Successful Solutions Professional Development

Successful Solutions Professional Development is an online training provider for early childhood educators and child care professionals, selling self-paced clock-hour courses, CDA (Child Development Associate) training and CDA renewal training at www.myececlass.com. The company is Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC, which also uses the name Successful Solutions Training in Child Development. Its About page places it in Washington State, and the footer gives a PO Box in Burley, WA.

The site's mission is to support early childhood educators with engaging online learning, meaningful support, and professional development that inspires growth. The buyer is a child care worker, preschool teacher or center director who has annual state training hours to meet, or someone earning or renewing a CDA. The entry sits in teacher professional development and in continuing education, because what these courses deliver is documented training hours and CEUs.

Course formats

The bundles page describes the courses as "100% ONLINE OPEN-ENROLLMENT SELF-PACED MOBILE FRIENDLY CLOCK-HOUR COURSES". There are no start dates: the pitch is "Start anytime, learn anywhere, and earn the clock-hours that you need to stay certified and inspired." The South Carolina page sets out three programs:

• Clock-Hour Courses: "Flexible Hourly Training", choosing from 21 content areas to meet annual training requirements at your own pace.
• CDA Training: 120 clock-hours of online training toward the Child Development Associate credential.
• CDA Renewal Training: 45 clock-hours to renew the CDA credential.

The same page carries the banner "IACET ACCREDITED CEU COURSES 100% ONLINE INSTANT CERTIFICATES", so completion certificates are issued as soon as a course is finished. The footer adds two conditions that apply site-wide: enrollment expires 1 year from the date of purchase, and all courses are presented in English. It also says "some course materials may be thoughtfully created or refined with the assistance of AI applications."

Bundles and prices

The clock-hour bundles are the clearest priced product. Each is a 10-hour bundle at $75, in ten themes:

• Childhood Health & Wellbeing
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Infants and Toddlers
• It's the Season!
• Nurturing the Whole Child
• Professionalism and Self-Improvement
• Science and Sensory
• Social and Emotional
• Supporting Families and Children
• Teaching and Learning

A bundle suits someone who needs a block of annual hours in one go. Single courses, the CDA programs and the CDA renewal package are sold through the course catalog.

State approvals

The bundles page lists the states where the courses "are approved or accepted for continuing education credit for child care professionals": 33 states, namely AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI and WY.

The site adds caveats that matter. "State approvals vary by course. Some courses may be pending approval in certain states." It says Missouri does not accept professional development courses and Minnesota does not accept 1-hour courses for credit. And because "States classify courses into content areas based on their own requirements", a course may count toward a different content area in a given state than the one shown on the website. A Training Options by State page links to the approved courses for every state, including ones outside the 33.

South Carolina gets its own page: the courses are accepted there for professional development training hours, and the company is a registered SC Endeavors Training Sponsor Organization (#8119), with Certified Trainer Brittney Andrade, M.S. (#645552).

Who builds the courses

The About page introduces a team of four:

• Genie Skinner, Director of Online Program Administration, described as "the visionary founder of Successful Solutions" and a former classroom educator.
• Anneliese Lenzo, Managing Director of Client Relations, with the company since August 2012. She handles client partnerships, enrollment management, staff progress monitoring and account administration, and oversees compliance with child care licensing standards and state training requirements.
• Jessie Blocker, Learning Experience Executive, a state-approved trainer with more than a decade in education, an experienced college and career counselor, and a Nearpod Certified Educator.
• Brittney Andrade, E-Learning Curriculum Specialist and Instructor and the lead full-time trainer, who develops, reviews and maintains the training programs and guides courses through state approval. She holds dual bachelor's degrees in Early Childhood Education and Creative Writing and a master's degree in Early Childhood Studies.

The About page credits Andrade with practical knowledge of licensing regulations, classroom practice and child development from her years in licensed child care, which is the background a state approval reviewer looks for. Skinner's stated philosophy is that "a strong, loving foundation in the early years helps children develop the confidence, resilience, and character needed to succeed throughout life", and Blocker's part is bringing digital tools and interactive learning strategies into the courses.

For centers and organizations

Successful Solutions is not only for individuals. Lenzo's role description covers "every organization we serve", with enrollment management, staff progress monitoring and account administration for client organizations. That suits a child care center or program that buys training for its staff and needs to track who has completed their hours. Lenzo is quoted saying the company aims to ensure "every aspect of our service meets, and whenever possible surpasses, the expectations established by child care licensing agencies and state training requirements."

Support and claims

The About page lists a "Dedicated Support Team" of student support staff and online educators, and says the company strives "to exceed state standards for online training". It also describes "Building Community Connections" within the early childhood education community. The bundles and South Carolina pages say the company is "TRUSTED BY 70,000+ EDUCATORS". Contact is by phone at (360) 602-0960, by email, or through a contact form.

Who it suits

Successful Solutions suits child care workers, preschool teachers and center staff in one of the 33 listed states who need annual training hours online and cheaply: a 10-hour themed bundle costs $75. It suits candidates working toward a CDA through 120 hours of online training, and CDA holders who need 45 hours for renewal. Center directors who want staff enrollment and progress monitoring will find a client relations team set up for that.

It suits less well an educator in Missouri, where the site says PD courses are not accepted, a Minnesota educator who wanted 1-hour courses, or anyone who needs the content in a language other than English. Teachers of older grades and course creators are not the audience.