We’re excited today to launch a new phase of the online tool that will help child care providers and other early learning professionals track their State Training and Registry System (STARS) trainings and professional development.
The Managed Education and Registry Information Tool (MERIT) is DEL’s online training database available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to trainers and early learning professionals. Also inside MERIT are available trainings, training and educational completion forms and other tools. This new database will help keep accurate records, as well as build a stronger statewide professional development system. Check it out at http://merit.del.wa.gov/.
Starting today, child care providers and other professionals can create an online profile to help track their professional development.
They can also:
- Search for upcoming training events without logging in.
- Look up a STARS ID if it has been forgotten or misplaced. Those who had a STARS ID before will continue to have the same ID in MERIT.
- Apply online for a STARS ID number for those who have never had a STARS ID.
- View and print full training history, including information from the old STARS database .
- Update online basic personal information.
- Begin an application to update education, certification/endorsement information and training profile.
Also starting today, trainers and training organization can complete their attendance lists and class payment histories. Once a participant is listed as attending the training, his or her training history is automatically updated.
Trainers are now recording attendance for trainings taken since the beginning of 2010. They have not been able to enter this information until now. Early learning professionals are encouraged to wait to call or e-mail DEL about missing trainings in their accounts until after June 1, 2011. Trainers need time to enter the information in MERIT.
If you have questions about MERIT, please e-mail merit@del.wa.gov or call 1-866-482-4325 and choose option 8. We are excited about this new tool and its potential for our state!