May 1, 2025

Early childhood workforce registries were designed to make oversight easier. Too often, though, they feel like another bureaucratic requirement — manual uploads, confusing user experience, and processes that frustrate providers, center directors, and state agencies alike.

But registries don't have to be this way. When built and maintained with the right principles, they can be a powerful tool for workforce development, accountability, and reporting. In this post, we'll look at five ways states can strengthen their registries, from integrating with training vendors to making user support central to the system.

1. Integrate training vendors directly

In many registries, verifying courses can be a bulky process. Training comes in from multiple sources, and each record has to be checked before it counts. That takes time and staff effort, and often slows down how quickly the registry reflects an accurate picture of the workforce.

Auto-syncing with approved training vendors streamlines the process. When completions flow directly into the system, educators can see their progress immediately, center administrators can monitor staff compliance more easily, and agencies gain a clear view of qualifications across programs. Integration reduces the need for manual verification and turns the registry into a shared source of truth for everyone.

2. Design for user experience

When a registry is designed with poor usability, users get frustrated and mistakes increase. Research shows that investing in good UX can dramatically improve outcomes — for instance, one study found that better UX design can boost user adoption by up to 200% and raise return on investment by around 300%.

Top UX elements to prioritize:

• Clear navigation paths to common tasks
• Plain-language prompts that match users' vocabulary
• Progress indicators showing any pending steps
• Error prevention and recovery messages

This makes the registry easier to use, and far more likely to be used correctly by educators and administrators.

3. Prioritize mobile access

Smartphones have become the default way people access the internet. As of 2023, websites receive 313 percent more visits from mobile devices than from desktops.

Registries that aren't mobile-friendly risk frustrating or excluding a large share of their users. A responsive, mobile-first design ensures providers can update records, view transcripts, and complete tasks wherever and whenever it's most convenient — whether between classrooms, on the way to work, or at home in the evening.

4. Focus on reporting and visibility

One of the essential values of a registry lies in its ability to transform data into usable information. When reporting tools are limited, records remain in the system and fail to support anyone in making better decisions. Strong reporting creates visibility at every level of the workforce.

• Educators can log in and immediately see which requirements they've completed and what's still outstanding.
• Center administrators can review compliance across their entire staff, spotting gaps before they lead to violations.
• State agencies can pull workforce-wide insights, from credential levels to regional shortages, demographic trends, or enrollment patterns.

Visibility creates accountability. When each group can see the data they need, problems are addressed earlier, compliance improves, and policymakers gain a clearer picture of where the workforce is thriving and where additional support is needed.

5. Support users with training and onboarding

Even the best-designed registry can only succeed if people know how to use it. Without clear support, providers and directors may struggle with routine tasks or avoid the system altogether. Building in technical assistance and onboarding helps ensure consistency and trust.

Support doesn't need to be complex. States can offer:

• Short how-to videos for common tasks
• A searchable FAQ or help center
• Live chat or help desk during busy renewal periods
• Onboarding webinars a few times a year for new users

Research on digital adoption shows that providing user training and support significantly increases both uptake and long-term satisfaction with technology systems. In the context of registries, that means more educators logging in, more accurate records, and smoother oversight for agencies.

Why States Choose ProSolutions Training

When registries work well, they become powerful tools for workforce development and accountability. They reduce administrative burdens, make compliance more transparent, and give policymakers the data they need to strengthen the early childhood workforce.

That's where ProSolutions Training comes in. We partner with states to provide seamless registry integration, high-quality online courses, and dedicated support that makes training easy to track and manage.

See how ProSolutions Training can support your state with integrated training solutions designed for clarity, accountability, and scale →