Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching

The Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching Certificate of Achievement prepares the student to assist in schools and other group educational settings. The certificate offers courses in preparation for the associate degree and/or transfer to a four-year university with a foundation in child development, applying developmental theories to learning, culturally and linguistically responsive teaching strategies and curriculum development, the positive guidance approach, working effectively with diverse student populations, and understanding typical/atypical behavior. The certificate provides foundational courses in child development in preparation for transfer to a four-year university to continue a course of study in child development, elementary education (including Transitional Kindergarten), special education, or other teacher credentialing pathways. Students will participate in hands-on learning experiences working with young children in the Cabrillo College Children's Center Preschool as a student teacher and as an education service learning student in an elementary classroom placement.

A total of twenty students are expected to enroll with potential for annual growth. Completion rates of the certificate of achievement are expected to be five to ten per year with a potential for annual growth.

Cabrillo College is seeking approval from the Chancellor’s Office for the new Early Childhood Education (ECE) for Elementary Teaching Certificate of Achievement in Career Education. The certificate is designed to prepare students to take advantage of rich employment opportunities in the positions  of classroom teacher in preschool, transitional kindergarten (TK), kindergarten, elementary, special education, teaching assistant, resource specialist, after school, and paraeducators. 

The need for workers in the diverse fields of elementary teaching has been advocated by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, local school districts, local businesses, the ECE Program’s Advisory Board, and is supported by current regional labor market research (TOP 1305.00). The Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching Certificate of Achievement is aligned with Cabrillo’s mission, master plan, and statewide community college work in Guided Pathways. Approval of this program will benefit regional employers, fulfill the workforce needs of the local community, augment college enrollment, and support non-traditional and underserved minority students in a viable career and academic path. This program would give our students the knowledge and skills they need to move onwards to a two year degree, a four-year university, or excel in the workforce.

Based on data included in this report, there is a large labor market gap in the Bay Area region with 7,864 annual openings for the ECE for Elementary Teaching occupational cluster and 2,471 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 5,393 students. In the SC-Monterey Sub-Region, there is also a gap with 1,010 annual openings and 194 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 816 students.

It is critical to give community college students educational and professional experience that is necessary to be successful when they continue to higher degrees or certificates.

The goals for ECE students is to increase their skillset working with children from preschool through elementary school age, to become gainfully employed, to continue to the workplace, to continue to an associate degree and/or to transfer to a four-year university. Working with employers to identify earning potential is promising, with potential for a starting salary of $35,000-$58,000/year in jobs such as classroom teacher in elementary, transitional kindergarten (TK), kindergarten, special education, teaching assistant, resource specialist, after school, and paraeducators. 

The Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching Certificate provides a course of study that satisfies multiple requirements and content needs, including the core licensing requirements required by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing and Department of Education/Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Child Development Permit, the Education Specialist Credential, and the Elementary Multiple Subject Credential. Students interested in working as a classroom teacher in ECE or elementary settings will develop the foundational knowledge for developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive teaching to foster children's growth, learning, and development in all areas throughout the in grades pre-kindergarten through third grade..

It is critical to give community college students educational and professional experience that is necessary to continue to an associate degree, and/or transfer to a four-year university to be successful when they enter the workforce.

Students who complete this program will be able to:

• Plan individualized and differentiated instruction based on reflective practice, observations, and developmental needs of ECE and elementary age children.
• Apply their understanding of the California Department of Education State Content Standards and Frameworks, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing California Teaching Performance Standards to implement curriculum.
• Evaluate developmentally appropriate and culturally and linguistically responsive practices that include the families of children in the classroom.

The Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching Certificate of Achievement is a 25.5 unit program focused on preparing students to work as a classroom teacher in elementary, transitional kindergarten (TK), kindergarten, special education, teaching assistant, resource specialist, after school, and paraeducator. All course work is housed in the Early Childhood Education and the Education programs.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
ECE31	Child Growth and Development	3.00	Y1
ECE32	Child, Family, and Community	3.00	Y2
ECE34	Observation and Assessment Methods in Early Childhood Education	3.00	Y2
ECE51	Principles of Working with Young Children	3.00	Y2
ECE52	Teaching in a Diverse Society	3.00	Y2
ECE53	Introduction to Curriculum for the Young Child	3.00	Y1
ECE53L	Curriculum Materials Lab	.50	Y1
ECE54	Early Childhood Education Practicum	4.00	Y2
ECE80	American Education in a Changing World	2.00	Y1
ECE80L	Education Service Learning Lab	1.00	Y1

The Early Childhood Education program shares learning goals with the Education Program, Social Studies, Ethnic Studies, Human Services, and the English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. These goals include principles of communication, literacy, cultural competency, and the goal of working with diverse populations to ensure students’ success in both academic goals and professional careers.  ECE has collaborated with the Education program to design the Early Childhood Education for Elementary Teaching Certificate of Achievement. ECE actively participates within the HASS division and coordinates and plans across programs. ECE continues to work with the ESL program to support its Dual Language Learners in their successful completion of coursework. The partnership has great potential to grow and evolve as we serve ECE students through our Spanish to English program at the Watsonville Center campus through our in person classes. ECE is also active within the Career Education division actively participating in Career Nights, Registration Fairs, local outreach, and Advisory Meeting with our community partners and local stakeholders. ECE is also actively involved in Guided Pathways and Global and Human Studies. ECE has coordinated and led career talks, created physical spaces that are inclusive of all students, and continues to evolve in its participation.  Additionally, ECE is collaborating with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education to become a regional training partner program for current and future teachers looking to teach in existing and upcoming early childhood public school programs.

Hartnell and MPC have Early Childhood Education programs for several years, but both colleges report that our program would not negatively affect their respective programs. Contacted for approval: Clint Cowden, Dean of Career Technical Education Hartnell College Office 831.755.6960  ccowden@hartnell.edu Judy Cutting, Dean of Instruction, Career Education & Workforce Development Monterey Peninsula College Office: 831-646-4039 jcutting@mpc.edu