Through the ECE Cohort at BCC, the EEC Career Pathways Grant funds courses towards
Teacher Certification, Lead Teacher Certification, Director Certification as well
as an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. The grant staff also support
students to complete their CDA. This grant pays all tuition and fees for students
to earn their Certification or Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Current or readmit student? Register for classes by contacting Academic Advising:
onestop@berkshirecc.edu 413-499-4660
BCC Education Program
For general questions about the BCC Education program, please contact Patty Kay, M.Ed., Chair, Education Department at pkay@berkshirecc.edu or 413-236-4626.
EEC Career Pathways Grant
To register with the EEC Career Pathways Grant, please reach out to Alicia Ginsberg M.Ed, Career Pathways Grant Coordinator at aginsberg@berkshirecc.edu or 413-236-4598.
Courses outlined in the Associate in Arts program meet the Massachusetts Transfer
Compact and provide a strong foundation for students continuing on to a bachelor's
degree while the Associate in Science program prepares students to immediately enter
the work force.
The A.S. in Early Childhood Education is a "career degree" meeting the needs of teachers
in the field seeking an associate degree as a terminal degree. This option, with more
required courses directly relevant to the care and teaching of young children and
relating to working with families, provides training for those early childhood educators
who choose to remain in the field at an associate degree level. Early Childhood Education
(ECE) courses align with MADOEEC and NAEYC standards.
The Introductory Early Childhood Education certificate is the first pathway leading
to greater qualifications for work with young children. With the experience provided
in the practicum (ECE-123), those completing this certificate will be ready to apply for teacher qualification
through the MADOEEC. The required ECE courses will be offered in the evening in rotation.
After completion of the Introductory Early Childhood Education certificate or equivalent,
students may begin work on this pathway. This certificate, together with nine months
of additional experience in the field, prepares people to pursue lead teacher qualification
through the MADOEEC. The required ECE courses will be offered in the evening in rotation.
The Elementary Education Program in Liberal Arts meets the Massachusetts Transfer
Compact and lays the groundwork for students to become well-rounded, competent educators.
The curriculum offers a strong foundation in liberal arts courses including: Foundations
of Education, Language and Literacy, Introductory Psychology and Children's Literature,
while adhering to the Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers. Field Experience
hours are embedded in program courses in preparation for pursuing a bachelor's degree
and to fulfill requirements for the elementary education license and MTEL exams.
The EEC Career Pathways Grant funds individuals working in the field of early education
and care, or individuals interested in working with young children.
The ECE Cohort courses meet after 5pm allowing students to work during the day and
attend class in the evening. Cohort courses follow BCC's "stackable" credentials,
which allow students to progress towards certificates and an A.S. Degree ("Stackable"
means that the courses build upon one another as the student earns different credentials
towards their completion goals.)
Students begin by working towards their Introductory Certificate at Berkshire Community
College; this certificate is aligned with both the CDA Credential and the Massachusetts
Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Lead Teacher Certification. It also stacks
into BCC's Intermediate Certificate and Associates of Science (A.S.) degree.
Benefits of the Grant:
The Career Pathways grant at BCC provides:
Tuition and fees for all ECE courses.
Weekly meetings with our ECE Mentor to help students with content, assignments, time
management and study skills.
Textbooks on loan for all ECE courses (including the CDA Bundle of textbooks).
Materials for CDA portfolio development.
A laptop on loan while enrolled in courses.
Stipends for completion of EEC Certification Requirements.
Teacher Certification, Lead Teacher Certification, Associate Degree, & Director Certification
In addition, our robust traditional day program is here for you to pursue courses
during the day if you prefer.
To qualify you need to be working in childcare with young children for a minimum of
20 hours a week, OR intend to work in childcare within the next 6 months.
Work in the field can be at a childcare center, before/after school care, family child
care center.
In a college setting, a cohort is a group of classmates that enters the same program
at the same time, and completes their courses together to complete a certificate,
CDA or an Associate in Science Degree.
Always in courses with the same group
Cohort classes meet after 5pm
Learn through modular hybrid courses (classes that meet both in person and online)
The ECE Cohort begins with a pre-cohort semester in which interested students are
enrolled in Child Growth and Development (3 credits), Childcare Health and Safety
(1 credit), and weekly tutoring addressing the reading, writing and math skills needed
to demonstrate college readiness on Accuplacer.
The Child Growth and Development course allows students to apply for Teacher status
in the EEC's credentialing system. The Childcare Health and Safety course helps you
to become acquainted with BCC's technology while you learn how to be a college student.
Once accepted into the college, students continue into the Early Childhood Education
(ECE) Cohort to earn their certificates (CDA and BCC), and finally an Associate of
Science (AS) degree.
You do not need to be employed in childcare at the start of the semester. We will
support you in taking classes while you find a job. In order to continue into the
second semester, you will need a job in childcare.
The grant will pay all tuition and fees for ECE courses. Other courses are subsidized
by the grant after your financial aid is applied or other scholarships are applied,
such as the ECE Scholarship. With these supports you should not have to pay for any
courses at BCC while under the grant.
The Career Pathways grant will lend you books for all ECE courses. For other courses,
you will be required to purchase books and materials. You may save your Certification
Stipends for these expenses.
All classes for the cohort are held in the evening after 5pm, allowing you to work
during the day and attend class once a week during the evening. Each class willl require
6-9 hours of homework a week, usually an hour a day.
The EEC Career Pathways grant at BCC is designed to support students who have not
had success in school in the past. Through weekly mentoring sessions students are
supported in their individual needs, including understanding content and assignments
as well as developing study skills, time management techniques, professionalism, and
more. The mentor and grant coordinator will be your advocates in the higher education
process, and will support you throughout your pursuit of a degree. In ECE 100 Childcare
Health and Safety, you will be supported in the technology and strengthening your
executive functioning to support you in completing the coursework.
A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required to receive grant funds. If you fail a course, you
will be supported to identify the challenges you faced and determine if you should
take a break or try again. If for any reason you lose grant funding, you can continue
on to take courses at BCC with other grants, scholarhships or sources of funding.
If you fail a course, you must show that you are committed to your education by taking
and passing a course without the grant funds or supports. Once you successfully pass
a course you can be reinstated in the grant.
The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ is a nationally recognized credential
in early childhood education based on a core set of competency standards to nurture
the physical, intellectual emotional and social development of children.
BCC offers the CDA PLUS, in which these competencies are integrated into the ECE coursework,
ensuring the students understand and apply the CDA competencies along with EEC and
NAEYC. This allows educators to get hands-on training at work, gain entry into the
college system, and earn college credit along with their CDA.
The CDA credential requires a portfolio, 480 hours working with children, as well
as a CDA Verification Visit and Exam.
Employment of Early Childhood Educators is projected to grow 10% from 2016 to 2026,
which is faster than average for all occupations. A degree with concentration in Early
Childhood Education is flexible and can lead to work within public and private school
systems.
There are many pathways at BCC, and different sources of funding. If you want to work
with older kids you can get an Associate Degree in Elementary Education at BCC through
our new Paraprofessional Cohort. While the EEC Career Pathways Grant does not fund
students in this program, there are many avenues for funding at the college and there
is a Paraprofessional Scholarship. We can help you talk to Financial Aid to find funding.
Yes. You can book a meeting with Alicia Ginsberg, M.Ed., Career Pathways Grant Coordinator.
Further Studies
Our Early Childhood Education program graduates meet the requirements for the MassTransfer
Pathway in Early Childhood Education and can transfer to all Massachusetts State Schools.
BCC has an articulation agreement with MCLA's IDST Degree in Children, Family and
Society. This MCLA Cohort meets in Pittsfield on Thursday Evenings.
