Students who earn their degree in Montco’s Education in the Early Years: Birth through Fourth Grade Associate Degree Program are prepared for a rewarding career in early childhood education. The AAS degree is transferable to a four-year college or university and allows students to teach in preschool, early intervention or child care settings.

The program recently has been reaccredited by The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation.

General and professional education courses related to the teaching of children through grade four are included in Montco’s program. During their final semester, students gain experience in the classroom as student teachers. Accreditation ensures a consistent and high level of program quality.

According to Chair of the Commission, Crystal Swank, institutions that have been accredited deserve kudos. “They have spent significant time examining their programs of study, mapping their courses to the standards, creating key assessments and developing assessment plans, with the goal of continuous program improvement.”

To earn this accreditation, institutions must demonstrate that they align to NAEYC’s Professional Preparation Standards, respond to the unique needs of their degree candidates and communities, provide intentional learning experiences for their degree candidates to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to be effective early childhood educators and continuously assess and reflect on their degree candidates’ performances.