WELS 3

WELS is a comprehensive data system for early childhood and has a proven track record of integrating data from diverse data systems, streamlining and improving the quality improvement process, and tracking data over time to inform decisions.

July 14, 2026
Upgrade
Backend optimization of the Rooms module.
New
Addition of manual verification process for employment records in SF DEC WELS.
Enhance
Verification of all Positions imported within SF Registry employment records (includes updates to all currently imported Positions).
Fix
Fixes to typo in Activity Log Search feature.
New
Systems Configurations Report now available.
Enhance
Addition of description to Dashboard Reports.
New
Ability to review responses to Demographics in each program's WELS profile (Sites).
New
SEEK Application (2027)
New
Addition of "Reconciled & Cleared" Fiscal Status for SEEK Applications.
Enhance
Updates to SEEK Denial Letter logic to ensure application status is updated to "Denied."
Enhance
"Assign" function always enabled for SEEK Applications within "Manage."
Enhance
Updates to CSC STAR Survey based on rounds to ensure correct survey displays to applicants.
Feature
Portal User Accounts Report to include Program and/or Organization Name.
Enhance
Incorporation of requested updates and enhancements to the ECIC DE CDA (2026) Application.
Fix
Fixes to an issue affecting "Ineligible" functionality (improvements to accuracy and system reliability).
Enhance
Addition of Active/Inactive column in the Create Agency Staff list.
Improvement
Improvements to Calendar display in the Activity Log for multi-selection entries.
New
Addition of Date Range filter within the MDHS Professional Development Verification Chart.
Enhance
MDHS ELEVATE Application Staff Assignment Report now includes Cycle and Last Assigned Date.
New
Addition of Smart Badge link to LARS export. Includes all Badge images to the new Smart Badge design.
Enhance
Inclusion of Details by Topic in TA Coaching Report.
Improvement
Updates to the QSS Summary and Data Report to reflect the correct application statuses (additional improvements included).
Fix
Fixes to Program Staff Competency Hours Details Report to verify professional staff training hours when filtering.
Enhance
Ran script to update MDHS PDG Site Support for all Rooms with four-year-olds to have ELEVATE+ as their Support designation.
Enhance
Updates to Activity Log/Note functionality to pre-select the current Site when creating a new entry within the MDHS Site Calendar section.
Enhance
Enhancements to the QIP (Plan).
Fix
Fixes to the MDHS Calendar "Today" button to display current date.
Enhance
Updates to to have a unified flow across all MDHS Director's Credentials Applications (DC/DCFT/DCR).
New
Addition of a new field in ELEVATE Cycle 1 and 2 for programs to indicate their Supporting Agency as part of the Program Information section.
New
Updates to MDHS ECE Scholarship Application flow to add: No Response, Participation Confirmed, and Participation Declined statuses.
Fix
Fixes to Two-Factor Authentication code timeout with email, SMS, and phone call options.
Enhance
Professional Development section now able to support Award Amounts in ElevatEd Training Templates in ElevatEd, which auto-generate Staff Funding records during sync.
Enhance
Addition of Description to Dashboard Reports.
New
Addition of a list of Ineligibility Reasons to the ElevatEd FIU Bilingual Cohort Application.
New
New "Application Closed" status for the ElevatEd FAIHM Scholarship Application.
Improvement
Updated terminology from "Employment Verification" to "Employment Confirmation" across all views and emails in the following ElevatEd Applications: FIU Bilingual Cohort, FAIMH Endorsement, CDA, and CDA Renewal.
Enhance
Updated Professional Application List to display "Active" ElevatEd accounts.
Fix
Fixes to issue that prevented date selection from showing when configuring Applications in the Maintenance section.
Enhance
Addition of Vendor ID to the A$CEND Application List export.
New
New requirement for reviewer to select the Employment Record that will be used to calculate the A$CEND Award Amount before approval of the application.
New
Addition of "Helper Indicators" to the A$CEND Application Manage page with quick insight into the latest NetSuite information on file.
Enhance
Updates to the stored procedure and calculation logic for A$CEND applicants and related A$CEND calculations.
Enhance
Adjusted the display of potential A$CEND payments to highlight the "Actual" Award Amount.
Feature
Updates to the default timeframe for the TCT Monthly Payments 20% above the average report from six (6) to three (3) months.
Upgrade
General maintenance.
Team:
Jesse Valdes
Jesse Valdes
Data Developer
Jorge Castañeda
Jorge Castañeda
Software Developer
Anniel Apolinario
Anniel Apolinario
Lead Software Codesmith
Sandro Perez
Sandro Perez
Technical Director
Herbert Cabrera
Herbert Cabrera
Software Developer
melissa-bwelz-500px
Melissa Hernandez
QA Lead
Laura Mallery - Content / Project Management
Laura Mallery
Early Learning Systems Strategist/Project Ambassador
June 10, 2026
Upgrade
Updates to the Sites by Program Support Report to show current data.
Fix
Fix to ensure updates to language in email templates will be available when updated through Maintenance.
Remove
Removal of duplicate State field from the A$CEND Application.
New
Implementation of nightly job that adds Organization Administrators as each applicable program's Agency Contact.
New
New data set views available for the CSC STAR Award and program (Site) information.
Fix
Fixes to translations of "Teacher" and "Aide" position information imported from FL DEL.
Upgrade
Matching Professional Development Verification Statuses to applicable Application Queue records.
Upgrade
Updates to the procedure for self-reported Professional Development records.
Feature
New Assessment Request functionality in the CSC STAR Award application.
New
CSC STAR Award (2027) application.
Fix
Fixes to Cancellation Report issue.
Upgrade
Updates to Agency Staff data in the Site Contact section of each program's profile.
Improvement
Controls to Monitoring and Calendar sections through role permissions.
New
Smart Badges.
Team:
Herbert Cabrera
Herbert Cabrera
Software Developer
Jorge Castañeda
Jorge Castañeda
Software Developer
Laura Mallery - Content / Project Management
Laura Mallery
Early Learning Systems Strategist/Project Ambassador
Evelyn Perez
Evelyn Perez
BI & Reporting Developer
Isaac Del Castillo - Application Maestro
Isaac Del Castillo
Application Maestro
Ernesto Santos
Ernesto Santos
Software Developer
Karen Clay
Karen Clay
Data Solutions Engineer
Sandro Perez
Sandro Perez
Technical Director
Anniel Apolinario
Anniel Apolinario
Lead Software Codesmith
melissa-bwelz-500px
Melissa Hernandez
QA Lead
Dasiely Cruz - Director of Workforce Innovations
Dasiely Cruz
Director of Workforce Innovations
May 14, 2026
Fix
Fixes to the "Training Data Entry Validation Report."
Upgrade
Updates to PRISM.
New
Identification of who is listed in the "LARS Provider List" as the program director and assigning the individual as the "Program Contact."
New
"Family Engagement Report."
New
New status available in ELEVATE Year 2 to reflect "Site Closed."
New
"2026 Director Credential Report."
Enhance
Enhancements to "Site Type" section.
Enhance
Ability to allow "Site Assignment" for MSDH Inspectors.
New
Access to "Smart Badges"
New
"More Information Status Report."
Upgrade
Survey available in "Series" with "Multiple Templates."
New
Contract for School Age Application in ELEVATE Year 2.
Enhance
Updates to "Service Options" from LARS.
Fix
Corrections to "Effective Date" in "Badge Showcase."
Upgrade
Administrator's information in "Professional Staff Information" inserted in "Program Contact" section.
Upgrade
Updates to QSS engine for the ELEVATE Year 2 "School Age Badge."
Upgrade
Updates to "Visits Monthly Hours Report."
New
"LARS Inspector Load Daily Exception Report."
New
"Withdraw" option available within training notifications.
Enhance
Enhancements to Survey Builder, including Question Clone.
Enhance
Enhancements to "Plans" for ELEVATE Year 2 Portfolio.
Fix
Fixes to "Details" button alignment issues in "Calendar View."
Fix
Fixes to "Site Name" from LARS load.
Upgrade
Inability to remove "Assessments" that are associated with "Ratings" (QSS Badges).
Enhance
Emails added from "Support" to be automatically verified.
Enhance
Enhancements to "Show Document" to open the full file, including all pages.
Fix
Fixes to refresh status when a document is sent to "More Information."
Upgrade
Updates to "Professional Staff>Professional Development."
Feature
Enhancements to Roles/View access.
Fix
Fixes to "Search" filter for Language, Certification, and Education.
Enhance
Updates to the "Program Support Report."
New
Access to the "Trainer Application."
Enhance
"Assign Sites Form Request" to add all sites (programs) in the selected "Agency."
Enhance
"Activity Log" to show time (Duration) in "Hours" and "Minutes."
New
"Active" Dashboard Reports.
New
"Roles and Rights Report" for Portal Role Security.
Fix
Fixes to the size of the "Monthly Training Report."
Enhance
Extra columns added to "Portal Accounts with Employment Details" Report.
Enhance
"Professional Staff" record to reflect status changes when a document/record is sent to "More Information."
Enhance
Employment tagged for A$CEND Award.
New
Employment verification for CDA applicants.
New
Employment confirmation for FAIMH applicants.
Enhance
Automatic population of Professional Staff Contact Table for Site.
Fix
Fixes to FIU Application
Fix
Fixes to send "ElevatEd (Inservice)Professional Development" records for verification.
Enhance
Adjusting access to "Assessment Requests" from the A$CEND Application.
Fix
Inactivation of duplicate language records.
Feature
Professional Staff Badges.
Upgrade
General Maintenance.
New
Updates to SEEK Scholarship Application statuses to include "Processing Complete."
Enhance
Updates to the "SEEK Scholarship Transaction" Report.
Enhance
Updates to SEEK Scholarship item processing and status view.
Fix
Fixes to SEEK Scholarship Application errors within the "Manage Updates to SEEK Award and Denial Letter" logic.
Feature
WELS account creation and password reset email templates.
New
Addition of "CSC Administrator" role and corresponding security configurations.
New
"Fiscal Year Spending" Widget for CSC STAR Award Application.
Enhance
CSC STAR Award Application assessment calculation.
Remove
Disabled "Actions" buttons for CSC STAR Award Applications in "Archive" status.
Feature
Fixes to Report that was not saving for "Assessments."
Fix
Fixes to error that was occurring when creating a "Staff Record."
Fix
"Assign Sites" form request to add all Sites (programs) associated with the Agency.
Enhance
Addition of "Refresh Indicator" and "Create" renamed as "Update" on Report page.
Enhance
Enhancements to "ASSESSMENT_DETAILS" Report, including change from 'portrait' to 'landscape.'
Fix
Fixes to "CLASS Observation Helper Report" not showing "QPS Teachers," "Assessor," "Schedule," and "Room."
New
"Assessor Match" Report.
New
Automatic population of "Professional Staff Contact" information in program's profile (in Sites).
New
"Professional Educator Application Verification" Report.
Enhance
"License Type" added to QIA Application Management screen.
Improvement
Implemented necessary changes to "QIA Questionnaire Demographics" Report.
New
"POC Reimbursement Summer 2025" added to Application Queue.
Fix
Fixes to issue with filtering spaces in QIA Application.
Fix
Fixes to maintain existing verification when a QIA Application is resubmitted.
Fix
Fixes to "Document Review Preview."
Team:
Ernesto Santos
Ernesto Santos
Software Developer
Jorge Castañeda
Jorge Castañeda
Software Developer
Karen Clay
Karen Clay
Data Solutions Engineer
Anniel Apolinario
Anniel Apolinario
Lead Software Codesmith
Herbert Cabrera
Herbert Cabrera
Software Developer
Sandro Perez
Sandro Perez
Technical Director
Isaac Del Castillo - Application Maestro
Isaac Del Castillo
Application Maestro
Jesse Valdes
Jesse Valdes
Data Developer
melissa-bwelz-500px
Melissa Hernandez
QA Lead
Laura Mallery - Content / Project Management
Laura Mallery
Early Learning Systems Strategist/Project Ambassador
Dasiely Cruz - Director of Workforce Innovations
Dasiely Cruz
Director of Workforce Innovations
April 9, 2026
Fix
Fixes to the navigation on "Professional Applications."
Remove
Archived "Quality Counts" records in the "Activity Log."
Enhance
Updates to the "Funding/Investment Report."
Enhance
Addition of applicant's email in the "FIU Application" table export.
Enhance
Addition of individuals in "Withdrawn" status on rosters in "Monthly Training Report."
Enhance
Addition of "Employment Verification" in the "FAIHM application."
Fix
Fixes to the "CLASS Composite Tier Report."
Enhance
Updates to the "FIU Bilingual Cohort" to allow movement between statuses.
Enhance
Ability to skip "My Tax Section" in the "A$CEND Application" when no updates have been made.
Enhance
"Account number" validation in the "My Bank Information" section of the "A$CEND Application."
Remove
Archival of A$CEND documents.
Fix
Fixed issue where award amount was not visible for review when the applicant is tagged the "Other" field in the "Assessment" record.
Enhance
Updates to include the "Professional Staff" member's vendor information reference when merges are done.
New
Addition of a toggle/check option to remove vendor information after selection of "Resubmit Tax Information."
Enhance
"Assessment Request" updates.
Fix
Fixes to the issues with "FAIHM Endorsement" emails.
Remove
Stopped the sending of any duplicate email to the same recipient.
Remove
Deactivated any records with no information in "Name" or "DOB."
Fix
Fixes to the search filter for "Language," "Certification," and "Education."
Team:
Karen Clay
Karen Clay
Data Solutions Engineer
Sandro Perez
Sandro Perez
Technical Director
Isaac Del Castillo - Application Maestro
Isaac Del Castillo
Application Maestro
Ernesto Santos
Ernesto Santos
Software Developer
Evelyn Perez
Evelyn Perez
BI & Reporting Developer
Anniel Apolinario
Anniel Apolinario
Lead Software Codesmith
Jesse Valdes
Jesse Valdes
Data Developer
Herbert Cabrera
Herbert Cabrera
Software Developer
melissa-bwelz-500px
Melissa Hernandez
QA Lead
Laura Mallery - Content / Project Management
Laura Mallery
Early Learning Systems Strategist/Project Ambassador