STARS Training Requirements

Home	Washington State Child Care Training Requirements

Chapter 110-300 WAC FOUNDATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS FOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS
(Formerly: Chapter 170-300 WAC) Can be found at the following link:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=110-300

LICENSED FAMILY HOME CHILD CARE
and CHILD CARE CENTERS
WAC 110-300-0106
Basic STARS training (30 Hour Child Care Basics)

Child Care Basics is the Initial Training Requirement that must be completed prior to being granted a license for a licensee, prior to working unsupervised, or within 3 months of hire, or 3 months from the date this rule becomes effective if you are an existing employee.
Child Care Basics is also often referred to as '30 hour STARS training' or 'Initial STARS class'.
If you pay for the training, you can submit a training reimbursement application through MERIT. Each person is able to submit one application each fiscal year to receive up to $250 back as funding allows.
Child Care Basics will meet your in-service training hours for the first year.
Education exemptions no longer apply as of August 1, 2019. In addition, certificates older than 7 years will no longer be accepted. New employees must complete Child Care Basics or ECED&107, Health, Safety, and Nutrition.

For more information, please reference the DCYF website at: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/standards-alignment/faq?field_categories_value=train

WAC 110-300-0107
Inservice training (STARS Hours)

All early learning professionals except volunteers must complete 10 hours of in-service training annually. Hours are calculated using the departments fiscal year – July 1-June 30. If required training hours are not completed each year, this means a program is out of compliance with that rule.
Providers may submit for training reimbursement in MERIT. Each person is able to submit one application each fiscal year to receive up to $250 back as funding allows.
A maximum of 5 hours can be “carried over” each year, which would mean the following year would only require an additional five hours.
Child Care Basics meets your first year of required in-service training. Child Care Basics can’t be taken repeated times to meet in-service hours in future years. A minimum of one hour each year must be in health and safety topics to meet federal requirements.

For more information, please reference the DCYF website at: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/services/early-learning-providers/standards-alignment/faq?field_categories_value=train

LICENSED SCHOOL AGE CHILD CARE
WAC 170-297-1775

Basic STARS training (30 Hour School-Age Child Care Basics)

(1) Prior to working unsupervised with children the director, site coordinator, and lead teacher must register in MERIT.
(2) The director, site coordinator, and lead teacher must complete the basic STARS training within three months of assuming the position.
(3) If the director, site coordinator, or lead teacher qualifies for an exemption to the STARS training requirement, he or she must request an exemption to the requirement within ten days of assuming the position.

WAC 170-297-1800

Ongoing training

(1) The director, site coordinator and lead teachers must complete a minimum of ten hours of STARS ongoing training yearly.
(2) Any staff that exceeds the ten-hour ongoing training requirement in any year may carry over up to five hours of ongoing training toward meeting the next year's requirement.
(3) The training may include:
(a) Staff person's choice of training; and
(b) Department directed training.
(4) The program director and on-site coordinator must take five hours of training each year in program management and administration for the first two years in these positions.