Approved Specialized Early Childhood Education Training Program WHO Pre-K Teachers Pre-K Assistant Teachers Pre-K Program Administrators WHAT The Mississippi Department of Education, in partnership with the North Mississippi Education Consortium and the University of Mississippi Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning, will offer a free Approved Specialized Early Childhood Education Training Program. This approved training supports the pre-k teacher and assistant teacher credentialing requirements detailed in the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. This program does not provide participants with college credit. Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Four-Year-Olds By fall 2018, early childhood educators of four-year-old children must hold a Pre-K - K (153) Mississippi teaching license or an Elementary Education K - 3 (116), Elementary Education K - 4 (152), or Elementary Education K - 6 (120) with a supplemental Nursery Grade 1 (150) endorsement. No alternative route certifications will be accepted. Master teachers, teachers, or assistant teachers in participating Pre-K programs must meet the guidelines in Mississippi Code Section 37-21-3. By fall 2018 an assistant teacher shall possess an associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field; or an associate's degree in any field and a Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification, or an equivalent certification. This approved specialized early childhood education training program is an equivalent certification for assistant teachers. Training Requirements for Pre-K Teachers and Assistant Teachers The specialized early childhood education training program is comprised of the following: 80 contact hours o Face-to-face training (80 contact hours June 2016) 90 contact hours o Online training hours (3 contact hours Fall 2016 3 contact hours Spring 2017) o Field experience hours (42 contact hours Fall 2016 42 contact hours Spring 2017) The content in the two week face-to-face training and two online courses is based on research findings that delineate the characteristics of highly effective pre-k teachers and the methods for training teaching staff and program administrators. The face-to-face training is equal to 80 clock hours (equivalent to 6 college credits). Following the face to face training, participants will complete one major assessment that contains multiple subparts. It must be submitted by October 14, 2016.
Teachers and assistants will complete two online classes (3 contact hours each). One class will occur in Fall 2016 and the other in Spring 2017. Participants will be expected to complete 42 hours of field experience and participation activities following each online class for a total of 84 contact hours. The field experiences will include developing and teaching certain lessons in your classroom and either photographing artifacts from the lessons or uploading a video of the lessons as well as additional assignments. A rubric will be utilized to evaluate submitted work. Field experience hours and participation activities for the fall must be completed by December 23, 2016. Spring hours and activities must be completed by April 28, 2017. Program participants will be required to successfully complete the two-week session in Oxford, two online courses, and all assessments in full to receive credit for the training program. No partial credit will be offered. Training Requirements for Administrators A training option for early childhood school district and Early Learning Collaborative program administrators will support understanding and implementation of the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children, the Mississippi Early Learning Standards for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Old Children, and best practices in early childhood. This training will be offered June 13 th, 14 th, and 15 th at the same location. A total of approximately 1.8 CEUs and 18 SEMIs. WHY Pre-K Teachers The completion of this training program will assist teachers who hold an elementary education license that includes kindergarten to gain an add-on endorsement. This endorsement will qualify the teacher to teach pre-k (three- and four-year-old children). Pre-K Assistant Teachers This training program will be the equivalent of twelve hours of course work needed for public school or collaborative assistant teachers that teach in pre-k classrooms with an associate s degree lacking the emphasis in early childhood as stated in the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines for Classrooms Serving Three- and Four-Year-Olds. Administrators of Pre-K Classrooms Attending this training will assist administrators in developing and maintaining high quality learning environments that help young children to flourish. Reference Attachment A and B to determine 2018 requirements for pre-k teachers and assistant teachers. WHEN WHERE Participants Dates Location Pre-K Teachers and Assistant Teachers Face to Face Training June 13 th - 17 th and June 20 th - 24 th Oxford Conference Center 102 Ed Perry Blvd Oxford, MS 38655 Online Training Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 Further instructions will be given at the face-to-face meeting. Administrators of Pre-K Programs June 13 th 15 th Oxford Conference Center 102 Ed Perry Blvd Oxford, MS 38655 Phone (662) 232-2367 (662) 232-2367
Training Registration Click here to register for the Approved Specialized Early Childhood Education Training Program: https://services.nmec.net/emi_workshops.cfm Registration will be required to attend this training. CEUs will be offered only for full participation in the face-to-face training, two online courses, field experience, and all assessments. SEMIs and OSLs will be offered to administrators only for participation in the full three days of training. Contact hour certificates will be available upon request. Hotel Information Hampton Inn Conference Center 103 Ed Perry Blvd, Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 234-5565 There are 20 rooms blocked for the group at the Hampton Inn Conference Center. Call the hotel directly to book a room and ask for the block of rooms for the NMEC meeting. The room rate is $105.00 per night. Rooms must be booked by May 30, 2016 to qualify for the special rate.
Fall 2018 Pre-K Teacher Credentialing To teach in a pre-kindergarten classroom starting Fall 2018, teachers must follow one of the pathways listed below to obtain their Pre-K endorsement: 153 (Pre-K/K) endorsement (Praxis 5024) 116 (K-3) endorsement 152 (K-4) endorsement 120 (K-6) endorsement 12 early childhood college credit hours Praxis 5024 to add 153 (Pre-K/K) endorsement Add 150 (N-1) supplemental endorsement Praxis 5024 to add 153 (Pre-K/K) endorsement Other endorsement Degree to obtain 116 (K-3), 120 (K-6), 152 (K-4), or 153 (Pre-K/K) endorsement AND Any additional requirements as listed above for 116 (K-3), 120 (K-6), 152 (K-4) Early Childhood Bachelor s Degree (no endorsement)** Praxis 5024 to obtain license with 153 (Pre-K/K) endorsement *Approved programs include the Child Development Associate (CDA), National Board Pre-K Certification, Director s Credential, Montessori Credential, and the MDE s intensive specialized early childhood training program. MDE considers additional state, regional, or nationally approved programs upon request. Entities may submit program component documentation to earlychildhood@mdek12.org for consideration. **Early Learning Collaborative teachers in sites that are not accredited by the MDE are not required to obtain a license, but must have a bachelor s degree in early childhood, complete at least 12 hours of early childhood college credit, or complete an approved early childhood program.
Fall 2018 Pre-K Assistant Teacher Credentialing To teach in a pre-kindergarten classroom starting Fall 2018, assistant teachers must follow one of the pathways listed below to meet the requirements: Early Childhood Associate s Degree Associate s Degree 12 early childhood college credit hours *Approved programs include the Child Development Associate (CDA), National Board Pre-K Certification, Director s Credential, Montessori Credential, and the MDE s intensive specialized early childhood training program. MDE considers additional state, regional, or nationally approved programs upon request. Entities may submit program component documentation to earlychildhood@mdek12.org for consideration.