Associate's in Early Childhood Education - options?

[Stanislav]

Hi guys,

Asking for a friend. What would be the best path to an Associate degree in ECE in any of the Big Three? Specifically, here's my criteria:
"(a) relate to the practice of early childhood education;
(b) be from a program of at least four semesters in length; and
© be granted by a post secondary institution recognized and authorized to grant
diplomas or degrees in its own jurisdiction and, for institutions outside Canada,
evaluated by World Education Services as recognized in Canada."

Obviously, this is for recognition in Canada 9Ontario). Last year I helped another friend, and Ashworth College seemed like the best option. Back then the criteria stated that the institution has to be "recognized in its province of jurisdiction" rather than "recognized in Canada". Even though Ashworth is, clearly, recognized in Georgia, this resulted in protracted struggle detailed here:
DEAC in Canada - need help ASAP

Well, apparently the experience prompted the College to tighten the requirements, so now the degree needs to be RA to qualify (WES Canada definition of "recognized"). Any suggestions?

[KayV]

Does the associate degree have to have early childhood education as the named major, or could it just have ECE hours in it?

[dfrecore]

None of the Big 3 has an Associate's in that, and TESU and EC don't have BA's in that either. COSC has a BA in Child and Youth Development, but it can't be tested out of (obviously the gen ed's can, and there will be a few courses in the core that you can test out of, but not as a whole).

[swalke321]

TESU has AS in Human Services but there is no track option. TESU also has BA in human services that has a professional track in Child Development Services. The Associates might have room for some child development/education/child psychology courses but would require eligible work experience. TESU is not too specific about what fits in the AOS.

[KayV]

Charter Oak also has a BS in Child Studies that is geared toward ECE.
https://www.charteroak.edu/catalog/curre...tudies.cfm

Excelsior offers an AS with a concentration in Human Services. Excelsior accepts up to 25% of the degree from NA colleges. This might be an advantage if your friend has a degree from Ashworth. However, if CECE rejects NA credits you might not want to use them in the degree because EC prints the source on the transcript.
Excelsior College | Associate Degrees | Liberal Arts Degree – Human Services | Online Classes

West Virginia Northern Community College has the Board of Governors AAS degree, and will put a concentration on the transcript with 15 hours of credit in the concentration.
Programs of Study > Board of Governors A.A.S. Degree Completion Program | WVNCC | West Virginia Northern Community College

Your friend might be able to do a PLA with WVNCC to reflect her field experience credit since that also appears to be a CECE requirement. For that matter, the Big Three offer PLA credit too. In addition, Charter Oak will accept the US Child Development Associate credential for 6 hours of lower level credit that includes a field experience.

[Stanislav]

My friend with Ashworth degree is licensed now. This is for the other friend.
She has tons of relevant experience.
So between TESU and EXCELSIOR, which one is cheaper/more flexible specifically for Early Childhood?
Also, can COSC's AA contain ECE credits that's amount to a concentration?

[KayV]

Is Other Friend starting from scratch?

None of these specifically say Early Childhood on the associate level.

[KayV]

Here's the NAEYC listing of their accredited programs in ECE.
https://www.naeyc.org/ecada/ecada_programs

[Stanislav]

Thanks Kay.
You are raising a very good point. OTOH, the rules say "related to ECE" not "in ECE", and they do request course-by-course evaluation. I'm guessing the AA with right classes should suffice.

Then again, I made a bet that Ashworth would suffice last year. I was RIGHT, but we had to spend the better part of the year trying to educate CECE on their own rules to make this point, and they only budged when my friend got a layer and filed a court case. It WOULD be better if the transcript states "Early Childhood" - as major, concentration, specialization, minor, anything...

[Stanislav]

Is Other Friend starting from scratch?

Foreign degree. It should evaluate well, but I don't know how much would fit a degree plan.