Individualized Professional Development Plan

What is an IPDP?

An Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) is a customized path towards professional growth. An IPDP is a tool that guides an individual through the process of reflecting on his or her strengths and interests, as well as determining areas that may benefit from additional focus. The information gained from this process will provide the framework for setting individualized goals for increasing personal knowledge, skills, and expertise.

Why should I complete an IPDP?

Taking the time to reflect on your current practice and subsequently set goals to improve that practice helps you gain knowledge and confidence in your work and ultimately benefits the children and families in your care.

What does a KCCTO IPDP look like?

The KCCTO Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) Guide provides an overview of professional development and directions for how to complete a self-assessment, set goals, and track your professional education or training. No matter which direction you want to take your IPDP, this Guide is for everyone.

Once you have reviewed the KCCTO Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) Guide, you can customize the different parts of the IPDP to fit your needs. KCCTO has provided several different options that are relevant to Kansas providers.

Basic: this IPDP provides basic guidance for completing a self-assessment, setting goals, and tracking professional education. This IPDP uses the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s 5 Guidelines for Effective Teaching as a framework.

CDA Candidates: this IPDP’s self-assessment, goal-setting, and professional education tracking documents help you plan for and meet Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential professional education requirements

New Providers: this IPDP’s self-assessment, goal-setting, and professional education tracking documents help you plan for and meet initial KDHE licensing requirements

Annual Training: this IPDP’s self-assessment, goal-setting, and professional education tracking documents help you identify areas you would like to improve upon as you plan for and meet annual training requirements. This IPDP uses the Core Competencies for Early Childhood and Youth Development Professionals (Kansas and Missouri) as a framework.

Customize Your IPDP

Choose a template that best matches your current professional needs.

1. Complete a Self-Assessment

Basic Self-Assessment

CDA Candidates

New Providers

Annual Training

2. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

3. Track Your Training

If you do not already have a method of tracking your training, you may find one of the templates provided below helpful in getting you started.

Basic and Annual Tracking

CDA Candidates*

New Providers | Family Child Care (Day Care Homes and Group Day Care Homes)

New Providers | Preschools and Child Care Centers

New Providers | School-Age Programs

*Remember that if you are completing training for your CDA Renewal, you are not required to complete a specific number of hours in each Subject Area. However, tracking which Subject Areas your Renewal training applies to can help you identify areas in which you might be lacking training. Use this form along with your identified goal(s) to determine specific training topics you would like to pursue.

Have questions about your IPDP?

Connect With Us – we’ll put you in touch with a KCCTO Professional Development Specialist!