The Commission is preparing to update the early childhood education PK-3 credentialing structure to provide multiple accessible pathways for interested teachers to serve in the expanding California State Preschool Program and in Universal Transitional Kindergarten classes enabled by the state’s new and historic investments in expanding PK and TK to all eligible four-year-old children. Revising and repurposing the ECE Specialist Credential and the potential requirements for earning the updated ECE Specialist Credential are framed in in Agenda Item 2A presented to the Commission in September 2021.
The Commission is seeking applications for an Early Childhood (PK-3) Credentialing Workgroup of early education practitioners, faculty, program administrators, and other qualified members with experience and expertise in early childhood PK-3 education to provide advice and recommendations regarding the requirements for earning an ECE Specialist Credential, how the requirements should apply to candidates for this credential, and what the multiple pathways for meeting these requirements could be. Interested applicants can find more information about the Workgroup process and apply here. Applications are due by COB November 19, 2021.