Vermont committee reviews plan to license early childhood educators, create state board

Vermont lawmakers and stakeholders on Tuesday reviewed a proposal to license individual early childhood educators working in programs regulated by the Child Development Division (CDD) and to create a Vermont Board of Early Childhood Educators to oversee the new credentialing system.

Supporters, including the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) and the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children (Vermont AEYC), said the bill—filed as H.472 and incorporating Senate bill S.119—would create uniform qualifications and individual accountability for people who care for children from birth through age 8 in CDD-regulated family and center-based programs. "The Senate Government Operations Committee feels strongly that early childhood educators should have a dignified, professional licensure process," said Senator Mike, who presented the Senate additions to the committee's version of the bill.

The proposal would establish four credential types: ECE 1 (an assistant level requiring a short certificate and field hours), ECE 2 (lead teacher, generally an associate degree or equivalent credits), ECE 3 (lead teacher/center director, generally a bachelor's degree), and a time-limited family child-care provider category for currently operating home providers who apply within the grandfathering window. "This license is intended to be complimentary, not duplicative," said…