information, contact t4csupport@together4children.org or call 512-970-1904.
Training Programs
Leading from the Start | 22 Hours
Build a strong foundation for leadership. Designed for new child care leaders, this hands-on experience provides practical strategies to confidently lead staff, manage program responsibilities, build strong relationships, and create a positive work environment.
Perfect for: New center directors, assistant directors, and directors-in-training.
What you’ll gain:
- Practical staff leadership and supervision strategies
- Tools for problem-solving and decision-making
- Strategies for building a positive work climate
- Skills for strengthening family partnerships
- Greater confidence in your leadership role
Format: Blended—In-person + Virtual
Professional Development: 22 TECPDS-approved hours
Texas Child Care Leadership Academy | 60 Hours
Grow your leadership. Strengthen your program. This comprehensive leadership experience equips child care leaders with practical tools to build positive workplace cultures, strengthen staff engagement and retention, develop team leadership, and lead meaningful quality improvement.
Perfect for: Child care owners, directors, assistant directors, and emerging leaders.
What you’ll gain:
- Strategies for recruitment, retention, and staff engagement
- Tools to develop staff leadership
- Coaching and mentoring strategies
- Support for setting goals and leading quality improvement
- Practical resources, mentoring, and technical support
Format: Blended—In-person + Virtual + Professional Learning Communities
Time Commitment: 60 hours, including 44 hours of professional development and 16 hours of field-based application
Leadership Academy I: LEAD |36 Hours
Lead with confidence. Build a stronger team. LEAD helps child care leaders create workplaces where staff feel supported, engaged, and empowered. Participants gain practical strategies they can put into action right away to strengthen their teams and programs.
Perfect for: Child care owners, directors, assistant directors, and emerging leaders.
What you’ll gain:
- Strategies for creating a positive workplace culture
- Tools to strengthen staff leadership and teamwork
- Recruitment, retention, and engagement strategies
- Coaching and mentoring skills
- Strategies for continuous quality improvement
Format: Blended—In-person + Virtual
Professional Development: 36 TECPDS-approved hours
Leadership Academy II: LEAD FORWARD |36 Hours
Deepen your leadership. Move your program forward. LEAD FORWARD builds on foundational leadership skills and challenges leaders to think more intentionally about themselves, their organizations, and their impact. Participants develop strategies to strengthen organizational leadership, program quality, and long-term success.
Perfect for: Child care owners, directors, and assistant directors at all levels of experience.
What you’ll gain:
- Greater leadership self-awareness
- Strategies for strengthening organizational leadership
- Tools for managing and sustaining your organization
- Leadership practices that support teaching and learning
- Strategies for continuous program improvement
Format: In-person
Professional Development: 36 TECPDS-approved hours
Leadership Academy III: LEAD BEYOND |36 Hours
Look deeper. Lead differently. LEAD BEYOND invites leaders to examine their programs, teams, and leadership practices through the lens of data, staff experience, and organizational systems. Participants gain new perspectives and strategies for becoming more intentional and effective leaders.
Perfect for: Child care owners, directors, and assistant directors at all levels of experience.
What you’ll gain:
- Strategies for using information to better understand your program
- Insight into how staff experience your leadership and workplace
- Tools for examining organizational systems
- Opportunities to reflect on leadership practices
- New perspectives for strengthening program leadership
Format: In-person
Professional Development: 36 TECPDS-approved hours
Graduate Institute | 22 Hours | Spring 2027
Pause. Reflect. Reset your leadership. The Graduate Institute provides experienced leaders with an opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, reflect on their leadership journey, and strengthen the skills needed to lead strategically through change.
Perfect for: Graduates of Together4Children’s Texas Child Care Leadership Academy or Taking Charge of Change graduates from Workforce Boards.
What you’ll gain:
- A leadership reset and time for reflection
- Strategies for moving from manager to strategic leader
- Tools for leading through change
- Greater confidence in courageous conversations
- Strategies for developing emerging leaders
Format: Blended—In-person + Virtual
Professional Development: 22 TECPDS-approved hours
Better Together Leadership Training | 18 Hours
Great leadership starts with strong relationships. Better Together helps early childhood leaders and mentors discover their strengths, communicate with impact, build engaged teams, navigate change, and support the growth of future leaders.
Perfect for: Early childhood leaders and mentors at all levels of experience.
What you’ll gain:
- Greater understanding of your leadership strengths
- Stronger communication skills
- Strategies for building engaged teams
- Tools for navigating change and challenges
- Skills for developing emerging leaders
Format: In-person
Professional Development: 18 TECPDS-approved hours
Mentor to Lead Institute | 18 Hours | Spring 2027
Strengthen your mentoring. Grow future leaders. Mentor to Lead equips early childhood mentors with practical strategies for building relationships, coaching and supporting others, and helping individuals and programs successfully navigate change.
Perfect for: Early childhood program mentors, Texas Rising Star mentors, and individuals serving in mentoring roles.
What you’ll gain:
- Strategies for building trusting mentoring relationships
- Practical coaching and mentoring skills
- Tools for supporting the growth of others
- Strategies for helping others navigate change
- Greater confidence in your role as a mentor and leader
Format: In-person
Professional Development: 18 TECPDS-approved hours