Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why do I need an account?

    A free Thinkific account is necessary to access the trainings, and allows trainees to save their progress, keep track of multiple courses in a student dashboard, and access completed certificates

  • Why are the trainings free?

    This website and trainings are FREE to use thanks to support from the Washington State Department of Health through Cooperative Agreement Number 1U58DP004830-01 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  • Who creates the trainings?

    The trainings are offered and updated by the Washington State Department of Health. Earlier versions of these trainings were developed and offered by the University of Washington Center for Public Health Nutrition (UW CPHN).

  • What are STARS credits?

    STARS stands for State Training and Registry System and is the Washington State system for providing and tracking continuing education credits for early learning and school-age professionals. Trainings are linked to STARS IDs and providers are required to take 10 credits of STARS training each calendar year. You can sign up for a STARS ID with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

  • What is MERIT?

    The Managed Education and Registry Information Tool (MERIT) is an online professional development tool for early care & education and school-age professionals that is owned and operated by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and manages Washington State Training and Registry System (STARS) training. All trainings and trainers listed in MERIT are state-approved for STARS training.

  • What happened to Let's Move Child Care?

    The national Let's Move Child Care campaign, hosted by the Nemours Foundation and part of the larger scope Let's Move campaign of Michelle Obama, officially changed names to Healthy Kids, Healthy Future in 2017. The Let's Move Child Care goals and the majority of the content stayed the same.

  • How do I access my Certificate?

    You can access your Completion Certificate as soon as you complete a training by clicking on the "Get Your Certificate" button on the top left side of the course player. You can also come back and access your certificates by clicking under your name - "My Account" and "Certificates." If your certificate does not appear, try going back into the course player and selecting the "Get Your Certificate" button on the top left above the lesson outline.

  • When will my MERIT account be updated?

    As of October 1, 2023, Nourished & Active in Early Learning credits are only eligible for credit in MERIT if you submit a Continuing Education Proposal (CEP) application through the Division of Children, Youth & Families website. Learn more about this process here: https://dcyf.wa.gov/services/earlylearning-profdev/merit The Continuing Education Proposal (CEP) application allows you to request annual In-Service training hours for a learning opportunity not connected to a state-approved training. You may complete a CEP application for the following types of professional learning experiences: In-person or online training, examples may include: Community-based trainings (i.e., training offered by a hospital, Chamber of Commerce or local library), or Conference. You are eligible to submit your learning experience if it meets the following criteria: (1) You completed the learning experience within the last 12 months; (2) The learning experience covers topics that are in the WA State Core Competencies for early care and education or school-age professionals; (3) You applied what you learned to your work; (4) The learning experience was at least one hour long. Continuing Education Proposal Application Instructions: Step 1: Gather your information and supporting documents. Step 2: Complete a Continuing Education Proposal application in MERIT. 1. Login to MERIT at merit.dcyf.wa.gov. 2. Select the Continuing Education Proposal application in the “My Applications” tab. 3. Review information included in the “Continuing Education Proposal,” “Personal Info” and “Employment” sections. Click “Next” after each page. 4. Complete the “Training Information” section. 5. Review and Submit. Step 3: Submit copies of supporting documents to [email protected] within 30 days. The application will automatically withdraw if supporting documents are not received within 30 days. We may follow-up with you if more information is needed.

  • Can I take the trainings if I am not from Washington and/or do not have a STARS ID?

    Yes! Anyone is welcome to create an account and complete the trainings, regardless of where you live or whether you have a STARS ID. We are no longer providing continuing education credits automatically. As of October 1, 2023, Nourished & Active in Early Learning credits are only eligible for credit in MERIT if you submit a Continuing Education Proposal (CEP) application through the Division of Children, Youth & Families website. Learn more about this process here: https://dcyf.wa.gov/services/earlylearning-profdev/merit

  • What does "Your responses will be kept confidential" mean?

    Your responses to training questions and content are securely saved and not shared with anyone outside of the Center for Public Health Nutrition. For tracking purposes, the number of trainings taken are frequently reported to the Washington State Department of Health. Some question responses are combined and summarized into an annual report but no identifying information is included and individual responses are not identifiable to you. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have questions.

  • How is my name and STARS ID used?

    We will use the information you provide for issuing your STARS certificate and reporting your training to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. We will not share your personal information with any other parties or organizations.

  • Why do I get emails from this account?

    You will receive limited emails to help you manage your account and access certificates. You can manage your email notifications in your account settings. At the end of a training we will ask you if we may contact you in the future to invite you to participate in other early learning projects. This helps us secure finding for similar projects or learn ways our trainings can be improved. If you do not want to receive emails from us about these opportunities, select "No thanks" in response to this question and we will not contact you.

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