PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential Quick Facts

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Teach PK-3 grade

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Bridge to TK if you have Multiple Subject or CD Teacher Permit and BA

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5-year issuance

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Prepare our youngest learners to succeed at school

Do you want to teach young children?

Is 3-8 years your favorite age group of children to work with? Maybe you have experience working with young children and their families in settings such as a child care and development program. Perhaps you even have a Child Development Permit and have been thinking about pursuing a Multiple Subject teaching credential, but you don't really see yourself teaching big kids like fifth graders and middle schoolers. With the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction teaching credential, you can teach all subjects in a self-contained General Education classroom setting and team teach or regroup students across classrooms, in preschool through grade three. You will have the privilege of teaching our youngest learners, easing their transition into school, and setting them up for success in those all-important early years.

 

Five young students in the PK-3 age group are standing in front of a whiteboard with different happy expressions. Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

So what's the process?

First things first: if you want to teach in California, you need a credential. There are different levels of credentials available depending on where your journey begins. You may start out with an emergency permit (which you would obtain through a public school employer), an Intern credential (which would allow you to teach while you complete a preparation program), or a Preliminary credential. It all depends on whether you want to begin working before completing a teacher preparation program, during, or after.

A teacher preparation program takes about two years to complete and receive your Preliminary credential. Once you have your Preliminary, the final step is to upgrade to the Clear credential by completing an induction program (which is a mentoring and support program for beginning teachers). After you have cleared your credential, all you have to do is renew it online every five years.


Flowchart showing the process of getting a credential and the options of substitute permit, emergency teaching permit, intern credential, preliminary credential, and clear credential.

Ready to get started on your PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction teaching credential?

A female teacher is sitting on a chair, helping one of her students read a book aloud to the rest of the class. Image by Freepik

Image by Freepik

 

If you need help deciding which credentialing program model suits your needs, check out Which program pathway will you choose?

 

For the full list of requirements to obtain a PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction teaching credential, check out PK-3 Early Childhood Credential Requirements for Teachers Prepared in California.

 

Updated March 29, 2024