The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is a professional credential issued by the Louisiana Department of Education for teachers currently working in early learning centers. We are happy to provide this certification program at no cost through the ECAC Scholarship Program.
All new lead teachers working in Type III licensed child care centers are required to have the Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate (ECAC) as a minimum credential beginning July 2019. Lead teachers in Type III child care centers will be required to have the certificate within 24 months of their start date as a lead teacher.
Administrators of the LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool (ECELP) will serve as program instructors and LSU Early Childhood Education (ECEI) members will be conducting webinars. The ECELP is a Reggio Emilia - inspired research facility within the School of Education and is aligned with undergraduate and graduate programs in Early Childhood Education. The ECELP is NAEYC accredited.
The ECELP serves as a laboratory for cutting-edge research in the areas of child development and education. It also serves as a training site for undergraduate and graduate students as a model demonstration site within the community. Through its support of research and teaching, the ECELP will generate and disseminate knowledge about best practices in early childhood education to support children’s development and learning.
The course is fully remote giving participants the opportunity to collaborate with educators across the state of Louisiana. You will meet with your fellow classmates on a weekly basis via Zoom.
Instructions
- Verify you meet all eligibility requirements (see "Program Costs & Eligibility" below)
- Gather required documentation:
- Completed Scholarship Application Form
Required for all applicants - Copy of High School diploma/GED
Required for all applicants - Assistant teacher letter stating you are eligible for hire as a lead upon completion
of the program
Required for assistant teacher applicants - Pathways Enrollment Information: Enrollment Documents (Enrollment Form, Employment Verification Form, Education Documentation)
Required for Pathways non-members only
- Completed Scholarship Application Form
- Click "Get Started" below to provide contact information and to upload your documents.
What you can expect as an LSU ECAC participant:
- 144 clock hours across 12 months (12 hours in each CDA subject area)
- Fully remote with laptop and learning materials provided
- Two observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
- Develop your CDA portfolio
- Development of a CDA portfolio CDA Assessment (online test and 3-hour CDA Council PD Specialist observation)
The ECAC is provided at no cost through the ECAC Program Scholarship. You will be required to submit a completed Scholarship Application Form to complete your application.
A teacher must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:
- You must be enrolled and actively participating in the Louisiana Pathways Early Learning Center Career Development System.
- Applicants/recipients may not already hold a degree or certificate that qualifies the individual for the Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate. More information on qualifying degrees can be found in the Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate FAQs.
- Applicants/recipients must currently work part-time (at least 16 hours/week) or full-time
in a Type III early learning center as the lead teacher or assistant teacher (administrators are not eligible for the scholarship).
Not sure if your center is Type III? Click visit louisianaschools.com and put your center’s name in the “Jump right to your school or center” section.
- Teaching assistants working at least 16 hours per week in a Type III center are eligible but must have an assurance letter stating that they are eligible for hire as a lead upon completion of the program (NOTE: those currently working as Lead teachers are prioritized).
You can collect the required documents and LSU will submit to Pathways on your behalf along with your Scholarship Application. Required documentation includes:
- Pathways Enrollment Form
- Employment Verification Form (from current center and previous employment)
- Documentation of your education (workshop certificates, CDA credentials, transcripts, etc.)
You will have the opportunity to upload these documents at the time of application.
ECAC to Associate Degree: transfer in to a Care and Development of Young Children (CDYC), Associate in Applied
Science (AAS) as they will accept our ECAC for 3 course credits at Delgado.
We are working on having this with the whole Louisiana Community and Technical College
System
ECAC to Bachelor's Degree: transfer in to a Louisiana Transfer Degree program at any Louisiana Community or
Technical College.
We are working on an articulation with the whole Louisiana Community and Technical
College System to accept our ECAC for 3 course credits