.png?sfvrsn=c28b72b1_10 "CA.Gov")
.png?sfvrsn=cd8b72b1_0 "Commission on Teacher Credentialing")
A well-prepared early childhood workforce is essential for high quality preschool programs and improved outcomes for young children. In alignment with California’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and in support of Universal Transitional Kindergarten, the Commission is making important strides on efforts to attract and retain a diverse early learning and care workforce that has a deep understanding of child development in order to best support California’s youngest learners.
Current efforts include a transition to a competency-based system of preparation and licensure for the Child Development Permit, an optional California Early Childhood Education (ECE) Formative Teaching Performance Assessment for students seeking the Teacher level of the Child Development Permit, and the establishment of a new PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credential.
Below is an update on these initiatives.
Program Approvals Begin for PK-3 ECE Credential
The Committee on Accreditation approved the state’s first three PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction credential programs at its May 2024 meeting.
The PK-3 ECE Credential became effective April 1, 2024, following approval of regulations from the Office of Administrative Law.
The first approved PK-3 credential programs include those offered at San Jose State University, San Diego County Office of Education, and Fresno State University.
The credential provides accelerated pathways for current ECE professionals who hold a Child Development Teacher Permit and a bachelor’s degree, and for Multiple Subject Credential holders to earn the credential to begin serving in transitional kindergarten and K-3 settings.
The PK-3 credential recognizes and values the rich background and extensive experience candidates who come from current and/or prior work in the ECE field bring to their preparation programs.
Together, these prior work experiences, knowledge, and wisdom can provide foundational preparation to support candidates' transition from the Child Development Permit system to earning the PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential and serving as a teacher in a PK-3 classroom setting.
Child Development Permit Workgroup
The Child Development Permit Workgroup continues to make progress towards developing recommendations to the Commission about revising the structure and requirements of Child Development Permits for classroom support staff, teachers, and administrators.
A key focus of the workgroup is the concept of moving from a system that has been based largely on seat time and units to a competency-based system that emphasizes the ECE Teacher Performance Expectations to define the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities for the entry level ECE professional.
Child Development Permit revision considerations include merging the Assistant Teacher level with the Associate Teacher level to establish an entry-level pathway, implementing an associate degree as the minimum requirement for the Teacher level of the permit, and for the Master Teacher level, aligning requirements with a Bachelor of Arts degree and 24 ECE units.
“Transitioning to a competency-based system in early childhood education (ECE) is a crucial step towards professionalizing the field. By focusing on competencies, such as knowledge, skills, and abilities, educators can demonstrate their proficiency in key areas, ensuring high-quality care and education for young children,” said workgroup member Melissa Wheelahan, an Early Learning coordinator with the Orange County Department of Education.
“This approach not only promotes continuous learning and growth among educators but also fosters a culture of accountability and excellence within the ECE community. In addition, it helps recognize and honor the diverse talents and contributions of early childhood professionals, ultimately benefiting the children and families they serve.”
The Child Development Permit Matrix was developed in 1993 and has not been updated other than adding the School Age Emphasis in 2002. Current work builds on recommendations provided to the Commission by the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel from 2015-2017.
The workgroup will hold its final scheduled meeting in June and staff will provide the next update during summer 2024.
California ECE Formative Teaching Performance Assessment
The optional California Formative Teaching Performance Assessment (CalFTPA) is now available for preparation programs to choose to use while preparing ECE students for a Child Development Teacher level permit.
The locally administered and scored assessment may be used to help identify ECE students’ progress, and areas for needed growth and professional development.
For programs choosing to use the CalFTPA, it is suggested that the following Learning Cycles be embedded within student coursework and practicum experiences as part of overall assessment activities:
(1) Observing and learning about young children in the early childhood setting.
(2) Planning culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate learning activities for young children based on the teacher’s knowledge about each child’s background, assets, development level, and learning goals.
(3) Building mutually respectful partnerships with families/guardians.
“Our professional development on the CalFTPA begins in May and will continue throughout the summer and fall, and as we continue to build the interest into this work, we will be there to continue to provide support,” Amy Reising, Commission Chief Deputy Director said.
“All of the modules and materials are hosted on the Commission’s website and provided for free for the field to use.”
The CalFTPA follows work already accomplished to support transition of the Child Development Permit to a competency-based system. CalFTPA pilot testing took place in 2022 and field testing was completed in 2023.
Next steps in the CalFTPA implementation process are to continue to provide professional development sessions, technical assistance, and support, and to refine training and support materials based on feedback from the field.
The work to develop the CalFTPA was supported by $2 million in funding received through the state’s Preschool Development Grant-Renewal (PDG-R).