Head Start Toolkit

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TECPDS supports career development and provides resources for Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

Developed with the Texas Head Start Collaboration Office, this toolkit offers tips to connect Head Start and Early Head Start programs to TECPDS and the state workforce registry.

Join the Texas Workforce Registry

Create your free TECPDS account to track your education, experience, and professional development to plan and advance your career pathway. TECPDS accounts are available at no cost for early childhood professionals, including teachers, administrators, specialists and trainers.

Center Directors

Center directors must have an account on TECPDS. Once you create your free TECPDS account, Center directors will be able to connect to their staff and affiliated programs.

  • Connect staff to your Head Start program (called “centers” on TECPDS)
  • Utilize the certificate generation tool for events/trainings
  • Safely store and track professional development
  • Create & manage verified trainings for approval by TECPDS
  • Access center director tools to manage your center and staff professional development

Educators

Educators (teachers) are not required to have a TECPDS account, but it is considered best practice by the Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Child Care Regulation. Educators’ accounts will be able to:

  • Find and track your career pathway level and learn about opportunities for advancement
  • Access to reports, including the Find my Career Pathway Tool
  • Link to your current employer, sharing education, employment, and training information
  • Request validation of records
  • Search for early childhood job postings
  • Access professional development tools and resources

Reminder: you only need one account on TECPDS! If you already have an account on TECPDS or you aren’t sure, contact a member of our support team. Each user must have their own account. Do not share your username and password with anyone.

Career Advancement Resources

Job BoardTexas Core Competencies Texas Early Childhood Education Career PathwayCertificate Generation Tool

Search the job board to find your next career opportunity on WorkInTexas.com

Job Board

Download our state’s core competencies for early childhood professionals (specific, basic concepts, skills, and abilities that early childhood professionals should learn, understand, and be able to demonstrate).

Texas Core Competencies

Review our state’s career pathways to define an early childhood professional’s level of knowledge and skill mastery and identify steps for advancing your career.

Career Hub

Create standardized certificates and sign-in sheets that include all state-required information for early childhood trainings in Texas. The Certificate Generation Tool provides opportunities for all trainers to create certificates that meet all state requirements for their training participants. Available to all TECPDS account holders, use this tool to upload certificates directly into the TECPDS accounts of training attendees (if they provided their personal account number). Use the Certificate Generation Tool to create certificates for your face-to-face and online trainings, as well as coaching and mentoring! The following How-To Guides provide details on how and where to use the Certificate Generation Tool.

Certificate Generation Tool

Connect to Your Center

Once you have your professional development information added to your profile, you can connect your account to your center’s profile. This is highly recommended for all center directors and classroom staff. Learn more about connecting your center below: