Effective: Spring 2021
This certificate of proficiency is intended for the early childhood educator currently working in early learning programs who hold an Associate or Bachelor degree unrelated to early childhood education and needs to meet state requirements for Child Care Licensing, Keystone STARS, Pre K-Counts and PreK-4th grade teacher certification. Students will engage in coursework specific to early childhood education with the goal of increasing teacher competence. Coursework can also be applied to the Associate of Art in Early Childhood Education (ECED) if the student chooses to complete the general education requirements.
Completion of the certificate allows the student to be assistants and lead teachers in early learning centers, assistant teachers in K-4th grade settings, certified teachers preparing to test into Prek-4th grade teacher certification and those seeking a PDE Private Academic Schools certificate. This certificate meets the required 30 credits in Early Childhood Education per the Pennsylvania Career Lattice in Early Childhood Education.