A new early childhood education bachelor's degree program launching this fall at McDaniel College in Westminster aims to address the need for more qualified kindergarten teachers.
Maryland's Blueprint for the Future is a state law that essentially aims to direct more resources to students who need them, including 3- and 4-year-olds from low-income families, among other ambitious initiatives. It mandates the expansion of kindergartens for children of all ages.
“We launched the early childhood program in direct response to Maryland's Blueprint for the Future,” said Tracy Lucas, assistant dean of McDaniel's School of Education.
McDaniel College announced last month that the program was approved at the request of the Maryland Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. McDaniel consulted with partner agencies in developing the program, and Lucas said support from Carroll County Public Schools and Carroll Community College will help make the program's debut a success.
McDaniel's current educational program includes a hands-on educational component that works with the public school system, with college students attending a Carroll public school while undergoing a semester-long internship and mentoring. Learn from. Lucas said the experiential element is important in developing future teachers into qualified professionals.
“One of the things we are most looking forward to is how much time our teacher candidates will spend in the field with early childhood children and students,” Lucas said. “That’s really the hallmark of this program.”
Carroll Community College offers elementary students the opportunity to work in the child care field in exchange for tuition, fees, and books provided by the Maryland Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund. It's free for all students as long as they earn their degree and perform service. Participates in a licensed child care program in Maryland. Professor Carol Williamson, director of the community college's early childhood education program, said students who transfer from the community college to a four-year institution such as McDaniel will continue to receive a free education.
“A four-year program in early childhood education is beneficial for students pursuing a teaching career, as a bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement, along with certification, to teach in Maryland,” Williamson said in an email. “Additional certified teachers will be needed as implementation of the Blueprint progresses. Combined with the current teacher shortage, any teacher preparation program can help. We offer cost-effective or debt-free transfer degrees to help you get started on your path. Four-year institutions continue that process and are valuable partners in our programs. It will continue to be.”
Students who complete an accredited community college program and transfer to a four-year institution receive junior or junior status.
Lucas said the addition of this program will give Carroll County residents pursuing a career in early childhood education the option to remain local while earning certification.
The new program provides a path for teachers to become certified to teach students from kindergarten through third grade. Lucas said there is some overlap between the new program and McDaniel's existing elementary education program. The program is designed to prepare students to teach grades 1 through 6.
In the past, McDaniel students majoring in elementary education have been able to successfully earn certification to teach early education in Maryland, but with a designated early childhood education program curriculum structure and emphasis on kindergarten. Professor Lucas said this will better prepare students to pursue that career path. Labor force.
Last July, Carroll County Public Schools announced plans to work with McDaniel College on workforce development initiatives as part of the system's first annual Blueprint implementation plan. According to plans, Carroll will use space at the high school to provide preschool services.
The Blueprint mandates that preschool education be provided as part of a public-private partnership, with half of the students served by accredited private entities and the other half served by the school system. But O'Neill said Carroll County, like most counties, received the exemption because it didn't meet the 2023 standard for private entities to provide 30% of pre-kindergarten capacity. This benchmark increases by 5% each year until it reaches 50%.
The blueprint estimates Carroll County will need to spend $1.3 million to expand preschool, Superintendent Cynthia McCabe said March 25.
Since fall 2020, McDaniel has added 13 new majors, including actuarial mathematics, American Sign Language, applied mathematics, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, criminal justice, food studies, international business, marketing, and writing/publishing. The university's new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will also debut this fall.
Lucas said she expects the educational program to attract 10 to 15 students this fall, including transfer students and freshmen. As the program takes several years to establish itself, it is expected that 20 to 25 early childhood education majors will graduate from McDaniel each year.
“We think there is a need,” Lucas said. We are known for our educational programs and believe this is another great option for students. ”
