Arizona requires licensed childcare staff to complete annual continuing education, with hours depending on provider type. As of the August 2025 rule update, ADHS‑licensed centers require 24 hours per year (up from 18); group homes and DES‑certified family child care require 12 hours per year; DES‑contracted centers require 18 hours per year. Program Management training counts toward these hours — program administration, supervision, and leadership are recognized qualifying categories. brightwheel Professional Development is accepted in Arizona across all three tracks and offers IACET‑accredited Program Management courses that staff can complete on demand, with all completions tracked automatically in brightwheel. brightwheel courses auto‑post completed hours directly to the AZECWR Registry.
| Total CE hours | 24 hours per year |
| Cadence | Every 12 months from hire‑date anniversary, in at least 2 subject areas |
| Program Management maps to | program administration, supervision, and leadership |
| Regulatory authority | Arizona DHS (ADHS) Bureau of Child Care Licensing |
| brightwheel approved | ✓ Yes |
| Auto‑posts to AZECWR | ✓ Yes |
| Total CE hours | 12 hours per year |
| Cadence | Every 12 months, health & safety training |
| Program Management maps to | program administration, supervision, and leadership |
| Regulatory authority | ADHS‑licensed group homes / DES‑certified family child care |
| brightwheel approved | ✓ Yes |
| Auto‑posts to AZECWR | ✓ Yes |
| Total CE hours | 18 hours per year (per DES contract text) |
| Cadence | Every 12 months, in at least 2 health & safety subject areas |
| Program Management maps to | program administration, supervision, and leadership |
| Regulatory authority | Arizona DES (Department of Economic Security) |
| brightwheel approved | ✓ Yes |
| Auto‑posts to AZECWR | ✓ Yes |
A center that is both ADHS‑licensed and DES‑contracted must meet both requirements at once. Since ADHS’s 24‑hour requirement is higher, it is the effective floor for those centers — DES’s contract language (18 hours) has not yet been updated to reflect the August 2025 ADHS increase.
| Program Management courses in Arizona | View brightwheel courses |
About Program Management (CDA V)
Program Management — CDA Competency Area V — covers the administrative, supervisory, and operational skills needed to run a compliant, well‑organized early childhood program. It is particularly relevant for directors, assistant directors, and lead teachers stepping into leadership roles.
High‑quality early childhood programs require intentional management of people, policies, and processes. Educators who develop Program Management skills build the systems that allow programs to pass licensing inspections, retain staff, and deliver consistent quality for the children and families they serve.
Arizona Program Management training requirements
Arizona childcare training requirements depend on provider type — 24 hours per year for ADHS‑licensed centers (increased from 18, effective August 2025), 12 hours per year for group homes and family child care, or 18 hours per year for DES‑contracted centers. Program Management training counts toward these hours — program administration, supervision, and leadership are recognized qualifying CE topics. brightwheel Professional Development is accepted in Arizona across all three tracks and offers IACET‑accredited courses aligned with the Program Management competency area.
Staff complete brightwheel’s Program Management courses on demand — each course is 1 hour, self‑paced, and includes an assessment with a certificate of completion. All completions are recorded automatically in the brightwheel administrator dashboard, making compliance documentation straightforward for Arizona licensing audits.
What Program Management training covers
brightwheel’s Program Management courses cover the knowledge and skills early childhood educators need to support children in this competency area. Topics include:
Quality First and Program Management
Quality First is Arizona’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. Staff professional development in CDA‑aligned competency areas is a core component of Quality First quality ratings — programs that demonstrate ongoing staff training earn higher ratings. brightwheel’s IACET‑accredited courses align with the professional development requirements recognized by Quality First, and the automatic tracking dashboard makes it straightforward to demonstrate staff training during program quality evaluations.
Quality First →How brightwheel connects to the AZECWR Registry
Frequently asked questions
Other competency areas available in Arizona
Meet Arizona Program Management training requirements with brightwheel
Brightwheel offers IACET‑accredited Program Management courses accepted in Arizona — with automatic tracking and AZECWR Registry auto‑posting built in.
View full course roster
Accreditation: Brightwheel is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.