PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential

Pending CTC approval

Program Description 

This is a Professional Teacher Preparation Program for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential and is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

The PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential authorizes the holder to teach all subjects in a self-contained general education classroom setting and to team teach or to regroup students across classrooms, in preschool through grade three. This credential also includes authorization to teach English Language Learners in English within the subject area and grade level authorization of the PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction credential.

Candidates in credential courses must reside in California while enrolled in this program.

Program Learning Outcomes

Biola University's graduate PK-3 teacher preparation candidates are expected to exemplify the following outcomes upon the completion of the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential, students will be able to:

  1. Plan developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate practices to ensure a high quality learning environment for all students (ULO 3).
  2. Promote child development and learning through play-based experiences that engage caregivers (ULO 3).

  3. Develop appropriate adaptations to maximize learning by identifying students’ diverse needs (ULO 3).

  4. Apply faith integration to teaching and leadership (ULO 2).

  5. Understand foundational spiritual formation of young children as supported by research from related fields, clinical observations, biblical perspectives, and interviews (ULO 1 & 2).

  6. Demonstrate effective pedagogical skills related to the foundational knowledge of Developmentally Appropriate Practice and the understanding of subject matter content (ULO 1).

Each Program Learning Outcome (PLO) listed above references at least one of the University Learning Outcomes (ULO 1, 2, 3), which may be found in the General Information section of this catalog.

Admission Requirements

  • Applicants must have completed all bachelor's requirements prior to the start of the program and must have a bachelor's degree conferred from a regionally accredited institution prior to the start of the second term.
  • Must be a California resident in order to fulfill fieldwork requirements.
  • Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved organization and verified equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree.
  • Have a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  • Hold a valid Certificate of Clearance from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and submit valid TB test results.
  • Applicants for whom English is not a primary language must verify a score of 100 iBT on the TOEFL exam.
  • Complete Biola University's Graduate Education Application.
  • Interview with a member of the School of Education.

Official documents presented for admission or evaluation become part of the student's academic file and normally cannot be returned or copied for distribution.

PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential Requirements

Note: The PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential program is pending approval by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Requirements are subject to change.

After successful completion of the requirements below, candidates make an appointment with a credential analyst in the School of Education at Biola University to apply for the Preliminary Credential from the State of California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

PK-3 Teacher Preparation Courses

All candidates for the PK-3 Teaching Credential must complete the following courses with a grade of C or higher and an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher:

PK-3 Teacher Preparation Coursework
SEED 534Introduction to Early Childhood Education3
SEED 535Child Development: Birth through Adolescence3
SEED 547Early Childhood Reading and Language Arts3
SEED 556Early Childhood Curriculum3
SEED 557School/Family/Community Partnerships in Early Childhood Urban Settings3
SEED 558Classroom Management in Early Childhood Settings3
SEED 559Observation and Assessment of Young Children3
SEED 587Language, Literacy and Biliteracy in Early Childhood3
SEED 639Early Childhood Mathematics Curriculum and Methods3
Clinical Practice Coursework
SEED 660Early Childhood Student Teaching Seminar I6
SEED 661Early Childhood Student Teaching Seminar II6
Total Credits39

Taskstream Subscription

Candidates must have a paid subscription to Taskstream while taking PK-3 teacher preparation courses and student teaching.

Certificate of Clearance and Tuberculosis (TB) Test

Candidates must obtain a Certificate of Clearance prior to taking SEED 535 course in order to participate in the required fieldwork in the major. Fees required.

Candidates must also submit valid TB test results prior to taking SEED 535 course and may be required multiple times in order to participate in the required fieldwork and student teaching. Fees required.

Minimum Grades and GPA Requirements

All PK-3 teaching credential candidates must maintain an overall cumulative 2.75 grade point average (GPA). A 2.75 cumulative GPA must be achieved in the PK-3 teacher preparation courses. Students must receive a grade of C or higher in all PK-3 teacher preparation courses and score 83% or higher in all key assignments in order to be formally recommended for a PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential.

Subject Matter Competency Requirement

Candidates must prove subject matter competency by completing 24 credits in early childhood or child development coursework. This requirement must be passed prior to applying for student teaching.

Recommendation

Candidates must be recommended by the faculty of the School of Education as having all requisite professional qualities to be successful as a teacher.

Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluations

Candidates must demonstrate high performance in each Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluation for PK-3 teacher preparation coursework in order to remain in the PK-3 Teacher Preparation Program. Evidence of unaddressed concerns (scores of 1 or 2) or failing to meet a professional disposition may lead to dismissal.

Fieldwork Evaluation

Candidates must obtain good to excellent scores in each fieldwork evaluation for PK-3 teacher preparation coursework, including student teaching.

CPR

Candidates must show verification of current training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) — infant, child, and adult — that meets the standards of either the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross CPR course when applying for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential.

Advisor Contact

Candidates are required to meet regularly with their program advisor to ensure that all requirements are met.

Applying for a Credential

After successfully completing student teaching and the associated requirements, candidates make an appointment with a credential analyst in the School of Education at Biola University and apply for the PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential from the State of California's Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Student Teaching Under Contract

Candidates who are already full-time teachers in public schools or WASC-accredited private schools may interview to student teach under contract. These candidates may be eligible to complete coursework and Student Teaching at their current school site. Interested candidates should contact the Director of the Early Childhood division prior to the student teaching application process for more information.

The PK-3 Professional Teacher Preparation Program leading to a California Teaching Credential at Biola University is subject to change in response to new legislation and for accreditation/reporting purposes. Please see a credential analyst for current information on completing the requirements for a teaching credential.