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Home > Four Year Old Program > Certification Requirements

Updated 05/30/08...ew

Certification Requirements

  • All teachers must hold a valid Maine State Teaching certificate with the appropriate endorsement.
  • The First Session of the 123rd Maine Legislature (2007) approved the following legislation:
    • LD 560 recognizes public four year old programs as distinct from a two year kindergarten program.  They are now defined as a “public preschool program.”
    • Chapter 115 Revision  (Certification, Authorization, and Approval of Education Personnel) establishes a new endorsement: 081 Early Childhood Teacher*
  • Current acceptable endorsements include:
    • Endorsement 081, Early Childhood Teacher (Birth to school age 5)*
    • Teachers currently holding a K-3, or K-8, or Birth-5,282 endorsement should contact the certification department in order to apply for the new 081 endorsement.  A transitional endorsement is available for those who may need further coursework in order to meet requirements of the 081, Birth-5 endorsement.
  • All assistants must meet the Educational Technician authorization requirements.
  • All other program support staff should hold valid certificates or licenses relevant to their position.
  • If a school is partnering with a community based program to provide the program, then the teachers and assistants in that community program must hold the appropriate certifications and/or licensures.
  • For certification information and forms:
  • See  http://www.maine.gov/education/speced/cds/eced.html  for information on course work options for Early Intervention Education
  • Contact Maine Roads To Quality, Early Care and Education Career Development Center for information pertaining to availability of early childhood courses statewide.

*Below is the text of the Chapter 115 Revision: 081 Early Childhood Teacher Endorsement, retrieved from http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/05/071/071c1152.doc

1.17 Endorsement 081: Early Childhood Teacher

A.  Function: This endorsement on a teacher certificate allows the holder to teach students birth to school age 5.

Eligibility: Applicants shall meet eligibility requirements specified in Part I. In addition, eligibility for this endorsement shall be established by one of two pathways. Individuals who are not eligible through either pathway may be eligible for a conditional certificate, in accordance with Section 1.1.B.3, below, and Part I Section 5.4 of this rule.

Endorsement Eligibility Pathway 1

Graduated from a Maine program approved for the education of early childhood teachers, together with a formal recommendation from the preparing institution;

Earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 4.4 of this rule;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours for teaching early childhood special education;

Passed content area assessment, in accordance with Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 13; and

Passed Basic Skills Test in reading, writing, and mathematics, in accordance with Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 13.

 

Endorsement Eligibility Pathway 2

Earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 4.4 of this rule;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in each of the following: liberal arts English, liberal arts mathematics, liberal arts science, and liberal arts social studies;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours for teaching early childhood special education;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in language development and early literacy;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in children’s literature;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in numeracy for the young child;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in science for the young child;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in child development or developmental psychology;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in infant/toddler development:

Completed a minimum of six semester hours in at least two of the following areas: creative arts/family studies/observation of the young child/assessment of the young child/social studies for the young child/advanced child development/early learning environments/ additional early literacy;

Passed content area assessment, in accordance with Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 13;

Passed basic Skills Tests in reading, writing, and mathematics, in accordance with Me. Dept. of Ed. Reg. 13;

 

Conditional Certificate for this Endorsement

Earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 4.4 of this rule;

Completed a minimum of three semester hours in each of the following: liberal arts English, liberal arts mathematics, liberal arts science, and liberal arts social studies; and

Completed a minimum of nine semester hours from Section B.2.c. through B.2.j. above.