1. Early Childhood AS-P Transfer Pathway
Presented by
Dawn Braa & Carmen Cook
Welcome and introduce selves

2. MN State Legislative Mandate
Law of Minnesota 2015, Chapter 5, Article 3, Section 21
Require the system to implement transfer pathways in accordance with the plan, which was submitted to the Legislature in The Transfer Pathways Coordinating Team serves as the coordinating body for Transfer Pathways Teams to be formed in up to 30 baccalaureate major fields. The 2016 report is available at
We’re here today due to a leg. mandate to develop seamless pathways in the top 30 majors at Mn State institutions. Majors were selected by the number of graduates in each degree.

3. Transfer Pathway Committee
Early Childhood Faculty
2 year- Dawn Braa, Hope Doerner, Stacey York, Kelly McKown, Christine Mutchler & Cheryl Redinger
4 year- Michelle Beach, Carmen Cook, June Reineke, Karen Ihnen, Steven Reuter & Erin Gillett
Other Mike Boehme, Raphael Onyeaghala, Jan Sherman, Paula Hoffman & Sarah Dahl
Coordinating Team Liasons Elaina Bleifield & Julie Maxson
Committee members volunteered last year to take part in this project. This pathway team is made up of faculty from both 2yr and 4yr institutions, administration, and is guided by our coordinating team liasons.

4. Early Childhood Landscape
National Academy of Sciences Recommendations: Transforming the Workforce B-8
National Governor’s Association
Parent Aware Changes
Moving toward recommendation of 4 year degrees with specialized knowledge in EC and goal of increased compensation for EC professionals.

5. Intentional Design of Pathway
Early Childhood is a UNIQUE and multifaceted field
Knowledge of children Birth to age 8 (Child Development and Learning, Developmentally Appropriate Learning Experiences, Relationships with Families, Assessment, Evaluation and Individualization, Professionalism, Health Safety and Nutrition, Historical and Contemporary Development of ECE, Application through Clinical Experiences) - from Minnesota’s Knowledge and Competency Framework
Value: Parent as first and most important teacher
Employable graduates at both AS and BS Level
Course AND Competency Package
Early Childhood has multiple entry points into the field. Knowledge of Children birth to age eight is required. Children come to us within the context of family thus coursework includes content in…. This team has been extremely mindful of...

6. Understanding the Workforce from June Reineke, WSU
Credential
Outcomes
Position Opportunities
CDA or Diploma
CDA-non-credit Diploma 24 credits building on CDA
DHS Rule 3: Child Care Assistant or Teacher
DHS Rule 2: Family Child Care
AAS or AS Degrees
60 credits with general and technical credits
Same as above
Paraprofessional
Substitute Teacher
Early Childhood Trainer (Step 1)
4 year Degree
120 credits with generals and BA in EC
Head Start
Center Based Teacher/Director
School Readiness
4 year Degree w/ Licensure
120 credits, Bachelor Degree with MN Licence
Center Based Teacher
K-3 Teacher
Mentor/Coach

7. Influencing Factors Board of Teaching (BOT) Standards
Minnesota’s Knowledge and Competency Framework
Parent Aware Standards (Quality Rating System)
NAEYC Accreditation Standards
Licensing Standards for DHS: Rule 3
Head Start Program Performance Standards
EC has many national and state regulatory and recommending bodies. Since the goal is teacher licensure, we need to follow and meet the BOT standards, as well as keeping in mind that on the pathway to licensure, students working in the field and their employers may need to meet child care licensing rules, head start performance standards, parent aware standards and provide high quality care for children and families in our state. The Minnesota Knowledge and Competency Framework provides a trajectory of learning for development of professionals in the field of early childhood from entry through advanced degrees. We have the coordinating paperwork here today for those of you who may be unfamiliar with them

8. Current Degrees at MN State Institutions (MNSCU)
AS-P = A.S. to B.S. Pathway
2 year alignment since E-LECT
4 year institutions have pride and legislative influences in their content emphasis in Early Childhood
Students in this pathway would be earning an associate of science degree at the 2yr level and then transferring onto a MnState University working towards their bachelor of science degree: birth to age 8 teacher licensure.
E-LECT (e-learning for early childhood teachers), offers high quality credit-based early childhood courses online for certificate, diploma, and A. S and A.A.S. courses. Students choose a home campus and then can elect courses from sister institutions to complete their award in a timely manner. Faculty from the partnering colleges worked together to align curriculum competencies, avoid duplication and make the best use of limited resources.
4 Yr. For example Metropolitan State University has a legislative mandate to provide content in Urban Education, St. Cloud State has traditionally focused on the child and family

9. Children deserve the best start!
Quality Early Childhood Professionals at ALL Levels
Every child is worth the best early childhood education MN can provide and a great start in life. Research shows that children have huge amounts to gain from high-quality ECE which has powerful life-long positive impacts on their health, well-being, and later education.

10. Proposed Pathway General Education credits
Goal 1: College composition (grade of B or above) and public speaking (grade of B or above); 6-9 credits
Goal 2: no specific requirement
Goal 3: Lab course minimum 3-4 credits
Goal 4: College level math; Has to have MATH designator. Needs further discussion of which course. 3-5 credits; Recommended: Math for Teachers
Goal 5: Psych and Soc discipline (recommended Marriage and Family, Child psych, Intro to Ed Psych) 6-8 credits
Goal 6/7/8: Minimum one course in diversity or human relations (3-4 credits), and another course in a different goal area (3-4 credits).
Additional credits as needed in other goal areas to fill out the degree.
Total credits: minimum 24, maximum 34
Proposed Pathway
Major credits (Early Childhood)
Intro to ECE (3-4 credits)
Child Growth and Development (3-4 credits)
Health, wellness and nutrition (3-4 credits)
Diverse children and family relations (3-4 credits)
Behavior guidance (2-4 credits)
Observation and assessment (2-4 credits)
Creative activities and environment (3-4 credits)
Intro to special Ed (3-4 credits)
Total credits: minimum 22, maximum 32
Here is the draft proposed pathway. AS you can see from the slide, the pathway consists of both major credits and gen ed credits.

11. Student Success
Elimination of multiple articulations which confuse students
Elimination of credit loss
Provide transparency of requirements
Increase student choice availability and services within Minnesota State University System
Provide increased quality in EC workforce
Why is this so important? This pathway would eliminate multiple AS articulations which confuse students, it would eliminate substantial credit loss and provide transparency of requirements. Increase student choice availability and services within Minnesota State University System- otherwise students go across state lines or to private institutions. Ultimately, provide increased quality in EC workforce!

12. Next Steps Draft Final Pathway January 18, 2017
Final Pathway Approval February 5, 2017
The system office will distribute the pathway to all institutions for implementation
Faculty at colleges and universities will determine how their current curriculum will fit into the new transfer pathway. If needed, campus curriculum review and approval processes will be followed to implement the new transfer pathway.
Finish alignment work with Knowledge and Competency Framework and all influencing factors at both 2 year and 4 year institutions

13. Prioritizing content to be included at the associate level
Stakeholder Feedback
Practicum/Internship
Infant/Toddler
Educational Technology
Language Development/Early Literacy
Prioritizing content to be included at the associate level

15. THANK YOU from all of us!