One of the issues with ECE certification in many states and especially in NJ where I live and where I was involved in preservice teacher education is that there is an overlap between EC certification and elementary certification. This situation can be found widely across the country. Although ECE for public schools in NJ is Prek (3s and 4s) through third grade, the elementary certification begins at kindergarten and ends at 5th grade (not sure the top is still the same today), which means that many teachers in kindergarten, first and second grade are not certified in early childhood but only in elementary level education. Before I retired, I was part of the NJACTE network where I put out the idea that we should end the overlap. I suggested Prek-3rd grade for ECE with an overlap at grade 3 so that the elementary certification would be 3rd grade through 5th grade. My colleagues were mostly horrified at this. I am not sure why. I know why many principals get upset by it because they want to hire the teachers with the widest certification grade level span so that they can move those teachers from grade to grade, even when their preparation for teaching younger children is not very deep.
I would hope that NAEYC would, at least, promote this kind of distinction in certification that lessens the overlap to one grade - third grade.
As for infant/toddler certification as separate from PreK to third grade (8 year olds - age included by NAEYC in the EC designation), that issue requires a lot of discussion by the professionals and by state DOEs. What level of preparation do those who want to be certified as infant/toddler teachers need? How do we attract people to the field, given that the salaries are so abysmally low? Should we instead of having a separate designation for infant/toddler certification (N-4 or N-5) roll the preparation into the PreK to third grade certification, which represents the full range of ages covered by NAEYC?
As an aside, our coursework at Bloomfield College did not give short shrift to the younger children. It is the elementary certification programs that begins at kindergarten level that do not adequately cover teaching the early primary grades and kindergarten.
------------------------------
Nora Krieger, PhD
Associate Professor Emerita/Past Chair NJEEPRE
Bloomfield College/NJ Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
Highland Park, NJ
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 10-12-2021 07:03 AM
From: Adele Robinson
Subject: ECE teacher licensure
The National Conference of State Legislatures followed this issue with a state by state table in 2018. You might want to reach out to them for an update - and I think they distinguish between licensure/certification and a specialization/endorsement.
------------------------------
Adele Robinson
Professor
University of Maryland
Washington DC
Original Message:
Sent: 10-10-2021 09:59 AM
From: Michelle Spencer
Subject: ECE teacher licensure
Hi all! I am looking for guidance on how to support the need for birth - 5 licensure. I have just taken a position in a public school district as an instructional coach the PK program. I am required to obtain a teaching license... I have worked in ECE for 25 years, I have an AA in EC development (completed a student teaching at a child care program), a BA in general studies (because I was fired from my job in order to complete my 1st student teaching and could not afford to have that happen again), an MEd in Educational technology, and am ABD for my EdD in curriculum, teaching, learning & leading. I have over 10 years as a toddler and preschool teacher, 10+ years as a center administrator, and 5 years working as a college professor.
The school district/state is requiring that I obtain their PK-3rd license which will require me to complete a student teaching (because mine was part of an AA and not in a public school or accredited private school), take a methods for teaching science for elementary school, a world history course, and then pass the Pk-3rd praxis (which is focused on K-3) and 2 other assessments in literacy that at K-3. I understand the K-3 in that the license is for Pk- 3rd, but my work has always been in birth - 5, and I have no intention of working K-3 - I LOVE my toddlers and 3s.
I am looking for any state that has an actual birth - 5yrs licensure as an example on what would be more applicable as a license for what I am doing - working with 3 and 4 yr old teachers!
TIA!!!
------------------------------
Michelle Spencer, M.Ed.
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Delaware Coordinator
DeAEYC
------------------------------