This degree not only offers the needed preparation in critical ECED content (as recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children Associate’s Degree Standards) for employment upon graduation, but also prepares students for future transfer to a four-year college or university. It also better meets the current emphasis in ECED for teachers with a broader knowledge of general education. The A.Ed. coursework is equivalent to a major relating to early childhood education and as such meets the requirements of employers, especially public school districts, federal Head Start programs and the state sponsored preschool program (ECEAP) for early childhood positions requiring a two-year ECED degree. The degree builds on the Associate in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree and includes an additional 15 credits necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Associate in Arts-Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA). This degree will be granted to SVC students completing with a 2.0 GPA; entry into a baccalaureate program at a four-year school will require a higher GPA for admission.

This degree includes prescriptive coursework necessary to:

• Provide foundational preparation in the field of education.
• Prepare students for the career field of early childhood education.
• Prepare students to transfer seamlessly into baccalaureate teacher preparation programs, such as Western Washington University’s Woodring College of Education’s Undergraduate Elementary Education Professional program.
• Fulfill the requirements of the ECED certificates.
• Fulfill the requirements of the Associate in Arts-Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA).

For more about the Early Achievers Grant and general program information, please contact Lisa Barnett at 360-416-7649 or lisa.barnett@skagit.edu.