About TARSS

CEED is home to the Trainer and Relationship-based Professional Development Specialist Support program (TARSS), funded by the state of Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The TARSS program supports early childhood professionals as well as people who work with early childhood educators.

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Services

In Minnesota, we value strong professional development for early childhood educators. Here at TARSS, we build trainer, course writer, and RBPD specialist capacity statewide. We provide services like these:

Courses for people who want to become trainers and course writers
Individual advising for trainers and course writers, and for people who want to become trainers or course writers
Training of Trainers events for DCYF-owned courses
Observation and mentoring for trainers
Professional learning communities (PLCs) and book studies
The RBPD Credential, an in-depth course to strengthen coaching skills
Annual events: the Trainer and RBPD Specialist Symposium and the Fall RBPD Retreat

Find it here

Our services
Our offerings for trainers, RBPD specialists, and course writers
Video introductions to the trainer approval system in Minnesota and relationship-based professional development
Our team

Contact us

Access TARSS support from CEED staff Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Call 612-624-5708 or email tarss@umn.edu. We will respond to calls and emails within two business days.

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Learn more about our offerings

Do you want to work with early childhood educators as a trainer or coach? Do you want to share your expertise by writing professional development courses for early childhood educators? The TARSS program can help! Explore all our professional development options.

For trainers

Become a Develop Approved Trainer in Minnesota, renew your Trainer Membership, or hone your skills and make connections.

For course writers

Gain the knowledge and qualifications to write your own professional development courses for Develop approval.

For RBPD specialists

Ground your coaching practice in the fundamentals of RBPD or improve your skills to better serve your clients.

An overview of TARSS support for trainers, RBPD specialists, and course writers

TARSS provides a variety of opportunities for the professionals who support early childhood eduators in Minnesota, from courses and events to one-on-one support. Hear from members of the TARSS team in this video overview.

Trainer approval in Minnesota

Are you an early childhood professional who loves learning and sharing knowledge with others? Have you considered becoming a trainer and wondered how it works? Melissa Donovan, TARSS training specialist, explains in this two-minute video.

What is RBPD?

Coaching, mentoring, and consulting are all forms of relationship-based professional development (RBPD). RBPD specialists work with early childhood professionals to determine their goals, make progress, and celebrate successes. Learn more in this 1.5-minute video from Kristina Erstad-Sankey, associate director of program quality at CEED.

Course writers: at the heart of professional development in early childhood education

A dedicated course writer is behind every Develop course, supporting the skills and knowledge that educators need to succeed. Learn more in this brief video introduction to the work that course writers do.

Meet the TARSS team

Ann Bailey Ann Bailey

Director

Ann Bailey, PhD, has more than 25 years of experience in the field of education and special education, specifically in technical assistance and dissemination at regional and national levels, as well as teaching, evaluation, research, and training…

Emily Beckstrom Emily Beckstrom

RBPD Program Specialist

Emily Beckstrom, MS, oversees relationship-based professional development (RBPD) work in the TARSS program.

Ashley Bonsen Ashley Bonsen

Curriculum Specialist

Ashley Bonsen, MA, has spent her entire professional career working in education at various levels. She has worked with learners of all ages, from infants and young children to adults in higher education.

Melissa Donovan Melissa Donovan

TARSS Training Specialist

Melissa Donovan has dedicated nearly 20 years to the early childhood field, serving in a variety of roles that support educators, trainers, and program leaders.

Kristina Erstad-Sankey Kristina Erstad-Sankey

Associate Director

Kristina Erstad-Sankey, MSW, oversees early childhood program quality work at CEED, including supporting early childhood coaches, educators, and administrators in a variety of settings (Head Start, licensed child care, and school districts) to expand…

Molly Hughes Molly Hughes

Mentor FCC Project Specialist

Molly Hughes, MA, joined the TARSS team after spending over 25 years in the field in a variety of direct care settings.

Anna Landes Benz Anna Landes Benz

Curriculum Specialist

Anna Landes Benz focuses on curriculum and professional development design. She loves researching, writing, and resource creating. She has worked in higher education curriculum development and instructional design since 2017.

Tamara Masters Tamara Masters

TARSS Project Manager

Tamara Masters, PhD, has worked in the early childhood field for 20 years in various roles including classroom teaching, home visiting, instructional coaching, training, and higher education.

Mary McEathron Mary McEathron

Research Associate and Lead Evaluator

Mary McEathron, PhD, has 20 years of experience evaluating state and local programs with an emphasis on useful evaluations that support learning and program improvements.

Meredith Reese Meredith Reese

Research and Evaluation Assistant

Meredith Reese works on multiple evaluations of statewide programs that support the early childhood workforce.

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