Table 1 Teacher and assistant teacher professional development requirements in each state-funded preschool program (2020–2021 school year)
From: Qualifications and supports for teaching teams in state-funded preschool in the United States
State and preschool program(s) | Lead teacher requirements: public schools | Lead teacher requirements: nonpublic schools | Assistant teacher requirement: public schools | Assistant teacher requirement: nonpublic schools | Meets NIEER Yearbook benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama  First Class Pre-K | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
Alaska  AK Pre-Elementary Programs | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans for some | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans for some | PD plans for some | PD plans for some | No |
Arizona  Quality First Scholarships | 18 h/year | 18 h/year | 18 h/year | 18 h/year | No |
Arkansas  Arkansas Better Chance/Arkansas Better Chance for School Success | 30 h/year PD plans | 30 h/year | 30 h/year | 30 h/year | No |
California* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 CA State Preschool Program (CSPP) | 105 h/5 years PD plans for some | 105 h/5 years PD plans for some | 105 h/5 years PD plans for some | 105 h/5 years PD plans for some | No |
 CA Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Program | PD plans for some Coaching for some | NA | PD plans for some Coaching for some | NA | No |
Colorado  Colorado Preschool Program | 15 h/year | 15 h/year | 15 h/year | 15 h/year | No |
Connecticut* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 CT Child Day Care Contracts (CDCC) | NA | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | NA | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | No |
 CT School Readiness (SR) | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | PD 1% of total work hours PD plans for some | No |
 CT Smart Start | PD plans | NA | - | NA | No |
Delaware  DE Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) | 90 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 18 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 18 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
District of Columbia  DC Universal Pre-K | 25 h/year (DCPS only) Coaching (DCPS only) | 30 h/year Coaching | 6 days/year (DCPS only) | 21 h/year Coaching | No |
Florida** Â FL Voluntary Prekindergarten Program | 120Â h/5Â years PD plans for some | 10Â h/year PD plans for some | PD plans for some | PD plans for some | No |
Georgia  GA’s Pre-K Program | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
Hawaii* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 HI’s Executive Office on Early Learning Public Prekindergarten Program | 60 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | 25 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | Yes |
 HI State Public Charter School Early Learning Program | 50 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | Yes |
Illinois  IL Preschool for All and Preschool Expansion | 120 h/5 years PD plans Coaching for some | 120 h/5 years PD plans Coaching for some | PD plans Coaching for some | PD plans Coaching for some | No |
Iowa* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 IA Shared Visions (SV) | Hours based on program standards PD plans Coaching for some | Hours based on program standards PD plans | Hours based on program standards PD plans | Hours based on program standards PD plans | No |
 IA Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) | PD plans Coaching | PD plans | PD plans | PD plans | No |
Kansas  Preschool Offered by Public School Districts | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year | 15 h/year | No |
Kentucky  KY Preschool Program | 24 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 24 h/year | 18 h/year | 18 h/year | No |
Louisiana* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 LA 8(g) Student Enhancement Block Grant Program | 18 h/year | NA | 18 h/year | NA | No |
 LA Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program (LA 4) | 18 h/year | NA | 18 h/year | NA | No |
 LA Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program (NSECD) | NA | 18 h/year | NA | 18 h/year | No |
Maine  ME Public Preschool Program | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans | - | - | No |
Maryland  MD Prekindergarten Program | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans | 6 credit hours/5 years PD plans | 24 h/year PD plans | 24 h/year PD plans | No |
Massachusetts* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 MA Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) | NA | 20 h/year | NA | 20 h/year | No |
 MA Chapter 70 | 150 PD points/5 years PD plans | NA | - | NA | No |
Michigan* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 MI Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) | 16 h/year PD plans Coaching | 16 h/year PD plans Coaching | 16 h/year PD plans Coaching | 16 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 MI Developmental Kindergarten (DK) | 150 h/5 years PD plans for some Coaching for some | NA | – | NA | No |
Minnesota* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 MN Head Start | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 MN Voluntary Prekindergarten and School Readiness Plus (VPK/SRP) | 10 h/year; 125 h/5 years (licensed teachers only) PD plans Coaching | 10 h/year; 125 h/5 years (licensed teachers only) PD plans Coaching | 10 h/year Coaching | 10 h/year Coaching | No |
Mississippi  MS Early Learning Collaborative | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
Missouri* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 MO Preschool Program (PP) | 22 h/year PD plans Coaching | 22 h/year PD plans Coaching | 22 h/year PD plans Coaching | 22 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 MO Pre-K Foundation Formula (Pre-K FF) | 30 h/year (teachers years 1–4); 15 h/year (teachers year 5 until exempt) PD plans for some Coaching | NA | – | NA | No |
Nebraska  NE Early Childhood Education Program | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans | 15 h/year PD plans | No |
Nevada  NV Ready! State Pre-K | 6 credit hours/5 years | 24 h/year | 6 credit hours/5 years | 24 h/year | No |
New Jersey* | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 NJ Preschool Expansion Program (Former Abbott Preschool Program) | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | No |
 NJ Former Non-Abbott Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA) | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | No |
 NJ Former Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI) | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | 100 h/5 years Coaching | No |
New Mexico  NM PreK (4s) and NM Early PreK (3s) and NM Mixed Age PreK (3s & 4s) | Minimum 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 24 h/year PD plans Coaching | Minimum 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 24 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
New York  NY State Administered Prekindergarten Program | 175 h/5 years Coaching for some | 175 h/5 years | – | – | No |
North Carolina  NC Pre-Kindergarten Program | 21 h/ year PD plans Coaching | 21 h/ year PD plans Coaching | 5 h/year PD plans | 5 h/year PD plans | No |
North Dakota  ND Early Childhood Education Grant Program | Varies by teaching license held PD plans | Varies by teaching license held | Varies by teaching license held | Varies by teaching license held | No |
Ohio  OH Early Childhood Education | 20 h/2 years PD plans | 20 h/2 years PD plans | 20 h/2 years PD plans | 20 h/2 years PD plans | No |
Oklahoma  OK Early Childhood Four-Year-Old Program | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | NA | Yes |
Oregon* Â OR Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 OR Preschool Promise | 20 h/year PD plans for some | 20 h/year PD plans for some | 20 h/year PD plans for some | 20 h/year PD plans for some | No |
Pennsylvania*  PA Ready to Learn Block Grant (RTL) | 180 h/5 years PD plans for some Coaching for some | 180 h/5 years | – | – | No |
 PA Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 PA Kindergarten for Four-Year-Olds and School-Based Pre-K (K4/SBPK) | 180 h/5 years (SBPK public teachers only) PD plans for some Coaching for some | PD plans for some Coaching for some | - | PD plans for some Coaching for some | No |
 PA Pre-K Counts (PKC) | 180 h/5 years PD plans for some Coaching for some | 180 h/5 years PD plans for some Coaching for some | 24 h/year PD plans for some | 24 h/year PD plans for some | No |
Rhode Island  RI State Prekindergarten Program | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | 20 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
South Carolina  SC Child Early Reading Development and Education Program and EIA/4K | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
Tennessee  TN Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
Texas  TX Public School Prekindergarten | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 30 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | – | – | No |
Utah  Expanded Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs (ESA) | Coaching | Coaching | – | – | No |
Vermont  VT Universal Prekindergarten Education (Act 166) | 9 credit hours/7 years PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD plans Coaching for some | No |
Virginia  VA Preschool Initiative | 15 h/school year | 15 h/school year | 15 h/school year | 15 h/school year | No |
Washington* Â Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) | 20Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 20Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | 15Â h/year PD plans Coaching | Yes |
 Washington Transitional Kindergarten (TK) | 100 h/5 years PD plans Coaching | NA | N/A | NA | Yes |
West Virginia  WV Universal Pre-K | 15 h/year PD Plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD Plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD Plans Coaching for some | 15 h/year PD Plans Coaching for some | No |
Wisconsin  WI Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) | PD plans | Coaching for some |  | Coaching for some | No |