Berkshire Community College (BCC) offers students a variety of pathways to achieve
their academic and career goals.
At BCC, the Career Pathways Grant funds the CDA Plus Cohort Program. This grant pays
all tuition and fees for students to earn their Associate's Degree in Early Childhood
Education.
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.
CDA Career Pathways Grant
For questions about the CDA 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 Career Pathways Grant funds the CDA Plus Cohort Program.
The CDA Plus Cohort meets at the same day and time each week. Cohort courses follow
BCC's "stackable" credentials, which allow students to progress towards certificates
and an A.S. Degree ("Stackable" means that the program covers multiple credential
levels, and students earn those credentials as they complete the program).
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 for all ECE courses (including the CDA Bundle of textbooks).
Materials for CDA portfolio development.
A laptop on loan to the new ECE Cohorts.
Stipends for childcare and transportation (up to $1,000 a year).
In addition, our robust traditional day program is here for you to pursue courses
during the day if working in the field is not an option at this time.
To qualify you need to have a PQR and work in the field for a minimum of 20 hours
a week. The work hour requirement is subject to change due to COVID-19.
Work in the field can be at a childcare center, before/after school care, family child
care center or in a public preschool or kindergarten classroom.
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 CDA and an Associate
in Science Degree.
Cohort classes meet on the same day and time
Learn through modular hybrid courses (classes that meet both in person and online)
The CDA Plus Cohort begins with a pre-cohort semester in which interested students
are enrolled in Child Growth and Development, Childcare Health and Safety, 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. Once accepted into the
college, students continue into the Early Childhood Education CDA Plus Cohort to earn
their certificates (CDA and BCC), and finally an Associate of Science (AS) degree.
If you work at a licensed child care, day camp or summer camp program, you most likely
already have a PQR number set up through your employer. Please ask your supervisor.
The grant requires that you work in early childhood, and will support you in taking
classes while you find a job. You will have 3 months to get a job in early childcare
(This requirement is subject to change due to COVID-19 — please contact Alicia Ginsberg for up-to-date information).
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 scholarship is applied,
such as the EEC 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 able to use your stipend money to help pay for books and materials.
The 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.
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. While
the Career Pathways grant does not fund students in this program, there are many avenues
for funding at the college. We can help you talk to Financial Aid to find funding.
