Early Education and Care

Early Education and Care professionals support the development, safety, and well-being of young children—providing a meaningful service that has a profound impact on our economy.

Early Education and Care students learn and practice the principles of high quality early childhood programming. Training includes the fundamentals of child development, theories of early childhood education, teaching methods and professional standards defined by the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This technical expertise is put into practice through supervised positions as early education and care student teachers.

Some schools offer State-Approved (Chapter-74) programs in [program name]. These programs provide all of the training required to begin entry-level work in the field. Other schools may offer a more condensed version of this training, which has been designed at the local level. This is known as Non-Chapter 74 or "Perkins-Only." Learn more about the difference between State-Approved and Local CTE programs.