Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education (ECED) program prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to work collaboratively with young children and families in various professional capacities. The training that students receive blends theory and practice through coursework and hands-on experiences in the real world of a preschool program at the Child Development Center at Kaua'i Community College. Designed as a cohort model, a new group of students will be admitted annually. Students will progress through the program together, completing a 9-credit Initial Early Childhood Education Certificate, a 16-credit Early Childhood Education Practitioner I, and a 25-credit Certificate of Achievement enroute toward completing the 60-credit Associate in Science (AS) degree in Early Childhood Education. There are several pathways that students graduating with the AS in ECED can follow within the State of Hawai'i. Students may continue to UH West O'ahu (Bachelor’s in Social Science in Early Childhood Education) or UH Mānoa (Bachelor of Education in Elementary and Early Childhood Education or in Early Childhood and Special Education). Students who plan to transfer are strongly encouraged to seek academic advising upon admission to Kaua'i Community College.

Program Admission Requirements:

To be admitted to the Early Childhood Education program students must:

• be qualified for ENG 100

By the beginning of the second semester, students must:

• pass the fingerprinting and background check required by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services for individuals working with young children (fee required)

Graduation Requirements:

A grade of “C” or higher for all ECED alpha courses in the Early Childhood Education program is required for graduation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) approved 10/13/2020:

1. Use knowledge of child development and of individual children to create healthy, challenging learning environments and experiences.
2. Build respectful partnerships with children, families and their communities.
3. Observe, document, and assess all children's development and learning in partnership with families.
4. Use supportive interactions to build positive relationships and guide all children.
5. Use content knowledge and appropriate pedagogy to create/design, implement, and assess learning experiences.
6. Use reflective practice to demonstrate professionalism.

Federal Program Licensure Reporting Requirements:

The Kaua‘i Community College Early Childhood Education program curriculum is approved by the Hawai‘i State Director of the Department of Human Services and meets Hawai‘i Administrative Rules 17-892.1-17 (https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/bessd/files/2013/01/HAR_17-892.1-Group-Child-Care-Center-and-Group-Child-Care-Home-Rules.pdf). If you are not residing in the state of Hawai‘i and are taking a Kaua‘i Community College online course or program leading to professional licensure, Kaua‘i Community College cannot confirm whether the course or program meets your state’s professional licensure requirements. Please verify with the appropriate licensing board in the state you intend to practice.