Vermont requires annual professional development, set by the Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division (CDD), tiered by role: Program Directors need 20 hours, Teachers and Teacher Associates need 15 hours each, Teacher Assistants and Trainees need 12 hours, Substitutes need 4 hours, and Family Child Care Home providers need 12 hours. Social and Emotional Development training counts toward these hours — guidance and discipline, teacher‑child interaction, and social skills are recognized qualifying categories. brightwheel is listed as a Northern Lights‑approved training organization and offers IACET‑accredited Social and Emotional Development courses that staff can complete on demand.
| Program Director | 20 hours per year |
| Teacher | 15 hours per year |
| Teacher Associate | 15 hours per year |
| Teacher Assistant | 12 hours per year |
| Trainee | 12 hours per year |
| Substitute | 4 hours per year |
| Family Child Care Home provider | 12 hours per year |
| Social and Emotional Development maps to | guidance and discipline, teacher‑child interaction, and social skills |
| Regulatory authority | Vermont AHS DCF CDD |
| brightwheel approved in Vermont | ✓ Yes — Northern Lights‑approved training organization |
| Training records | ✓ Tracked automatically in brightwheel dashboard |
| Social and Emotional Development courses in Vermont | View brightwheel courses |
Program Director, Teacher Assistant/Trainee, Substitute, and FCCH figures are confirmed against CBCCPP Rule 7.4 and the October 2024 rule memo. Teacher and Teacher Associate figures (15 hours each) reflect the most commonly cited numbers in Vermont guidance materials — verify against the full CBCCPP Section 7.4 text with Northern Lights before relying on these two specific figures. All hours must align with each staff member’s Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). brightwheel is listed as a Northern Lights‑approved training organization; certificates must be manually submitted via Direct Send — there is no auto‑posting to BFIS for any provider.
About Social and Emotional Development (CDA III)
Social and Emotional Development — CDA Competency Area III — is one of the eight foundational knowledge domains defined by the Council for Professional Recognition. It covers the skills and understanding educators need to nurture children’s emotional wellbeing, guide behavior constructively, build positive relationships, and create environments where every child feels secure, seen, and capable of growth.
The early years — birth through age 5 — are the most critical window for social‑emotional development. Children who develop strong self‑regulation, empathy, and relationship skills in these years enter school with a significant advantage in both learning readiness and behavioral adjustment.
Vermont Social and Emotional Development training requirements
Vermont’s training requirement is tiered by role, set by the CDD — from 4 hours (substitutes) to 20 hours (program directors) per year. Social and Emotional Development training counts toward these hours — guidance and discipline, teacher‑child interaction, and social skills are recognized qualifying CE topics. brightwheel is a Northern Lights‑approved training organization and offers courses aligned with the Social and Emotional Development competency area.
Both teachers and directors can complete brightwheel’s Social and Emotional Development 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 Vermont licensing audits.
What Social and Emotional Development training covers
brightwheel’s Social and Emotional Development courses cover the knowledge and skills early childhood educators need to support children in this competency area. Topics include:
STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) and Social and Emotional Development
STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) is Vermont’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. Staff professional development in CDA‑aligned competency areas is a core component of STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) quality ratings — programs that demonstrate ongoing staff training earn higher ratings. brightwheel’s IACET‑accredited courses align with the professional development requirements recognized by STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS), and the automatic tracking dashboard makes it straightforward to demonstrate staff training during program quality evaluations.
STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) →How brightwheel connects to the Vermont training dashboard
Frequently asked questions
Other competency areas available in Vermont
Meet Vermont Social and Emotional Development training requirements with brightwheel
Brightwheel offers IACET‑accredited Social and Emotional Development courses accepted in Vermont — with automatic tracking 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.