Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education is a pathway in the human services career cluster. It is a two-year high school program designed to include classroom and hands-on experiences to prepare students for employment or continuing education in the early childhood education field. In the course of study, emphasis is placed on students’ personal and professional preparation for careers or education in the field, history and trends of early childhood education, children’s health and safety, child development, and child guidance and observation. Emphasis is also placed on career and professional development, characteristics of high-quality early childhood centers, management and administration in quality childcare programs, and the learning environment. Instructional strategies and activities implemented through the course of study are aligned to the NAEYC and CDA standards and assist students in meeting requirements for the CDA credential.