Register for MO-SECA Trainings!
New to MO-SECA?
Apply now to get started with group
trainings and 1-on-1 coaching.
Register for Trainings
Access our training portal and
sign up for classes near you!
New to MO-SECA?
Register to get started with group
trainings and 1-on-1 coaching.
Register for Trainings
Access our training portal and
sign up for classes near you!
What are MO-SECA Trainings?
Join fellow Early Childhood Administrators at centers similar to yours for interactive leadership and robust business trainings. Participants gain critical knowledge and skills sustaining early childhood programs, managing organizational change, serving as community leaders, and more. See the full curricula based on center size:
Family Centers
LICENSED CAPACITY UP TO 10
Each workshop is 3 hours. You recieve clock-hours and a $75 stipend to support your attendance
Whole Leadership: Examine the interdependent domains of leadership: pedagogical, administrative, and essentials.
Sustainability: Learn to diagnose individual and organizational challenges while fostering staff and family collaboration.
Leading Change: Apply the six key components of the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
Fiscal Management & Record Keeping: Focus on budgeting basics and the unique financial considerations for family child care businesses.
Financial & Business Risk Management: Understand the nuances of operating a home-based business including insurance, space allocation, and more.
General Business Practices and Supports: Understand the componants of a small business including marketing, operations, policies, and income beyond fees.
Group Technical Assistance: Apply the concepts in the previous business sessions alongside other participants.
Small Centers
LICENSED CAPACITY 11-99
Each workshop is 3 hours. You recieve clock-hours and a $75 stipend to support your attendance
Whole Leadership: Examine the interdependent domains of leadership: pedagogical, administrative, and essentials.
Sustainability: Learn to diagnose individual and organizational challenges while fostering staff and family collaboration.
Leading Change: Apply the six key components of the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
Writing a Business Plan: Current business owners lear the basics of writing a business plan and how it can be used as a management tool. Attendees get a free 1-year subscription to LivePlan
Understanding Financial Statements: Learn to identify key business information on income statements and balance sheets so you can make fact-based business and management decisions.
QuickBooks Online for Childcare Business: A QuickBooks certified instructor presents basic accounting knowledge. Attendees get a free 1-year subscription to QuickBooks Online.
Large Centers
LICENSED CAPACITY 100+
Each workshop is 3 hours. You recieve clock-hours and a $75 stipend to support your attendance
Whole Leadership: Examine the interdependent domains of leadership: pedagogical, administrative, and essentials.
Sustainability: Learn to diagnose individual and organizational challenges while fostering staff and family collaboration.
Leading Change: Apply the six key components of the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
Supervision and Human Resources: Learn techniques to manage teams, set effective goals, and develop implement human resources policies.
Strategic Financial Management: Ask the key strategic questions to drive your center’s sustainability and scalability. Learn to create productive discussions with financial and programming staff.
Strategic Communication Strategies: Consider techniques to effectively communicate with center staff, families, and the greater community that help you build trust and positive relationships over time.
Ready to get signed up for a(nother) training?
Trainings will take place throughout 2023 and 2024 all over the state of Missouri. As registration goes live for individual sessions, we’ll add them to the calendar.
A note from the MO-SECA team: We are actively in the process of opening registration for several sessions. If you don’t see the training you’re looking for, check back soon!
Trainings are organized by region across the state of Missouri. Find your county to determine your region:
Region A Trainings: Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Buchanan, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Dekalb, Gentry, Holt, Jackson, Nodaway, Platte, Vernon, Worth
Region B Trainings: Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Douglas, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Stone, Taney, Webster
Region C Trainings: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St Francois, Ste Genevieve, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Washington, Wayne
Region D Trainings: Benton, Camden, Cole, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Henry, Hickory, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, St Clair, Texas, Wright
Region E Trainings: Boone, Callaway, Cooper, Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Montgomery, Pettis, Saline, Warren
Region F Trainings: St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Louis City
Region G Trainings: Adair, Audrain, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Clark, Daviess, Grundy, Harrison, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Mercer, Monroe, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan
MO-SECA Training FAQ
General Questions
Is MO-SECA required for Missouri child care programs?
No, participation in the MO-SECA program is optional. However, our sessions do count toward professional development clock hours.
Will MO-SECA be offered in 2024?
We anticipate continuing this program through 2024. We intend to open up the training opportunity to child care programs who do not accept subsidy in 2024.
Eligibility to participate in MO-SECA
Who is eligible to participate?Administrators of Missouri child care programs that are contracted to accept Missouri’s child care subsidy. Multiple administrators representing a given program may participate in MO-SECA.
How do you define an ‘administrator’?
We define administrators as program staff who provide administrative, operational, and/or teaching leadership for their programs (e.g., child care business owners, directors, assistant directors, program coordinators, owners, and other leaders). MO-SECA is not a good fit for classroom teachers who don’t have leadership responsibilities.
Can I invite other staff from my program to participate? Will they also be eligible for the stipend?
Yes, if they have leadership responsibilities at your child care program and meet the working definition of “administrator” above. All participants who are eligible to participate will also be eligible for the stipend.
Do license-exempt providers that receive state subsidies qualify to participate?
Yes, as long as they are not a Six or Fewer Provider.
I oversee multiple child care programs, some of which accept subsidy and others that do not. Am I eligible to participate?
Yes. As long as you serve as an administrator for a Missouri child care program that accepts subsidy, you are eligible.
My child care program is in the process of becoming licensed, and intends to accept subsidy once we are licensed. Am I eligible to participate?
No. You are only eligible (in 2023) once your program is contracted to accept subsidy. We anticipate making MO-SECA available to non-subsidy accepting programs in 2024.
Missouri State Child Care Subsidy
What is the child care subsidy?
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, “the Child Care Subsidy Program increases children’s access to early learning and literacy by assisting eligible parents/guardians with payments for child care in Missouri. The purpose of this program is to not only ensure children have access to early childhood programs but also to help families with the cost of child care so that they are able to focus on finding and holding steady jobs and/or are able to attend school & training programs.” source
What does it mean to “accept state child care subsidy”?
“The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) – Office of Childhood (OOC) partners with local child care providers to offer subsidized care through the Child Care Subsidy Program. Child care providers must be contracted with DESE – OOC to receive payment for care provided to subsidy-eligible children.” source
How do I sign-up to accept state child care subsidy?
Providers can visit: https://dese.mo.gov/childhood/child-care-subsidy to learn more about how to become a subsidy provider.
Stipend Payment
How much is the stipend?
$25/hour of training sessions completed ($75 per 3-hour session), for up to 18 hours total (up to $450 total). The stipend goes to the person who participates in the training (not the program they represent).
Is the stipend also offered for participation in 1:1 coaching?
No.
Is the stipend offered for participation in program assessments?
Not for program assessments completed by the administrator. Small incentives will be available for other center staff who participate in a center-wide program assessment survey.
How will stipend payment work?
You can expect to receive a stipend within 90 days of your session attendance. Be sure to submit your W9 when requested and to fill out the direct deposit form if you’d like to receive your subsidy via direct deposit.
Training and Coaching
Who is delivering the leadership training?
The leadership training will be provided through a partnership among University of Missouri – Kansas City Institute for Human Development (IHD), the UMKC Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, the University of Missouri – St. Louis Community Innovation and Action Center (CIAC), and University of Missouri – Extension. The leadership training uses the Whole Leadership framework.
How do I know what size center I work at?
Center sizes are determined by licensed capacity:
- Family Child Care: Licensed capacity of 10 or fewer
- Small Center: Licensed capacity of 11-99
- Large Center: Licenced capacity of 100 or more.
Who is delivering the business training?
The business training will be specialized by the size of the child care business (the number of children served).
- Large Centers: The business training for large centers will be provided through a partnership among University of Missouri – Kansas City Institute for Human Development (IHD), the UMKC Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, the University of Missouri – St. Louis Community Innovation and Action Center (CIAC), and University of Missouri – Extension.
- Small Centers: The Missouri Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) will provide business and management training for small center administrators.
- Family Child Care: Child Care Aware of Missouri (CCAMO) will provide business and management training for family child care owners or providers.
When will coaching sessions occur?
Coaching sessions will occur throughout the year, at times that are convenient for both you and your coach. You will work with your coach directly to schedule these sessions.
Will MO-SECA count as clock hours for licensure?
The leadership and business trainings will count towards clock hours. 1:1 coaching will not.
Will MO-SECA trainings show up in the state-wide PD registry?
Yes.
Will MO-SECA be offered in languages other than English?
Not at this time. However, if you require an interpreter in order to fully participate, please let us know at least 2 weeks before the scheduled training and we will do our best to accommodate.
Supporting leadership and business excellence in Missouri’s early childhood programs.