Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Child Development Pre-Service Elementary Teacher

Completion of the Child Development Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Program prepares students for a career serving children and families in elementary school settings. Course work focusing on care and education of the school age child prepares students to work in school settings, while general education courses prepare students to complete required multi-subject exams to become credentialed teachers.

Upon completion, students will be prepared to enter the Accelerated Child Development BA and Teaching Credentials Pathway, or ACT, at California State University, Sacramento and complete the CBest basic skills exam. Students gain student teaching hours in Title 1 schools in both tutoring and special education, which apply to post-BA credential requirements. Students will be prepared to work in the extended learning workforce as paraprofessionals, aides, or before- and after-school caregivers.

At the expense of the student, all students must gain physical clearance and show proof of immunizations to measles, pertussis, influenza, and tuberculosis. Additionally, a background screening is required prior to student teaching.

Students should be aware that this program leads into an (optional)accelerated program at CSUS. For that reason, 62.5 units are required. Students are strongly recommended to complete Health Education 2, Human Development 4,and take the CBest exam in addition to the required 62 units. Completing Human Development 4 will allow students to obtain a Teacher permit through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

As this would be a new degree, there is not course data to support the degree numerically. However, the data regarding applicants in Fall 2019 determined that 699 students declared a major in the Education Interest Area. However, 343 of those students are undetermined in the Interest Area. The Education Interest Area is made up of Human Development and Family with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Education with a Liberal Arts Elementary Education focus. This degree pattern would be a blend of both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education and would potentially provide a middle ground for students struggling to determine with which age group they would like to work. For this reason, CSUS has a BA in Child Development that leads into a credential.Blending these worlds provides students the security of a career with children as they work towards a credential.

The Child Development Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Program is designed to prepare students for a career serving children and families in elementary school settings. This degree provides the educational coursework required by the Accelerated Child Development BA and Teaching Credentials Pathway, or ACT, at California State University, Sacramento. This is an accelerated program in which students earn a BA in Child Development and two credentials: Multiple Subject and Mild/Moderate Special Education in only 4.5years. This degree would clarify the courses required to complete this pathway at CSUS while simultaneously preparing students to work with young children in educational settings.

The goals for the Child Development Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Program degree are as follows:

• Prepare students to successfully complete the CBest basic skills exam for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
• Complete student teaching experiences in tutoring and special education.
• Prepare students to work in elementary school settings in the extended learning workforce as paraprofessionals, aides, or before- and after-school caregivers.

The program requirements for this degree are dictated by CSUS and the ACT program. Therefore, there are almost no electives or options across general education requirements. The program requirements address two topics: knowledge around basic subjects to ensure pre-service teachers are prepared to pass the CBest and knowledge around early development and education to ensure pre-service teachers are knowledgeable about child development and effective teaching methods. The program is also set up to allow students to accrue student teaching hours early in their educational career. Students will complete 84 hours of lab experience between EDUC 10 and HDEV 19L. Additionally, HDEV 2 and 3 provide some observation and assessment requirements that take place in lab schools with children. 

Required Major Total                            27.5

Completion of CSU-GE Breadth            35

Total Units                                           62.5

Proposed Sequence:

Year 1, Fall = 16 Units

Year 1, Spring = 15 Units

Year 2, Fall = 15.5 Units

Year 2, Spring = 16 Units

Total Units = 62.5 Units