Welcome
The iPD Portfolio is a learning management system created to support ongoing professional development for staff in Head Start and child care settings. It has accessible, self-paced courses based on staff roles and interests. Check out this step-by-step document to learn how to access the iPD.
Many iPD courses offer continuing education units (CEUs) upon completion. Some state professional development systems, workforce registries, or regulatory agencies, such as licensing or credentialing, require CEUs as a measure of quality of instruction or to provide assurance of attendance. Credential or licensure renewal may also require CEUs for the same reasons. If you want to use CEUs as part of your professional development, it is important to check with your regulatory agency to make sure you are meeting their specific requirements. You can also use CEUs from completing eligible iPD courses to meet Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ professional development requirements. Refer to the CDA Subject Areas posted under the learning objectives for calculating contact hours.
For more information, contact ipd@ecetta.info.
iPD Portfolio Technical Requirements
Operating System: You can use any desktop, lap top, or tablet PC with Pentium II 500 MHz and above, with the Windows XP operating system or better. We recommend using Windows 7 or 10, Mac OSX Sierra, or iPad iOS10.
- Both PCs and Macs should have a sound card with speakers or headphones
Web Browser:
- Internet Explorer 11 (or higher)
- Google Chrome 45 (or higher)
- Microsoft Edge (latest version)
- Mozilla Firefox 30 (or higher)
- Safari Opera 4 (or latest version)
The browser must be set to accept cookies and to show the newest version of a page. Pop‐up blockers should be disabled.
Media Player:
- Windows Media Player (latest version)
Welcome to the Individualized Professional Development Portfolio
Welcome to the Individualized Professional Development Portfolio
[Music begins]
Narrator: We know that professional development is important to teachers, family childcare providers, home visitors, coaches, education managers, and all those who support children’s learning — especially opportunities that award continuing education units (CEUs) and certificates of completion.
The Individualized Professional Development Portfolio (iPD) has accessible, self-paced modules specifically for your role and interests. Anyone can sign up for these online trainings — they are free, aligned to CDA subject areas, and offer CEU credit or certificates of completion. Since March 2020, the iPD has grown from roughly 5,000 users to almost 150,000 users. Our users have completed more than 150,000 completions across all offerings.
We offer over 100 courses, ranging from 15-minute microlearning experiences to 5-hour intensive courses that support beginning teachers and home visitors. With over 45 courses for education staff and almost 30 for directors and managers, the iPD has training for every role. The iPD also has courses in Spanish.
Additionally, as of 2025, the iPD has partnered with 30 states to provide state professional development approval for one or more iPD courses – helpful for state licensure and registry. It’s easy to sign up for the iPD! Visit the HeadStart.gov website to learn more.
[Music ends]
CloseLast Updated: July 22, 2025