Get the latest information about Admission of Candidates:
Prior Experience and Personal Qualifications
Before admitting candidates into the program, the institution determines that each
individual has personal qualities and prior experiences that suggest a strong potential
for professional success and effectiveness in the specialist or service area.
School
All advanced credential and Master’s degree applicants are required to do the following:
- Complete a Statement of Purpose which provides relevant information about goals, objectives, and experiences related to the advanced program (credential and/or degree) to which admission is begin sought. This information is used by faculty in their review of program applicants.
- Obtain three letters of recommendation from instructors, supervisors, or other individuals who are in a position to make an evaluation in terms of potential for success in post-baccalaureate study in a specific course of study. The Letter of Recommendation requests rating intellectual ability, imagination and creativity, interest and enthusiasm, ability to communicate and stability. Additional space is also provided for evaluator comments.
All advanced credential applicants are required to make application for a Character and Identification Clearance. This involves an FBI background check of the candidate to establish true identity and good moral character. It must be secured as a condition for working with children and young adults in a K-12 setting. It should be noted that most applicants secure this clearance at the time they apply for and enroll in a basic Multiple/Single Subject Credential Program.
ECE Program
In order to be aligned with requirements by NAEYC that Advanced Program candidates
possess initial ECE certification, ECE applicants are “must meet qualifications for
ECE Master Teacher Permit (BA/BS degree plus 12 units ECE or Child Development and
3 units supervised ECE fieldwork) or hold a valid teaching credential.” This requirement
is automatically met by ECE Specialist Credential applicants by virtue of their meeting
CCTC requirements of holding a valid elementary-level teaching credential.
Candidates for the Early Childhood Specialist Credential must interview with the ECE
Coordinator for admittance to the program and again at the completion of the program.
The initial interview is done to determine what, if any, weaknesses are found in the
personal qualifications or professional background that can be remedied by specific
coursework or field experiences.
All specialist credential candidates take a core group of ECE classes (15 units) and
an additional 15 units approved by the ECE Coordinator. The 15 units of optional classes
are carefully selected to match the needs and career goals of the individual student.
Because the vast majority of ECE Specialist candidates are also working toward their
Masters in Education, most use the the remaining Master’s courses (10 units) as ten
of their fifteen units of electives.
Attention to the Needs of Diverse Populations
Because of the population in the San Joaquin Valley much attention is given to the
needs of diverse populations. Most of the field placements in ECE are done in multicultural
settings. One of the required classes in the ECE Specialist and Masters Programs is
Diversity and Inclusion in ECE (LEE 271). The cultural and linguistic needs of children is a topic of focus in several of
the other required classes (LEE 171, LEE 232, LEE 233, and LEE 235).
The ECE Specialist Credential program has been successfully completed by ECE Teachers having diverse backgrounds. We are pleased that more than one-half of our ECE candidates represent the diversity of our region. The need for qualified ECE teachers and leaders of diverse backgrounds is a recognized priority and diverse candidates are actively sought by faculty as they attend conferences, interact with school district personnel and interact with basic credential students.