Certification Requirements for Teacher of Early Childhood Education (Birth—Grade 3)

PURPOSE: The State Board of Education is authorized to grant certificates of license to teach in any of the public schools of the state and establish requirements and qualifications for those certificates. This rule outlines the requirements for application for a certificate of license to teach Early Childhood Education. (1) An applicant for a Missouri certificate of license to teach Early Childhood Education (Birth—Grade 3) who possesses good moral character may be granted an initial Missouri certificate of license to teach Early Childhood Education (Birth—Grade 3) subject to the certification requirements found in 5 CSR 20-400.500 and the following additional certification requirements specific to Early Childhood Education (Birth— Grade 3): (A) General Requirements. An applicant for a Missouri certificate of license to teach who has successfully completed an educator preparation program approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (department) must comply with the following additional criteria: 1. The applicant must possess a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university; 2. The applicant must have a recommendation from the designated official at a baccalaureate or higher-level educator preparation program approved by the department; 3. The applicant must possess a grade point average to meet the following specifications: A. A grade point average of 3.00 or higher in professional education and the specific content area for which certification is sought; or B. For applicants graduating from a baccalaureate program who do not meet the appropriate content area grade point average requirements, competency may otherwise be demonstrated by achievement of exit assessment scores greater than or equal to a score deemed satisfactory by the State Board of Education (board) to qualify for forgiveness of a disqualifying content area grade point average. Such satisfactory score shall be higher than the Missouri qualifying score; 4. The applicant must achieve a score equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the required exit assessment(s) as defined in 5 CSR 20-400.440. The official score shall be submitted to the department; 5. The applicant must complete the professional requirements as determined by the recommending educator preparation program, which may exceed these minimum requirements; and 6. Individuals who completed an educator preparation program outside of the United States shall provide documentation of completion of coursework in the following: A. English Composition, two (2) courses, each a minimum of two (2) semester hours; B. U.S. History, three (3) semester hours; and C. U.S. Government, three (3) semester hours; (B) Professional Requirements Effective until August 1, 2025. A minimum of sixty (60) semester hours of professional preparation. Competency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the educator preparation program for the following topics: 1. Content Planning and Delivery. Candidates are prepared with a deep knowledge of and understand the relationships among curriculum, instruction, and assessment— A. Curriculum and Instructional Planning; B. Instructional Strategies and Techniques in Content Area Specialty; C. Assessment, Student Data, and Data-Based DecisionMaking; D. Strategies for Content Literacy; E. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; and F. English Language Learning; 2. Individual Student Needs. Candidates build a robust knowledge of learners and the learning environment— A. Psychological Development of the Child and Adolescent; B. Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child; C. Differentiated Learning; D. Classroom Management; E. Cultural Diversity; and F. Educational Psychology; 3. Schools and the Teaching Profession. Candidates fully understand the role of schools and schooling as well as the professional responsibilities of teachers, including a means of professional growth— A. Consultation and Collaboration; and B. Legal/Ethical Aspects of Teaching; 4. Content Knowledge for Teaching and Teaching and Learning Strategies for the Young Child (minimum requirement of thirty (30) semester hours)— A. Early Childhood Principles— (I) Child Development; (II) Play-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning; (III) Observing and Assessing Young Children; and (IV) Language Acquisition; and B. Methods of Teaching and Differentiated Instruction in the following integrated areas: (I) Early Literacy (minimum of six (6) semester hours) to address curriculum, explicit and systematic instruction, and assessment of— (a) Language acquisition; (b) Phonological and phonemic awareness; (c) Phonics; (d) Vocabulary; (e) Fluency; (f) Comprehension; and (g) Writing process using authentic text and purposes; (II) Math; (III) Health; (IV) Science; (V) Nutrition; (VI) Social Studies; (VII) Music; (VIII) Safety; (IX) Movement; (X) Art; and (XI) Drama; 5. Home-School-Community Relations (minimum requirement of six (6) semester hours)— A. Families as Educational Partners; B. Family Engagement; and C. Linking Families with Community Resources; 6. Program Management (minimum requirement of six (6) semester hours)— A. Program Administration and Management; B. Health, Nutrition, and Safety of Young Children; and C. Environmental Organization and Design; (C) Professional Requirements Effective August 1, 2025. A minimum of sixty (60) semester hours of professional preparation. Competency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the educator preparation program for the following topics: 1. Content Planning and Delivery. Candidates are prepared with a deep knowledge of and understand the relationships among curriculum, instruction, and assessment— A. Curriculum and Instructional Planning; B. Instructional Strategies and Techniques in Content Area Specialty; C. Assessment, Student Data, and Data-Based DecisionMaking; D. Strategies for Content Literacy; E. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; and F. English Language Learning; 2. Individual Student Needs. Candidates build a robust knowledge of learners and the learning environment— A. Psychological Development of the Child and Adolescent; B. Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child; C. Differentiated Learning; D. Classroom Management; E. Cultural Diversity; and F. Educational Psychology; 3. Schools and the Teaching Profession. Candidates fully understand the role of schools and schooling as well as the professional responsibilities of teachers, including a means of professional growth— A. Consultation and Collaboration; and B. Legal/Ethical Aspects of Teaching; and 4. Content Knowledge for Teaching and Teaching and Learning Strategies for the Young Child (minimum requirement of thirty (30) semester hours)— A. Early Childhood Principles— (I) Child Development; (II) Play-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning; (III) Observing and Assessing Young Children; and (IV) Language Acquisition; and B. Methods of Teaching and Differentiated Instruction in the following integrated areas: (I) Early Literacy (minimum of six (6) semester hours) to address the following topics: (a) Phonological and Phonemic Awareness; (b) Phonics; (c) Fluency; (d) Vocabulary; (e) Reading Comprehension; (f) Reading Difficulties; (g) Literacy Curriculum and Instruction; (h) Literacy Assessment; (i) Application of Assessment Data; (j) Writing Instruction; (k) Family and Community Literacies and Partnerships; and (l) Student Engagement in Literacy; (II) Math; (III) Health; (IV) Science; (V) Nutrition; (VI) Social Studies; (VII) Music; (VIII) Safety; (IX) Movement; (X) Art; and (XI) Drama; 5. Home-School-Community Relations (minimum requirement of six (6) semester hours)— A. Families as Educational Partners; B. Family Engagement; and C. Linking Families with Community Resources; and 6. Program Management (minimum requirement of six (6) semester hours)— A. Program Administration and Management; B. Health, Nutrition, and Safety of Young Children; and C. Environmental Organization and Design; and (D) Field and Clinical Experiences (ten (10) semester hours). Field and clinical experiences should be appropriate to the progress of the student through the program and should be supervised through a close partnership of highly qualified professionals in appropriate school settings. Such field and clinical experiences shall meet the minimum hours required in paragraphs (1)(D)1.–2., to include experiences in each of the three (3) different age levels (Infant/Toddler, Pre-K/Kindergarten, and Kindergarten—Grade 3). 1. Early Field Experiences (one (1) semester hour with a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours). This limited field experience includes placements in which candidates observe students, support teachers, and respond to specific class assignments. The candidate may work with students individually and/or in small groups as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher. 2. Mid-Level Experiences (one (1) semester hour with a minimum of forty-five (45) clock hours). The mid-level experience occurs between the initial placement and the culminating clinical experiences. At the mid-level, candidates continue to observe; respond to specific class assignments; and work with students individually, in small groups, and in whole class settings as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher. 3. Culminating Clinical Experiences (eight (8) semester hours with a minimum of twelve (12) weeks in one (1) placement). The culminating experience refers to placements typically in the final sequence leading up to and including student teaching. Candidates actively participate and complete required assignments, work with students as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher, and have the opportunity and responsibility to lead the class over an extended period of time. AUTHORITY: sections 161.092, 168.011, 168.071, 168.081, 168.400, 168.405, and 168.409, RSMo 2016, and section 168.021, RSMo Supp. 2022.* Original rule filed Oct. 29, 2013, effective May 30, 2014. Amended: Filed June 22, 2018, effective Jan. 30, 2019. Amended: Filed Nov. 2, 2020, effective May 30, 2021. Amended: Filed Feb. 10, 2023, effective Sept. 30, 2023. *Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003, 2013, 2014; 168.011, RSMo 1963, amended 1984; 168.021, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2022; 168.071, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2014; 168.081, RSMo 1963, amended 1984, 2002, 2014; 168.400, RSMo 1985, amended 1990, 2002; 168.405, RSMo 1985; and 168.409, RSMo 1985.