August 2010

North CarolinaEarly Educator Certification

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Session Overview

• NC Institute for Child Development Professionals

• Early Educator Certification defined• Certification numbers to date• Mandatory Certification• Implementation and application details• Renewal• Benefits• Future plans• Contact info

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NC Institute for Child Development Professionals

(Institute) Non-profit with mission to advocate for and develop a comprehensive early childhood professional development system Board Task Groups & Committees

Partner participation Hundreds of volunteers annually Thousands in E-network

Services Systems development, outreach, trainings,

webinars, resources & NC Early Educator Certification (EEC)

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What is Early Educator Certification?

Early Educator Certification (EEC) is acknowledgement of an individual’s verified level of

educational achievement, based on a standardized scale.

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Mirroring other Occupations

Public School teachers have it! Tree Growers have it! Plumbers have it! Bug Exterminators have it! Hairdressers have it! Nurses have it!

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Group mission or identity Standards of behavior and practice Specialized body of knowledge Set of skills Individual certification

…and salary supplements

Creating a Profession

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Over 9,700 Certified! All 100 counties represented! All 100 counties represented! 9,771 certified

9,700 ECE Scale, 71 SA Scale By Role (at time of application)By Role (at time of application)

7,502 teaching (608 indicate some time with 7,502 teaching (608 indicate some time with school age)school age)

863 administrative863 administrative 217 combined teaching/administrative (108 217 combined teaching/administrative (108

indicate some time with school age)indicate some time with school age) 983 small home providers (682 indicate some 983 small home providers (682 indicate some

time with school age)time with school age) 206 on behalf, other, student or not yet 206 on behalf, other, student or not yet

employed in child careemployed in child care

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Exciting News!

On August 2, 2010, a new law was passed affecting all child care facilities licensed by the North Carolina Division of Child Development. The law requires all teaching staff, administrators and family child care home providers working in or operating a licensed child care facility to be by the NC Institute for Child Development Professionals.

Why? Provides a “one stop shop” for

educational review which will increase efficiency and reduce paperwork

Establishes a system of individual provider recognition

Creates a streamlined education evaluation process

Who does this affect?

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Implementation & Application

Two Certification Scales Early Care and Education (ECE)

Professional Scale School Age (SA) Professional Scale

Application Who? How? Cost

Implementation facts Certification materials

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What is certification based upon?

Official transcripts are assessed against a leveled scale. Two

scales are available: Early Care and Education Professional

Scale and School Age Professional Scale.

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What does the scale look like?

A place for everyone on the scale 14 levels, including PP, on the scales Early Care and Education Scale is designed for

individuals working with or on behalf of children ages’ birth to five.

The SA Scale is designed for individuals working with or on behalf of children ages five to twelve who are served in school age care settings.

Levels 1 - 13 require education from regionally accredited colleges or universities

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Who can apply for EEC? For free, thanks to DCD:

First come, first served through September 30, 2010 Up to 9,000 individuals working in licensed child

care facilities in teaching or administrative positions.

For a reduced fee: From October 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 there

will be a reduced fee for individuals working in licensed child care facilities in teaching or administrative positions.

For a fee: Those working for or on the behalf of children ages

birth to twelve that do not qualify for a grant The $50 fee will be applicable for everyone as of

January 1, 2011.

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How do I apply?

Submit application education documentation

Official transcripts DCD Transcript Release Form Internet Permission Form

$50/$65 fee (as applicable)

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What else do I need to know?

Level is based on education earned, not a specific certification class

No test required Does not replace licensure Required by law

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What do I receive? Official, frame-ready certificate

Professional Personalized Leveled

Silver & gold seals Individual Certification card List of EEC Rewards

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What does my EEC documentation look like?

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Renewal

• Certificate expiresCertificate expires• Validity periodsValidity periods• RequirementsRequirements• CostCost

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What is a validity period?

ValidValidPerioPerio

dd

LeveLevell

Education RequiredEducation Required

3 yrs3 yrs 22 18 semester hours of general education including at least 4 birth to five focused semester hours or

Early Childhood Certificate or

CDA Credential (Child Development Associate Credential) earned for at least 12 semester hours or

12 birth to five focused semester hours

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What is renewal based on?

Formal, credit bearing education or Continuing

Education Units

Mirroring public school teacher requirements for ongoing education

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What continuing education is required? Certified professionals must complete

four (4) formal college credits* or six (6) Continuing Education Units (CEUs), or a combination of the two. CEUs must be at least .5 credits (5 contact hours) to count for renewal.

*Individuals certified with fewer than six focus semester hours who choose to take formal coursework toward renewal must take classes in their content area.

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What continuing education is required?

Professionals certified at levels 10 (BA/BS plus or including 12 birth to five focused semester hours) and above might receive credit for teaching a CEU session for a minimum of 5 contact hours that meets renewal requirements.*

Professionals certified at levels 12 or 13 may also receive credit for teaching formal coursework that meets renewal requirements.

* The same CEU session or formal course may only receive credit toward renewal once per validity period.

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What is a Continuing Education Unit?

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally recognized measure of participation in an approved non-credit continuing education program. One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is defined as ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.

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CEU requirements for EEC Fall under one of DCD’s Nine Topic Areas:

1. Planning a safe, healthy learning environment

2. Children’s physical & intellectual development

3. Children’s social & emotional development4. Productive relationships with families5. Program management6. Professionalism7. Observing & recording children’s behavior8. Child growth development9. Inclusion of children with special needs

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CEU requirements for EEC Issued by one of the following

Regionally accredited College/University

NC DPI IACET (International Association

for Continuing Education and Training) members (www.iacet.org)

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How much does it cost? Self-supporting system

For initial certification $50 on one scale and $65 on both scales

For renewal $25 on one scale and $35 on both scales (if prior to deadline)

No charge to submit additional education EEC Rewards

15% Discount School Supply 20% Barnes and Noble 25% Borders 15% Kaplan 20% Kids Like Us Free admission to Winston Salem Children’s

Museum More in process!!

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Numerous Benefits

Personal/workforce Program Children & families System

Workforce Benefits Today

RecognitionRecognition Professional Certification Professional Certification Tied to compensation for salary Tied to compensation for salary

supplement recipients supplement recipients No charge for grant funded No charge for grant funded

certifications certifications

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Child & Family Benefits

Encourages an increase in teacher Encourages an increase in teacher education which has been shown to reduce education which has been shown to reduce child abuse and neglect in regulated child child abuse and neglect in regulated child care settings.care settings.

Impacts child dependents of workforce Impacts child dependents of workforce participants as early childhood educators participants as early childhood educators model accomplishment of professional model accomplishment of professional goals and responsibilities, and demonstrate goals and responsibilities, and demonstrate participation in professional activities.participation in professional activities.

Provides evidence of teacher education.Provides evidence of teacher education.

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Program Benefits

Serves as a workforce recruitment tool for the early childhood field

Improves cost-efficiency

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Systems Benefits

Creating a portal so that we leverage

investments in the workforce, create

efficiencies and align systems.

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What’s Next?

Increased number of EEC Rewards Further scale development

(administrator endorsements) Professional development portal EEC linked with other

opportunities

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Who do I contact with questions?Certification Officeinfo@nceec.org|919-

942-7442- Or -

Institute director@ncicdp.org