Question Regarding Annual Training

[sheffie]

I helped a daycare teacher gain access to extension tamu classes online and they worked out great. She even paid for some of the certificates in the end for additional hours since once you register, you have access to all of the courses available. The question now is, she turned in her transcript and printed certificates but the daycare won't accept them without copies of the tests. Does that seem right? She was told they have to be kept on file with the certificates in her personnel file. Problem is that once you complete the course online, you aren't able to get the test questions or answers unless you printed while you were doing it.

But, isn't the point of the certificate and the individual number so that they can verify the course has been taken? And, if the state of Texas licensing standards make no mention of it and they weren't told in advance, why would they require that?

The only option she has in order to get copies of the tests would be to retake the courses and pay for all of those certificates again, and with the new annual training being upped from 15 hrs to 24 hrs and this particular daycare requiring 25 minimum, its ridiculous she should have to do that! Does anyone else seem to have this problem? I don't really know the ins and outs of running a daycare but based on the guidelines set forth in the Texas Administration Code, I am unable to find where test questions and answers are a requirement for proof of valid certificates.

Can anyone help with this?

[Maria2013]

don't know what to tell you, I order most of my courses online and wait for the book to come through the mail, when I'm done, I do not submit the actual test I copy all the answers onto a Form they provide and I send it in for grading , then they send that form back to me with the certificate

...on mine, it says "do NOT send in your answers if you are taking the online course and print the certificate yourself" so I'm not sure why they would want hers

sorry I wasn't able to help:hug:

[sheffie]

thanks! we have our suspicions. what we think is that since she is the first to complete hers so far since they were required to turn in before their anniversary date, that they are going to copy them and circulate the answers to everyone else for easy "certification". what other reason would they want the questions AND answers for?

plus, from what i understand, they've not only done that in the past but have also just copied certificates for the files from just one person passing and changing the names. i thought that would be impossible this time with the way the online courses provided them but it appears not. at least we know this much, she is legal and valid and can go anywhere with that proof. just makes me mad that she went through the whole process and she is being forced to hand it all over for the others to have an easy out. feeling like she has no choice for fear of losing her job is a bad position to be in.

[melilley]

She could call licensing and see what is required of employees who work in a center. Though this may not help, unfortunately the center has a right to require what they want. She could also ask to talk to her directors boss. If it is a corporate center, they usually have an anonymous hotline that you can call.
I could see the center doing what you mentioned, giving answers so everyone will be up to date on training hours so they don't get in trouble.
I don't see why they would need more than the certificate.

[sheffie]

Unfortunately, they are a small family owned business. The owner is the director and the rest of the office is in cahoots. And, it often seems only certain rules apply to her and not everyone else. State licensing went out recently for a separate complaint and did not violate, even though there was clearly a violation, several actually, and it was a valid complaint. All i know is that I am pulling my child from this place, but I want to help this teacher as much as possible. She has been the best with my little one. But no one should be afraid to be a "whistleblower" and lose their job. Its a shame that's how it is here.

And yes, giving the answers is one thing, but you know what? I took some of those courses myself and they were very informational and I learned a lot. If more of those teachers actually took the courses instead of just gave the right answers, things might actually change for the better at this place. If nothing else, they would be fully informed and educated on the real process, not the ones they are being forced to do just to cover up and lie because they "didn't know".

[melilley]

Unfortunately, they are a small family owned business. The owner is the director and the rest of the office is in cahoots. And, it often seems only certain rules apply to her and not everyone else. State licensing went out recently for a separate complaint and did not violate, even though there was clearly a violation, several actually, and it was a valid complaint. All i know is that I am pulling my child from this place, but I want to help this teacher as much as possible. She has been the best with my little one. But no one should be afraid to be a "whistleblower" and lose their job. Its a shame that's how it is here.

And yes, giving the answers is one thing, but you know what? I took some of those courses myself and they were very informational and I learned a lot. If more of those teachers actually took the courses instead of just gave the right answers, things might actually change for the better at this place. If nothing else, they would be fully informed and educated on the real process, not the ones they are being forced to do just to cover up and lie because they "didn't know".

Well that stinks! Sounds like she has to do what they say!
I agree, there is no benefit of having employees copy answers. They don't learn anything. You would think the owners would want their staff to be educated!

[sheffie]

You would think. But really all they want is just for them to do things their way, right or wrong. I've told her she needs to find a place that appreciates her many many years of experience and her knowledge. The stuff she tells me, she definitely knows what the standards and guidelines are and the proper way to do things. She also has a point though. Most of the daycares in our area only want young people. Maybe its easier to run over them that way.

And when the state shows up, they get someone to sneak out and buy the things they need....like disinfectant and paper towels which they hadn't had for weeks. These people have been around in the business way too long to not have made friends in licensing. That's the only explanation we can come up with. But it appears I'm the only who expects better than mediocre because no one else takes issue with the low nutritional food they serve, little to no outdoor activity or even that they'd rather have them coloring and painting and gluing instead of actually teaching them abc's and 123's, body parts, or anything really useful like manners.

[sheffie]

HELP.....PLEASE!!!! (update to dilemma)

Ok. So here's how this played out. The teacher turned in her certificates without the test questions and answers. The daycare turned around and refused to accept them to be applied to this year and instead are applying her 25 hrs to the 2012-2013 anniversary year, which ends in a few days. Their original deal with the employees was that they were supposed to complete their annual training by their anniversary dates to be eligible to receive their vacation pay. But, once she turned hers in, they changed it denying her her vacation pay because she completed her hours in the month of September which is prior to her anniversary date. Now they are saying in order for her to receive her vacation pay which was already earned she has to complete 25 more hours in totally different courses dated for her anniversary date or after.

Is this how it is usually done? It seems that they would be credited in the year you took them, regardless of your hire anniversary date. So now, in a few days, she has zero hours to apply towards her annual training.....and how do you take totally different courses when they have suggested the ones at the state site and she has taken most of those already just to complete the last batch of hours.

These people are screwy, but I don't know how else to help her. Any suggestions? I'm trying to brainstorm and find inexpensive ways for her to complete a whole set of new courses to shove it in their face. Other than contacting the EEOC and getting a lawyer, I don't know what else to do. And seeing as there is nothing official in writing policy-wise that she knows of, the rules and policies they set in place change day to day at their convenience and I am not sure what kind of case she would have.

ANY AND ALL ADVICE IS WELCOME! :/