Early Childhood Administrator Requirements
Child Care Administrators are qualified to direct programs serving children from birth to age twelve.
Every administrator must meet requirements in each of two components: 1) administration coursework (Note: If you tested out of Admin I and/or Admin II, see additional requirements on Worksheet), and 2) early childhood/child development coursework (birth-12 yrs). In each component, there are choices for how to satisfy the requirements.
Level I is the mandatory minimum qualification for any administrator; Levels II and III are voluntary. See the worksheet below for all the options to meet each component at Levels I, II and III. Use this worksheet to determine how you currently meet each component and what you may still need in order to qualify at the level you want to achieve.
If you tested out of either the Administration I or Administration II test or both to meet the requirement for completion of Administration coursework, upload one of the following:
- Independently complete portfolio assignments to be graded OR
- Documentation in resume format of at least five (5) years of experience as a child care director, co-director or assistant director, including the following information:
- Name of facility
- Facility ID# (if located in NC)
- Location of facility (city, state)
- Date started
- Date ended (if applicable)
- Position duties
Official transcripts must be submitted for ALL completed college level coursework, certificates, diplomas and/or degrees. Please do not upload copies of in-service training documentation as these are not considered college coursework. Photocopies of transcripts, student or internet copies and grade reports are NOT accepted.
Only official transcripts from post-secondary schools which are accredited will be evaluated. Accredited is defined as an institution of higher education having nationally recognized regional accreditation by one of the six regional accrediting agencies. (For schools outside the U.S.A., the recognized system of the specified country's accreditation process will be accepted).
To be qualified for a position, you must meet the minimum education requirements in this section for each child care position selected. Submit official transcripts and/or upload copies of any qualifying certificates, such as a BSAC or a nationally accredited credential certificate. The nationally accredited credential certificate must meet the following criteria: 1)Nationally accredited and available in all 50 states, 2) Comprehensive in scope which is inclusive of the following six areas: child growth and development; professionalism; health and safety; creation of appropriate environments that enhance physical, emotional, social and cognitive development; developmentally appropriate learning activities; and working with families, 3) 120 clock (contact) hours of education and/or training, 4) Formal observation and/or portfolio assessment, 5) Standardized written assessment, and 6) Individually earned.
WORKSHEET for North Carolina Child Care Administrators
Choose the highest level that describes your current status. To be eligible for the NC Early Childhood Administration Credential certificate, you must complete the requirements in the boxes in the level that you have chosen. If you have met requirements for any of the non-star boxes in the level that you have chosen, you are eligible for an equivalency letter only. Completion of the NC School-Age Child Care Administrator requirements results in an equivalency letter; there is no certificate.
| Two Required Components | Level I Options (Mandatory) | Level II Options (Voluntary) | Level III Options (Voluntary) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Administration Coursework plus | EDU 261 and EDU 262 or | EDU 261 and EDU 262 or | EDU 261 and EDU 262 or |
| 6 sch in Child Care Administration or | 6 sch in Child Care Administration or | 6 sch in Child Care Administration or | |
| 9 sch in Business Administration or | 9 sch in Business Administration or | 9 sch in Business Administration or | |
| Test Out*** (Prior to April 1, 2011) or | Test Out*** (Prior to April 1, 2011) or | Test Out*** (Prior to April 1, 2011) or | |
| Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | |
| Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | |
| Additional Requirements (Test Out) | Tested Out of Administration I and II - 6 portfolio assignments required for Level I or | Tested Out of Administration I and II - 12 portfolio assignments required for Level II or | Tested Out of Administration I and II - 18 portfolio assignments required for Level III or |
| Tested Out of either Administration I or Administration II and not both - No portfolio assignments required for Level I or | Tested Out of Administration I only - No portfolio assignments required for Level II or | Tested Out of Administration I only - 6 portfolio assignments required for Level III or | |
| Tested Out of Administration II only - 6 portfolio assignments required for Level II or | Tested Out of Administration II only - 12 portfolio assignments required for Level III or | ||
| Documentation of 5 years' experience as child care director, co-director, assistant director | Documentation of 5 years' experience as child care director, co-director, assistant director | Documentation of 5 years' experience as child care director, co-director, assistant director | |
| 2. Early Childhood/ Child Development Coursework | 7 sch in EC/CD or | AA/AAS degree in EC/CD or | BA/BS degree in EC/CD or |
| NCECC or equivalent and child care director, co-director or assistant director for 3 years or | AA/AAS degree in any major with 12 sch in EC/CD or | BA/BS degree in any major with 18 sch in EC/CD or | |
| Working towards a BA/BS, 60 sch completed with 12 sch in EC/CD or | |||
| Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | |
| Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | |
| 2. Elementary Ed/ Human Growth & Development Coursework | 7 sch in EE/HG&D or | AA/AAS degree in EE/HG&D or | BA/BS degree in EE/HG&D or |
| NCSACCC or NCECC or equivalent and child care director, co-director or assistant director for 3 years or | AA/AAS degree in any major with 12 sch in EE/HG&D or | BA/BS degree in any major with 18 sch in EE/HG&D or | |
| Working towards a BA/BS, 60 sch completed with 12 sch in EE/HG&D or | |||
| Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | Standard* Principal License or | |
| Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate | Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate |
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS & TERMS
EDU 261: Early Childhood Admin I course taught at NC Community Colleges; EDU 262: Early Childhood Admin II course taught at NC Community Colleges
NCECC: North Carolina Early Childhood Credential; NCSACCC: North Carolina School-Age Child Care Credential; NCECAC: North Carolina Early Childhood Administration Credential
EC/CD: Early Childhood / Child Development; EE/HG&D: Elementary Education / Human Growth and Development; sch: semester credit hours; AA/AAS: Associate's Degree;
BA/BS: Bachelor's Degree; MA/MS: Master's Degree; Portfolio: A collection of activities that demonstrate administrative skill and competency. A packet of specified portfolio assignments is completed in EDU 261/262 or independently by an applicant.
*We will only accept standard licenses. Provisional licenses require copies of official transcripts to be submitted for education verification. NOTE: For a Level III Administrator qualification, you may submit a copy of your standard, non-expired Principal's License or Exceptional Children Program Administration Certificate instead of an official transcript for the evaluation process to proceed.