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Submitter's Information
Elissa Creighton
Curriculum Analyst
Central/Mother Lode
Columbia College
CTE Dean
Brandon Price
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Program Details
Education Foundations COA
New Program
Educational Aide (Teacher Assistant) (080200)
08/25/25
The Education Foundations Certificate of Achievement provides foundational courses for future educators, meeting basic skills requirements to work as instructional aides, in after-school programs, or other classroom support positions. Completing this certificate provides a foundation to build into an Associate Degree for Transfer in Elementary Teacher Education or Early Childhood Education.
Upon satisfactory completion of this award, the student should be prepared to:
- Demonstrate understanding of fundamental reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
- Discuss teaching strategies and approaches appropriate for students of diverse needs, abilities, and backgrounds.
- Apply child development theory to all facets of practice with preK-12 grade students.
To earn this Certificate of Achievement, complete the course requirements with a C (or P) or better.
According to the Student Enrollment and Program Completion data dashboards, in the Children and Teaching Program of Study/Pathway, there is an average of 228 students enrolled within the past 5 years declaring Child Development or Education as their major, and awards average 42.6/ year in this pathway. Specifically, Child Development awards (COA, AA, AS-T) average 21.6/yr over the past 5 years, and Education (AA-T) has averaged 3/yr (trending up 2 in 21-22 and 6 in 23-24). There are many factors in the completion of the degrees, including limited course offerings and students' ability to take courses when scheduled. Many students in the Education pathway end up transferring without earning an AA-T in Education and opt to get an AA in Social Behavioral Science and/or a GE COA. Offering a stackable certificate with a variety of elective options can help raise completion numbers in this pathway. Most full-time students could earn this certificate within one year of initial enrollment. Estimate 25-50 awards/year. Also, Sonora High School’s Education Pre-Apprenticeship students would be eligible for this award upon completion of their program (18-25 students each year after it runs for two years).
Program Proposal Attributes
- Certificate of Achievement: 16 or greater semester (or 24 or greater quarter) units (C)
This Certificate provides foundational courses for future educators. Earners of this certificate will generally assist teachers in the classroom setting (TK-12), supervise students outside of the classroom, or provide administrative support for teaching. Other positions/titles include classroom aides, special education aides, school library technical assistants, and tutors. No Child Left Behind compliance allows for passing a basic proficiency test or the CBEST, and the basic skills courses in this certificate can provide knowledge for passing that exam. The next step in the teaching profession after earning this certificate, is to complete the Paraprofessional Educator COA, and then an Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, or other discipline-specific AD-T that will further prepare students to work in preschool - grade 12 school settings.
Upon satisfactory completion of this award, the student should be prepared to:
- Demonstrate understanding of fundamental reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
- Discuss teaching strategies and approaches appropriate for students of diverse needs, abilities, and backgrounds.
- Apply child development theory to all facets of practice with preK-12 grade students.
Course Units and Hours
18-22
n/a
n/a
Course Report
To earn this Certificate of Achievement, complete the course requirements with a C (or P) or better.
| Course ID | Title | Units | SEQ |
| REQUIRED COURSES | |||
| CHILD1 | Child Growth and Development | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| Reading and Writing (one course) | |||
| ENGLC1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| ENGLC1000E | Academic Reading and Writing | 5 | SU/FA/SP |
| Advanced Reading and Writing (one course) | |||
| ENGL1B | Advanced Composition and Introduction to Literature | 3 | SP |
| ENGLC1001 | Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| Mathematics (one course) | |||
| MATH4 | Mathematics for Elementary Teachers | 3 | FA |
| MATH6 | Math for Liberal Arts | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| Elective Courses (take 6-8 units) | |||
| BIOL17 | Fundamentals of Biology | 4 | SU/FA/SP |
| CHILD3 | Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children | 3 | SU/FA |
| CHILD16 | Practicum-Field Experience | 3 | FA/SP |
| CHILD19 | Introduction to Children with Special Needs | 3 | SU |
| CHILD22 | Child, Family, and Community | 3 | FA/SP |
| CHILD23 | Guiding Children's Social and Emotional Development | 3 | SP |
| CHILD36 | Teaching in a Diverse Society | 3 | SU/SP |
| COMMC1000 | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| COMP1 | Computer Concepts and Information Systems | 4 | FA/SP |
| EDUC11 | Introduction to Elementary Classroom Teaching | 3 | NA |
| ESC33 | Introduction to the Earth | 4 | SP |
| ETHS5 | Race and Ethnicity in America | 3 | FA/SP |
| ETHS15 | Native People of North America | 3 | FA/SP |
| GEOGR20 | World Regional Geography | 3 | FA |
| HIST16 | United States: to 1877 | 3 | FA/SP |
| POSLC1000 | American Government and Politics | 3 | FA/SP |
| SIGN40A | ASL: Beginning Communication with the Deaf | 3 | SU/FA/SP |
| SIGN40B | ASL: Elementary Communication with the Deaf | 3 | FA/SP |
| SPAN1 | Spanish: Beginning I | 4 | FA/SP |
| SPAN2 | Spanish: Beginning II | 4 | SP |
| Total Units | 18-22 |
Supporting Documents
Central/Mother Lode Regional Questions
Submission Details
01/22/25 - 10:54 AM
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