10A NCAC 09 .2820 enhanced EDUCATION STANDARDS FOR LEAD TEACHERS FOR A RATED LICENSE FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS
(a) This Rule shall apply to evaluating all lead teachers in child care centers. The points for education standards shall be determined by applying this Rule and Rules .2819, .2821, .2822 and .2823 of this Section. To determine the points attained for meeting the education standards, the lowest number of points attained pursuant to each Rule shall be the point used to meet Rule .2802 of this Section.
(b) To achieve two through seven points for education standards, the lead teachers shall meet the applicable requirements in the following chart:
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Lead Teacher (.2820) Point Level |
NC Early Childhood Credential or its equivalent |
Certification on the NC Early Care and Education Professional Scale |
Other Education and Experience Requirements |
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2 Points |
75 percent of lead teachers; or |
75 percent of lead teachers at Level I or higher; and |
75 percent of lead teachers have completed or are enrolled in 3 semester hours in early childhood education or child development. |
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3 Points |
All lead teachers; or |
All lead teachers at a Level I or higher; and either |
75 percent of the lead teachers shall have: (1) completed 3 semester hours in early childhood education and have completed or are enrolled in 3 additional semester hours in early childhood education or child development; or (2) completed 1 year full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (3) have a Level II or higher certification on the ECE scale; or (4) Any combination of (1), (2), and (3) of this requirement. |
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OR 50 percent of the lead teachers at a Level II or higher. |
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4 Points |
All lead teachers; or |
All lead teachers at a Level I or higher; and either |
75 percent of the lead teachers shall have: (1) completed 6 semester hours in early childhood education or childhood development and have completed or are enrolled in 3 additional semester hours in early childhood education; or (2) completed 3 semester hours of early childhood education and have 3 years of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (3) completed 5 years of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (4) Any combination of (1), (2), and (3) of this requirement. |
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OR 50 percent of the lead teachers shall have a Level III or higher certification on the ECE scale. |
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5 Points |
All lead teachers; or |
All lead teachers at a Level I or higher; and |
75 percent of the lead teachers shall have: (1) completed 9 semester hours in early childhood education or childhood development and have completed or are enrolled in 3 additional semester hours in early childhood education; and have 1 year of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (2) have a Level IV or higher certification on the ECE scale and have 1 year of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (3) Any combination of (1) and (2) of this requirement. |
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6 Points |
All lead teachers; or |
All lead teachers at a Level I or higher; and |
50 percent of the lead teachers shall have either: (1) An A.A.S. degree in early childhood education or child development or an A.A.S. degree in any major with 12 semester hours in early childhood education or child development and 1 year of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (2) Completed 60 semester hours towards a BA/BS degree program with 12 semester hours in early childhood education and 1 year of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (3) A Level VI certification on the ECE scale and 1 year of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (4) Any combination of (1), (2) and (3) of this requirement. |
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7 Points |
All lead teachers; or |
All lead teachers at a Level I or higher; and |
75 percent of the lead teachers shall have either: (1) An A.A.S. degree in early childhood education or child development or an A.A.S. degree in any major with 12 semester hours in early childhood education or child development and 2 years of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (2) A Level VI certification on the ECE scale and 2 years of full-time verifiable early childhood work experience; or (3) Any combination of (1) and (2) of this requirement. |
(c) Semester hours in early childhood education or child development shall not include the coursework necessary for the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential.
History Note: Authority G.S. 110-85; 110-88(7); 110-90(4); 143B-168.3;
Eff. August 1, 2012;
Readopted Eff. March 1, 2019.