Child Development Core Plus

The 18 unit Core PLUS Certificate is designed to meet both the minimum requirements of the Department of Social Services to teach in licensed private preschools and childcare programs and to complete an early childhood education specialty focus. The goal is to provide students coursework to move directly into the workforce while working toward an AA degree.  Completion of the Core PLUS Certificate combined with work experience allows students to be eligible for the Associate Teacher level of the Permit.

According to the college Fall 2018 major list, 911 students indicated child development as their major.  409 students indicated that they are following Plan A towards an AA degree. The department has averaged 41 AA/AS-T degrees the past 5 years and expects this number to increase to at least 50.  The CORE PLUS courses are a requirement for the AA degree and thus should yield 75 certificate completers each year.

The Core Plus Certificate of Achievement is an 18 unit certificate comprised of the 4 foundational courses and 2 optional specialty courses. The CORE PLUS Certificate courses represent evidence-based courses that are intended to become a foundational core for early care and education professionals. The certificate interweaves the domains of child development and are part of the California Community Colleges Curriculum Alignment Project (CAP), a program of study supporting early care and education teacher preparation, and a focus on Infant/Toddlers,Special Education, or ECE Curriculum Planning. The Core PLUS certificate is the springboard for the Child Development Permit granted by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and entitles the holder to teach in state and federally funded programs. This is an expanded career choice and has levels of advancement including the AA degree and is a requirement for the Master Teacher Permit Level.

The Cerritos College Child Development Department is committed to empowering diverse students by developing their skills and abilities to become intentional and professional early childhood educators who thoughtfully develop an effective pedagogy of best practices. In an ever changing world, our focus is to create a community of life long learners and educators who respect and value the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each child's physical, cognitive and psychosocial development.

The CORE Plus certificate will be a stepping stone to the AA and is a requirement for the Maser Teacher Permit Level. Embracing the departments mission statement of lifelong learning,students will be encouraged to continue on the pathway in order to maximize their career options and earnings.

 

Required Core

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
CD 110	Child Development	3.00	Y1 S1
CDEC 111	Principles and Practices	3.00	Y1 S1
CDEC 112	Introduction to Curriculum	3.00	Y1 S2
CDEC 113	Child, Family, and Community	3.00	Y1 S2

6 units Specialty Option
Selected from Infant/Toddler Specialization, Special Education Specialization, or ECE Curriculum Planning Specialization              Y2 S1

Infant/Toddler Specialization

CDIT 151 Infant and Toddler Development                                                                  3.0

CDIT 152 Infant and Toddler Program                                                                          3.0

or

Special Education Specialization

CDSE 150 Introduction to Children with Special Needs                                               3.0

CDSE 152 Curriculum and Strategies for Children with Special Needs                      3.0

or

ECE Curriculum Planning Specialization(select 2 out of the 4 below)

CDEC 62 Exploring Creative Art Expression by Children                                            3.0

CDEC 63 Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts and Social Sciences         3.0

CDEC 65 Music and Movement for Children                                                               3.0

CDEC 133 Early Childhood Experiences in Math and Sciences                                 3.0                                           

Four of the CORE PLUS courses are the foundation for all certificates, permits and degrees offered in the department. The Optional Specialty Courses are a requirement for the AA degree.

The certificate interweaves the domains of child development and are part of the California Community Colleges Curriculum Alignment Project (CAP), a program of study supporting early care and education teacher preparation. The following Community Colleges in the Cerritos College Service Area are also CAP aligned – El Camino College, Long Beach City College, and Rio Hondo College. El Camino College offers an 18 unit Early Childhood Education Certificate and two specialization Certificates – a 30 unit Early Intervention Assistant Certificate and a 27 unit Special Education Assistant Certificate. Long Beach City College offers a Certificate of Accomplishment Area of Specialization Permit which includes 24 units of Child Development and a 6 unit specialization. Rio Hondo offers a 15 unit Certificate of Achievement in Preschool Teacher

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