A summary of educational preparation, experience
requirements, and core competency abilities for each level
of the career pathway.*
Level VIII
Requirements: Advanced degree in an early
care and education field or advanced degree with
18 credit hours in early care and education & either
90 practicum hours or 1 year of relevant occupational experience
or advanced degree & 5 years of relevant occupational
experience. Abilities: Directly involved in the
activities of state, regional, and/or national groups; contribute
to the formation, evaluation & implementation of policies
within the field.
Level VII
Requirements: Bachelor's degree in an
early care and education field or Bachelor's degree
with 15 credit hours in early care and education & either
90 practicum contact hours or 1 year of relevant occupation
experience or Bachelor's degree & 3 years of
relevant occupational experience. Abilities: Develop,
select and evaluate the child care program; apply theory
into practice.
Level VI
Requirements: Associate degree in an early
care and education field or Associate degree with
12 credit hours in early care and education courses or
Associate degree & 2 years of relevant occupational
experience or more than 64 college credits with
12 hours in early care and education courses. Abilities:
Make curricular decisions which conform to Core Knowledge
and Core Competencies.
Level V
Requirements: Apprenticeship for Child
Development Specialist (ACDS) certificate or other
comparable certificate program in early care & education
or 28-63 college credit hours, with 9 hours in
early care and education or 28-63 college credit hours and
1 year of relevant, occupational experience. Abilities:
Plan and adapt programming which conforms to Core Knowledge
and Core Competencies.
Level IV
Requirements: Child Development Associate
(CDA) certificate or 12 college credits in early
care and education & 300 clock hours of relevant occupational
experience* or 4 completed semesters of the ACDS
program. Abilities: Practice and implement programming
which conforms to Core Knowledge and Core Competencies.
Level III
Requirements: West Virginia Training Certificate
in Early Care and Education (WVTCECE) which includes completion
of 120 clock hours of approved training through WV STARS
or more than 120 completed training hours required
for the Child Development Associate (CDA) or 3
completed semesters of the Apprenticeship for Child Development
Specialist (ACDS) program or completed the WV DE
Early Childhood & Educational Services area of study
through participating vocational schools. Abilities:
Practice programming which conforms to Core Knowledge and
Core Competencies.
Level II
Requirements: At least 18 years old with
a high school diploma or equivalent and 0-1 years of experience.
Abilities: Understand and practice Core Knowledge
and Core Competencies with direction and instruction or
through sponsorship/affiliation with a professional organization
or qualified mentor.
Level I
Requirements: At least 16 years old and
enrolled in high school or GED preparation classes.
Abilities: Conform to Core Knowledge and Core Competencies
by following supervisory direction and instruction.
| * |
An early care and education
field refers to college credits, a degree, or other
credentials in child development, Birth through 4 certification,
early childhood, child and family studies, early childhood
special education or other early childhood field. |
| * |
Relevant occupational experience
refers to working with or on behalf of children, ages
birth through 8, and their families through: direct
work with young children and families; supervision,
leadership, or management; program coordination, development
or regulation; training, instruction or technical assistance;
and evaluation or research. |
| * |
This Career Pathway does not
replace licensing or certification requirements that
may be expected for specific positions. |
