Early Childhood Credentials

What is the Early Childhood Credential?

As a part of Delaware’s cross-sector professional development system, ensuring a competent workforce is essential to facilitating children’s growth and development. A professional Credential recognizes a level of achievement and expertise that reflects current research and best practice. Credentials will be coordinated by the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood and awarded by the Delaware Department of Education. Candidates can now apply for the Inclusion, Administration, Infant/Toddler, Preschool, School-Age and/or Family Child Care Credential.

Why should I get an Early Childhood Credential?

Obtaining a Credential benefits the individual by making them more marketable as they pursue career advancement opportunities. Programs will benefit as well, by being able to market the percentage of competent staff in a particular area as measured by those who successfully obtain a Credential.

How do I get an Early Childhood Credential?

In order to be awarded an Early Childhood Credential in Delaware, candidates have two options. The first option is for candidates to complete a package of education or training and demonstrate competency via a portfolio. The second option is for a candidate to show expertise in a credential area by successfully passing 5 credits or more of coursework from a regionally accredited college university. These two paths are outlined in more detail according to which credential you choose to obtain. Details are listed according to credential and can be found by selecting the appropriate link below.

In order to apply for an Early Childhood Credential, candidates are required to complete and submit the application, along with a $25 application fee and documentation verifying successful completion of the required education. This documentation can be either a certificate from each individual community-based training, a transcript from the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood (DIEEC) or a college transcript. Credit courses will be accepted from regionally accredited colleges and universities only. Instructions for verifying if your college or university is regionally accredited can be found at the link below. DIEEC staff maintain a list of course options for each credential and will consider other courses if syllabi and course objectives are submitted by the candidate. The candidate’s name and pertinent information must be clearly identified on the documentation. The document(s) will remain with your application and portfolio and will not be returned upon receipt. If you are unsure if your college credits are equivalent, you may submit your application with a non-refundable $10 fee to be reviewed. If they are accepted, you will be assessed the additional $15 fee before your application can be processed and your credential awarded.  Please make all checks payable to DIEEC.

The candidate that meets the educational requirement with community based PD or less than 5 college credits, or combination of both, will be mailed a portfolio packet and will have a maximum of six (6) months to complete their work and submit to DIEEC for review. A $75 review fee must accompany the portfolio. Limited scholarships are currently available for the Inclusion Credential only. Portfolios are comprised of Philosophy Statements, Assignments or Case Studies, Readings, Resources, Interviews and may include Program Visits. The portfolio score is based on a Rubric provided to the candidate along with their assignments. Successful completion requires a score of 80% or greater, including appearance, organization and quality of writing in addition to content.

The candidate that chooses to use the credit-bearing option to meet the Early Childhood credential will need to submit documentation of the required coursework or its equivalencies along with their application indicating which credential they are applying for. Required coursework and identified equivalencies for each credential can be found at the links below.

The three pathways to meet the Delaware Early Childhood Credentials in Brief

  1. Successfully completing community based PD (as outlined in educational requirement for each specific credential) AND successfully passing the Portfolio component with an 80% or above

    OR

  2. 3 credit coursework identified as the credit bearing educational requirement for credential or its equivalent AND successfully passing the Portfolio component with an 80% or above

    OR

  3. 5 or more credits of identified coursework in the area requesting to be credentialed or the equivalent.

*Coursework must be a C or above to be accepted.
**Higher Education credits must be from a college or university that is regionally accredited.

Is a College or University Regionally-Accredited?

Go to www.chea.org/search/default.asp, scroll to the bottom of the page, and agree to the search conditions.

On the next page, enter the name, state, and country of the institution in question, choose ‘Any Accreditor,’ and click on the ‘Search for Institutional Accreditation’ button. (Sometimes the name of the institution is a little different than what you would expect, and you may have to try different variations.)

If successful, you will retrieve a link to the institution you are seeking.

Click on that link. The information then provided will indicate the address, phone number(s) and institutional accreditation.

Approved Credential Equivalencies

  • Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential for Preschool, Infant/Toddler, or Family Child Care (*CDA must be from the Council for Professional Recognition and current)
     
  •  Aim4Excellence online national director credential for early childhood administrators.
     
  •  NAEYC recognized Administrator Credential from other states
    (complete list here: http://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/AdministratorCredentials.pdf)
     
  •  AMS issued full Montessori credential in Infant & Toddler (birth – age 3), Early Childhood (ages 2 1/2 – 6), Elementary I (ages 6 – 9) or Administrator

Please mail completed application and supporting documentation to:

Human Development & Family Studies
Attn: DIEEC Professional Development
111 Alison West
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716

Make checks payable to DIEEC

Credential Application. Click here.
Early Childhood Administration Credential Information. Click here.
Early Childhood Inclusion Credential Information. Click here.
Early Childhood Inclusion Credential Higher Education Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood Inclusion Credential Portfolio Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood Infant/Toddler Credential Information. Click here.
Early Childhood Infant/Toddler Credential Higher Education Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood Infant/Toddler Credential Portfolio Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood Preschool Credential Information. Click here.
Early Childhood Preschool Credential Higher Education Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood Preschool Credential Portfolio Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood School Age Credential Information. Click here.
Early Childhood School Age Credential Higher Education Pathway. Click here.
Early Childhood School Age Credential Portfolio Pathway. Click here.
Family Child Care Credential Information. Click here.