Minimum Education Requirements
Child care licensing regulations require members of the DC early childhood workforce to meet minimum education requirements based on their position. Effective Dec. 20, 2023, a teacher can meet the education requirement by meeting any one of the following:
- Associate degree (or higher) in early childhood education or a closely related field; OR
- Completion of at least 60 credit hours or an associate degree (or higher) in any subject area with at least 12 credit hours in early childhood education; OR
- Enrollment in a degree program provided that the teacher holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) and earns an associate degree (or higher) within four years of their initial date of hire as a teacher at a child development center licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
More information on the regulations that outline the education requirement for teachers can be found here.
Programs
The following is a list of associate degree programs, including on-campus, online and/or hybrid degree programs and resources available in the Washington, DC area. This list is neither exhaustive nor an indication of endorsement by OSSE.
|
College/University |
Information on AA in EC |
Program Point of Contact |
|---|---|---|
| University of the District of Columbia-Community College | Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education |
Professor Scott King |
| Trinity Washington University | Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education |
Monee Bentley
|
| Howard Community College | Early Childhood Development - A.A.S. Degree |
(443) 518-1620
|
| Montgomery College | Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) in Early Childhood Education |
Dr. Sonia Pruneda-Hernandez
Collegewide Senior Director/Chair, Early Childhood Education Programs (240) 467-4168
|
| Prince George’s Community College | Early Childhood Education A.A.S. |
Dr. Ashanti Bryant Foster, NBCT |
| NOVA Community College-Alexandria Campus | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Development | |
| Rasmussen University |
Mackenzie McFadden |
|
| University of the Potomac |
Marcia Holmes |
Resources Available
|
Program |
Information |
Program Point of Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Education Incentive Fund |
Students that have applied to UDC or Trinity Washington University can receive a full scholarship toward their degree by contacting the university directly. |
Professor Scott King |
| DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) | DCTAG is a student-level grant program that provides grants of up to $10,000 toward the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities to eligible DC residents. |
Kenneth McGhee |
| DC Futures Program | The DC Futures Program helps DC college students complete their first associate or bachelor’s degree by providing a last-dollar scholarship (tuition, fees and cost of attendance) at three local universities in addition to college coaching and support services that will address personal and financial barriers to completion for all participants. |
(202) 727-2824 |
| Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program | The Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program provides need-based funding for eligible DC residents earning their first associate or bachelor’s degree at select area colleges and universities. |
Melanie Fleming |
| DC Leading Educators toward Advanced Degrees (DC LEAD) Program | The DC LEAD program provides scholarships and incentives to child care educators in the District of Columbia to complete coursework toward an associate and/or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. |
Emmett Irby |
| Advancing Early Education Collaborative | The Advancing Early Education Collaborative (AEEC) is an initiative between the American University School of Education, Trinity Washington University, LIFT-DC and Martha’s Table. The partnership provides Black and Latinx women who live or work in wards 7 or 8 with an academic pathway across institutions and wrap-around supports that help students navigate, graduate and enter careers in early learning. |
Gabrielle Harris Michael Rowe |
