Definition: The director of a large center is approved to care for and supervise 16 or more children ages 2.5 and up.
Option 1: 1. A Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, no additional experience needed.
Option 2: A current early childhood professional Credential Level IV Version 2.0 , no additional experience needed.
Option 3: A master’s degree with a major emphasis in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, no additional experience needed.
Option 4: Completion of a Director level Certificate at TCR. This requires completion of all 10 of the following three (3) semester hour courses. In addition to the certificate, the applicant will need 24 months (3,640 hours) of experience.
a. Introduction to early childhood professions (ECE101)
b. Introduction to early childhood lab techniques (ECE 102)
c. Early childhood guidance strategies for children (ECE 103)
d. Early childhood health, nutrition, and safety (ECE 205)
e. Administration of early childhood care and education programs (ECE 240)
f. Administration: human relations for early childhood professions or introduction to business (ECE 241)
g. Early childhood curriculum development (ECE 220)
h. Early childhood growth and development (ECE 238)
i. The exceptional child (ECE 260)
j. Infant/toddler theory and practice (ECE 111); or the Department approved expanding quality infant/toddler training (EQIT)
Option 5: Completion of a course of training approved by the Department that includes course content listed above, and experience listed below.
Additional Notes:
All college course grades toward early childhood teacher qualifications must be “C” or better.
Option 1: 1. A Bachelor's degree in early childhood education, no additional experience needed.
Option 2: A current early childhood professional Credential Level IV Version 2.0 , no additional experience needed.
Option 3: A master’s degree with a major emphasis in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, no additional experience needed.
Option 4: Completion of a Director level Certificate at TCR. This requires completion of all 10 of the following three (3) semester hour courses. In addition to the certificate, the applicant will need 24 months (3,640 hours) of experience.
a. Introduction to early childhood professions (ECE101)
b. Introduction to early childhood lab techniques (ECE 102)
c. Early childhood guidance strategies for children (ECE 103)
d. Early childhood health, nutrition, and safety (ECE 205)
e. Administration of early childhood care and education programs (ECE 240)
f. Administration: human relations for early childhood professions or introduction to business (ECE 241)
g. Early childhood curriculum development (ECE 220)
h. Early childhood growth and development (ECE 238)
i. The exceptional child (ECE 260)
j. Infant/toddler theory and practice (ECE 111); or the Department approved expanding quality infant/toddler training (EQIT)
Option 5: Completion of a course of training approved by the Department that includes course content listed above, and experience listed below.
Additional Notes:
- Persons with a 2-year college degree in early childhood education must have twelve (12) months (1,820 hours) of verified experience.
- Persons with a Bachelor's degree and completion of the 10 courses listed above must have twelve (12) months (1,820 hours) of verified experience.
- Verified experience acquired in a licensed Colorado family child care home or school-age child care center may count for up to half of the required experience for director qualifications. To have Colorado family child care home experience considered, the applicant must be or have been the licensee. The other half of the required experience must be working directly with children in a child development program.
- Experience with five (5) year olds must be verified as follows: a. If experience caring for five year old children occurs in a child care center classroom, the hours worked shall be counted as preschool experience; or, b. If experience caring for five year old children occurs in an elementary school program, the hours worked shall be counted as school-age experience.
All college course grades toward early childhood teacher qualifications must be “C” or better.