Professional Learning

Professional Learning for Early Childhood Education and Care Leaders

Whether you are directing a center, running a family child care business, providing technical assistance, or building state systems, leadership is essential to high-quality early childhood programs. Explore our professional learning opportunities to find the specific tools and credentials you need to thrive.

Leadership Academies and Credentials

Tools, Training, Quality Support, and Improvement

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Leadership Academies and Credentials

Strengthen your skills in a supported professional learning community or earn early childhood leadership credentials asynchronously.

For Child Care Center Leadership

Ready to Lead

People seated at round tables in a classroom workshop, talking and writing on papers and snacks.

Ready to Lead is a leadership academy that supports recently hired child care center administrators in developing leadership essentials.

Start leading with confidence →

Aim4Excellence

Earn your National Director Credential online. Flexible learning options—take modules individually for professional development hours, explore specific topics that matter most to you, or even earn college credit.

Enroll in Aim4Excellence today →

Online Learning

E x plore our online opportunities →

Family Child Care Leadership

Taking the Lead

Taking the Lead is a comprehensive leadership academy that supports family child care providers in strengthening their business practices, enhancing program quality, and growing as confident leaders.

Grow your family child care business with confidence →

Building Better Business

Building Better Business is a focused leadership academy designed to help family child care professionals strengthen the foundation of their business operations.

B uild a stronger family child care business from the ground up →

Tools, Training, Quality Support, and Improvement

The McCormick Institute offers professional learning, expert guidance, and tools for program support and evaluation, simplifying data collection and analysis to help leaders improve quality.

Tools and Training

Child Care Center Administrators

Teacher playing with children on a colorful classroom rug, holding a toddler and clapping with others nearby

The McCormick Institute provides professional learning, expert guidance, research-based tools, and program support. Our opportunities help child care center administrators collect and analyze data to achieve quality improvement goals.

Explore the different tools, and professional learning we offer →

Family Child Care Professionals

The McCormick Institute supports family child care (FCC) professionals with skills and tools to enhance their businesses and leadership.

Explore the different tools, and professional learning we offer →

Technical Assistance Specialists and Coaches

The McCormick Institute supports trainers, coaches, mentors, consultants, and policymakers in leadership and management training.

Explore the different tools, and professional learning we offer →

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS)

The Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS) is the first reliable tool for assessing and enhancing quality in family child care across 10 areas: Qualifications and Professional Development, Income and Benefits, Work Environment, Fiscal Management, Recordkeeping, Risk Management, Provider-Family Communication, Family Support and Engagement, Marketing and Community Relations, and Provider as Employer.

Explore certification and recertification for BAS →

Program Administration Scale, 3rd Edition (PAS-3)

Research shows that high-quality administrative practices are essential for program quality and positive outcomes for children and families. This tool features 25 items across 9 subscales that assess leadership functions in early care and education programs. The PAS-3 serves various purposes, including program self-improvement, technical assistance, professional development, quality monitoring, research, evaluation, and public awareness.

Explore certification and recertification for PAS →

Leadership Academies and Credentials

Child Care Center Leadership

Participants work together during an in-person professional learning session.

Ready to Lead

Leadership academy for new child care center administrators.

Learn More

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Aim4Excellence

Learn More

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Online Learning

Explore our eLearning opportunities.

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Family Child Care Leadership

Woman in glasses smiles, arms crossed, in a brightly colored preschool classroom.

Taking the Lead

Leadership academy that supports family child care professionals in strengthening their business practices, enhancing program quality, and growing as confident leaders.

Learn More