Level I: Professional Outreach Program Outlinelevel1.htm

Level II: State Mandated Traininglevel2.htm

Level III: CDA Traininglevel3.htm

Level IV: Associate in Science Degree in Early Childhood Managementlevel4.htm

Level V: Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Developmentlevel5.htm

Level II: State Mandated Training

Detailed information regarding child care training within the State of Florida may be obtained at:
www.myflorida.com/childcare/training

Introductory Level Training

Child Care workers must complete forty hours of introductory level training. Workers must begin training within ninety days of employment and must be certified within one year of the date that training began.

Childcare workers must complete all of the following training modules:

• Rules and Regulations
• Health, Safety, and Nutrition
• Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
• Child Growth and Development
• Behavioral Observation and Screening

Childcare workers must then select one of the following specialized training modules:

• Infant and Toddler Appropriate Practices
• Pre-School Appropriate Practices
• School-Age Appropriate Practices
• Special Needs Appropriate Practices

Hillsborough Community College provides Introductory Level Training for Child Care Personnel. Please refer to the final page of this packet for current course offerings. You may register for these modules at the Registration window in Student Services at any of the College’s campuses. Be certain to take the module’s title and section number with you.

Florida Child Care and Education Program Director Credential

Child Care Program Directors must be credentialed as part of the minimum licensing standard. The Director Credential consists of a comprehensive program entailing two requirement levels: Foundational and Advanced.  Detailed information about the Director Credential may be obtained at www.myflorida.com/childcare/training 

Hillsborough Community College offers coursework for Director Credential requirements. Please refer to the final page of this packet for current course offerings. You may register for this course at the Registration window in Student Services at any of the College’s campuses. Be certain to take the course’s title and section number with you.

Child Care Director - Must complete:

Director Credential

• 40-clock-hour Introductory Child Care training comprised of Part I and Part II modules
• 5-clock-hour (or .5 Continue Education Units) Early Literacy and Language Development, within 1 year of employment
• 10-clock-hours of Annual In-service training completed between July 1 and June 30 each year

Director Credential Certification Requirements:

Core Requirements for Both Levels

• High school diploma or GED;

• Department of Children and Families’ Part I Introductory Training, comprised of the Introduction to Child Care module (20 Hours) and the Behavioral Observation and Screening module (10 hours);

• Department of Children and Families’ Special Needs Appropriate Practices module(10 hours), or 8 hours of in-service training in serving children with disabilities that meets the statutory requirement for licensing; and

• One of the following staff credentials: Child Development Associate (CDA), state approved Florida CDA Equivalency, Florida School-Age Certification, a formal education exemption qualification (including a wavier), or documented employment history recognition exemption.

Foundational Level Requirements:

Education: An approved course in curriculum content area of “Overview of Child Care Center Management.” This course may be taken for college credit or Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

• Exception: For the Foundational Level Credential, directors who have attained another state’s recognized Director Credential may receive credit toward the “Overview of Child Care Management” educational component of the credential - subject to approval by the Florida Child Care Director Credential Program.

• Experience: One year of on-site experience as a child care facility director. A temporary Foundational Director Credential will be issued until the experience component has been met.

Advanced Level Requirements:
Education: Must complete one of the following:

Three approved courses for college credit in child care education program administration.
• Overview of Child Care Center Management
• Child Care and Education Programming
• Child Care and Education Organizational Leadership and Management
• Child Care and Education Financial and Legal Issues.

A.S. degree in child care center management.

A.S., B.A., B.S. or advanced degree in early childhood education/child development, family and consumer sciences (formerly home economics/child development), school-age child care, or elementary education WITH at least three college credit hours in child care management/administration, business administration or educational administration

B.A., B.S. or advanced degree other than those listed above, WITH three college credit hours in early childhood education/child development or school-age child care AND three college credits hours in child care management/administration, business administration or educational administration. All coursework for this exception must have been completed within the last ten years.

Five or more years of experience as an administer or director in a licensed child facility or facility that is legally exempt pursuant to Sections 402.3025 or 402.316, F.S., WITH 3 college credit hours in early childhood/child development or school -age care AND three college credits in child care management/administration, business administration or educational administration. All coursework must have been completed within the last ten years.

Exemption by Testing: For the Advanced Level credential only, candidates who meet the requirements for an educational exception but do not have coursework in early childhood education or administration may opt to take a competency-based exam to meet the three credit hour course requirement in early childhood/child development, or the three credit hour course requirement in administration, or both. This process will require the candidate to complete a written exam at an approved testing site and achieve a minimum score of 70.

Experience:Two years of on-site experience as a child care facility director. A temporary Advanced Director Credential will be issued until the experience component has been met.

Child Care Employee

Must complete:

40-clock-hour Introductory Child Care training comprised of Part I and Part II modules

Introductory Child Care Training
Child care personnel must begin training by commencing coursework, obtaining an educational exemption or by completing a competency exam within the first 90 days of employment in the child care industry. All training must be completed one (1) year after the date on which training began. The Introductory Child Care Training is divided into two parts:

Part I - all child care personnel are required to complete the following 30-clock-hours which are divided into five training modules:

1. State and Local Rules and Regulations (2 hours)*

2. Health, Safety, and Nutrition (4 hours)*

3. Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (4 hours)*

4. Child Growth and Development (10 hours)*

5. Behavioral Observation and Screening (10 hours)

*These four modules comprise the 20 Hour Introduction to Child Care Course.

Part II - all child care personnel are required to complete 10-clock-hours of training from the following modules:

1. Infant and Toddler Appropriate Practices (10 hours)

2. Pre-School Appropriate Practices (10 hours)

3. School-Age Appropriate Practices (10 hours)

4. Special Needs Appropriate Practices (10 hours)

5. Early Literacy and Language Development (5 hours - online)

6. Basic Guidance and Discipline (5 hours - online)

7. Computer Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom (5 hours - online)

5-clock-hour (or .5 Continue Education Units) Early Literacy and Language Development, within 1 year of employment

10-clock-hours of Annual In-service training completed between July 1 and June 30 each year   

Level III: CDA Training

Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Every licensed child care facility must have one child care professional with a CDA or CDA equivalency for every twenty children. Individuals who intend to earn a Director Credential are required to have a CDA or equivalent.

I. National CDA: The national credential is recognized internationally. It is issued by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition in Washington. The Council may be contacted at 800.424.4310 or at www.cdacouncil.org

II. CDA Equivalency: The ECP(Early Childhood Professional) is Hillsborough Community College’s equivalency to the CDA. ECP students are required to complete the State mandated training (forty hours) prior to certification. Students must also perform the required 480 hours of direct work experience in a licensed child care facility, working in direct supervision of children eight years and under. The program content is divided into eleven modules. Students must complete all modules for certification. Most students complete these within two semesters.

The total cost for the eleven modules is approximately $1000. The student may pay for these modules at one time or as they register for modules individually. Students may qualify for financial aid or a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship (www.fcforum.org) whenever funding permits

III. CDA Equivalency (ECP Courses)

• HEV 0152  Early Childhood Professionals
• HEV 0183  Practicum I
• HEV 0181  Assessment
• HEV 0130  Child Development II
• HEV 0132  DAP-Activities
• HEV 0184  Practicum II
• HEV 0137  Learning Environments I
• HEV 0141  Understanding Guidance
• HEV 0142  Learning Environments II
• HEV 0185  Practicum 3
• HEV 0163  Leadership

Level IV: Associate in Science Degree in Early Childhood Management

The Associate in Science program will prepare students for a variety of careers in the early childhood field and will give students the competencies and practical experience needed for the CDA (equivalency). The coursework focuses on the development, care, guidance, and education of young children.

Log onto www.hccfl.edu/depts/advising/03-04ASadvisingguides.html to review the advising guide for the early childhood management program.

CDA Equivalency: Students within the Associate in Science program in Early Childhood Management may obtain a CDA equivalency certificate upon completion of fifteen credit hours in the following: EEC1202, EEC1521, EEC1941, EEC1943, EEC1001. 

Level V: Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development

The department currently has an articulation agreement with the University of South Florida’s Lakeland Campus. Students who graduate with an A.S. in Early Childhood Management may continue their studies and obtain a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science (BSAS) with a concentration in Early Childhood Development. Further information may be obtained at www.lklnd.usf.edu
Students may also call the USF Lakeland advising office at 863.667.7039 for assistance.