1. Vermont Agency of Education 4 December 2015
Early Childhood & Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement Standards
Vermont Agency of Education
4 December 2015

2. OVerview
Revision Process
Logic of the Endorsement
New Endorsement

3. Revision Process Action Schedule
VSBPE sets endorsement review schedule
Fall 2014
EQ completes initial review of endorsement
January 2015
Convene Focus Group (practitioners, researchers, administrators, policymakers, advocates)
23 February 2015
Actualizing focus groups ideas
March/April 2015
Check-in
May 2015
Final Revisions
Public Comment
July 2015
VSBPE approval
August 2015
Go live!

4. Logic of the Endorsement
Teaching, not Learning, Standards
Core Teaching Standards vs. Endorsement Standards
The existential question of endorsements
Educator Preparation Programs
Educators’ professional growth
AOE’s role
Oversee
Internal consistency
Focus discussion
Get out of the way
Focus Group’s role
Apply collected knowledge of early childhood and early childhood special education to update endorsement

5. Endorsement and Core Teaching Standards
Endorsement requirements
Vermont Core Teaching Standards
Licensure
Content knowledge & skills reflected in specific standards
Praxis II
Teaching practices
Crosses endorsement areas
Level I Licensure Portfolio
Approved program recommendations (including Peer Review)
Transcript review for those adding endorsement

6. Early Childhood Education
Modeled on NAEYC’s 2010 Standards for Initial Early Childhood Professional Preparation
Revised Early Childhood Education endorsement
Promoting Child Development and Learning
Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child. Key elements of Standard 1
1a: Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs, from birth through
age 8.
Promoting Child Development and Learning
Educators are grounded in a child development knowledge base for the full range of students covered in this endorsement. They use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, to create environments and learning opportunities that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each and every child
1.1 Knows and understands young children’s characteristics and needs, and the variation within and
across developmental domains, birth to grade 3.

7. ECE Endorsement Themes
Promoting Child Development and Learning
Building Family and Community Relationships
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
Using Developmentally Effective Approaches
Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
Becoming a Professional
N.B., these themes are identical in both the NAEYC and AOE Standards.

8. Early Childhood Special Education
Modeled on the Division for Early Childhood or the Council for Exceptional Children’s Initial Preparation Standards
Revised Early Childhood Special Education endorsement
Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences
Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
K1.1 Theories of typical and atypical early childhood development
Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences
Special Educators understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to support learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities. For Early Childhood Special Educators this includes the following knowledge and skill standards:
1.1 Knowledge
1.1.1 Theories of typical and atypical early childhood development

9. New Intensive Special Education Teacher Endorsement
Linked to the Vermont Core Teaching Standards
Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences
Aligned with Learner and Learning Category of Vermont Core Teaching Standards

10. ECSE Endorsement Themes
Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences
(The Learner and Learning)
Learning Environments
Curricular Content Knowledge
(Content Knowledge and Skills)
Assessment
(Instructional Practice)
Instructional Planning & Strategies
Professional Learning & Ethical Practice
Collaboration
(Professional Responsibility)

11. Inclusion Statement
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC) have issued a joint position statement on early childhood inclusion.  This position statement represents dispositions desired of Vermont’s early childhood educators and early childhood special educators.
“Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. The defining features of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services are access, participation, and supports.”
This is Standard 7 in the Early Childhood Education Endorsement and Standard 8 in the Early Childhood Special Education

12. Vermont Early Learning Standards
Teaching standards are intended to be closely aligned with rigorous student learning objectives as defined by the VELS. For example,
5.6 Understands the progression of student skills defined by the Vermont Early Learning Standards (which include the appropriate Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards) and competence in teaching them.

13. Thanks!