What Are BFTS Credits — and How Do You Earn the Georgia 10 Hours?

Short answer: "BFTS credits" is Georgia-only shorthand for Bright from the Start (BFTS) training hours — the annual professional development clock hours that DECAL (Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning) expects of early childhood educators. In Georgia, the baseline is 10 clock hours per year (after your first year, tracked on the January–December calendar), earned through approved training and recorded in GaPDS, the Georgia Professional Development System. You earn them by completing approved sessions — like those Camille delivers as a DECAL-approved trainer.

Let's unpack what that actually means.

"BFTS credits" is local language

If you've heard colleagues say they "need their BFTS credits," they're using Georgia-specific terminology. Bright from the Start is the working name tied to DECAL, so in Georgia, training hours often get called BFTS credits or BFTS hours. You won't hear this phrase in South Carolina or North Carolina — they have their own systems and their own words (more on that at the end). Knowing the local language matters: when you search for or book training, "Bright from the Start" and "DECAL-approved" are the terms that signal it actually counts in Georgia.

What the credits really are: clock hours

A "credit" here is really a clock hour of approved professional development. One hour of approved training generally equals one hour toward your annual requirement. The hours have to be:

• On an approved topic relevant to early childhood
• Delivered by an approved source (an approved trainer, or through an Approved Sponsor Organization)
• Recorded so the state can see them — in Georgia, that means GaPDS

This is why the same one-hour workshop can "count" or "not count" depending on whether it's approved and recorded.

The Georgia 10 hours, plainly

For most Georgia educators, the annual expectation is 10 clock hours per year, applied after your first year and tracked on the January through December calendar. That's a manageable target if you plan ahead — roughly an hour a month, or a couple of focused sessions across the year.

A few practical notes:

• Spread them out. Cramming 10 hours into one weekend means you retain less. A steady pace sticks better.
• Pick topics that change your Monday. Hours that connect to a real classroom goal — calmer transitions, richer play, better documentation — feel like growth, not a checkbox.
• Confirm they posted. Log in to GaPDS and make sure each session shows on your record.

You can see the full Georgia breakdown on the Georgia certification page.

How the hours get recognized

In Georgia, training is recognized when it comes through an Approved Sponsor Organization (ASO) or an Approved Trainer, and then is reflected in GaPDS. Camille is a DECAL-approved trainer, which is exactly what makes her sessions count toward your BFTS hours. After a session, you receive a certificate, and the clock hours are recorded so they apply to your annual requirement.

That combination — approved trainer plus GaPDS recording — is the whole point. A great training that isn't approved or recorded may not move your annual number at all.

How to actually earn your 10 this year

A simple plan:

1. Check GaPDS now. See how many hours you've already completed this calendar year and what's left.
2. Map the gap across the months. Decide roughly when you'll knock out each block of hours.
3. Book approved sessions early. Approved trainers fill up, especially in summer before the fall rush.
4. Choose topics with a purpose. Tie hours to a method or goal you actually want to improve.
5. Save certificates and confirm GaPDS entries. Keep your own folder and verify the registry.

You can see Camille's formats and rates on the pricing page, and book training that satisfies your BFTS hours while genuinely improving your practice.

The South Carolina and North Carolina equivalents

Because educators sometimes work across state lines, it helps to know the parallels — but note the requirements and terms differ:

• South Carolina doesn't use "BFTS credits." Educators work through SC DSS / ABC Quality and the SC Endeavors registry, and the annual baseline is generally 15 clock hours (with limited carryover; directors more). Out-of-state training can count via an individual training request in SC Endeavors. See the South Carolina certification page.
• North Carolina uses NC DHHS / DCDEE and the NCICDP registry, with annual hours that range from 5 to 20 depending on your credential. Courses generally must be DCDEE-approved. See the North Carolina certification page.

So "BFTS credits" is a Georgia idea. In the Carolinas, you'll talk about SC Endeavors hours or DCDEE-approved training instead.

The bottom line

BFTS credits are simply Georgia's Bright from the Start training hours — clock hours of approved professional development recorded in GaPDS. The baseline is 10 per year after your first year, on the January–December calendar, earned through an approved trainer like Camille. Plan across the year, choose meaningful topics, and confirm each session posts to your record.