The History of Early Childhood Education Certificates of Proficiency
Assessment tools that are based in nationally recognized industry
standards and reflect the needs of the workforce are essential to
producing students who are ready to advance in their chosen field.
The Vermont Early Childhood Certificates of Proficiency meet
both these criteria and are both valuable and portable. They have
these qualities due in part to the solid history of development.
1998 - The Vermont Legislature passed Act 138 (An act relating to Vermont’s
technical education system). As part of this act, the legislature requested that a
collaborative committee propose an organizational structure that could establish
and maintain a system of Industry Skill Standards and issue industry-respected
credentials to qualified individuals.
1998 - A diverse group of collaborators began to meet to establish a Registered
Child Care Apprenticeship Program in Vermont. These collaborators included the
Vermont Agency of Human Services, Child Care Services Division, Vermont
Departments of Education, and of the Department of Employment & Training, the
U.S. Department of Labor, vocational and higher education representatives,
licensed child care program directors and other child care professionals and others.
1999 - The State Board of Education and Human Resources Investment Council
approved a report from the Technical Education Standards System Design
Committee called Building an Industry Skills Standards System for Vermont.
2000 - The planning group for the Registered Child Care Apprenticeship Program
became a not-for-profit 501c-3 organization called The Vermont Child Care
Industry and Careers Council (VCCICC). Today, VCCICC remains a true industry
council. Members continue to represent the field, higher education, labor and the
state of Vermont.
2001 - In response to expressed needs of mentors and supervisors in the child care
field, the VCCICC supported the development of Early Childhood Daily Activities
Assessment Tools © which apply national standards to the typical daily activities
of the early childhood educator. Experienced teachers and mentors, technical
center instructors the State of Vermont Child Development Division, higher
education faculty all contributed to these assessment tools. For students seeking
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Certificates of Proficiency, The Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning
Opportunities provides direction for specific reading, writing and expressive skills
linked to each activity. The certificate of proficiency requires successful
accomplishment of the activity as well as the tasks of the student that demonstrate
required Vermont Framework of Standards knowledge and skills.
The Early Childhood Assessment Tools are designed to support discussion and
understanding of the knowledge and skills prior to formally using each assessment.
After this discussion, usually between a mentor and a student or a child care
apprentice, the student is observed while conducting the activity. After this, the
student and the mentor compare assessments and plan for improvement and
reassessment. Over time, this can be a transformative process and instills the
critical element of reflective practice for the early childhood professional while
developing extremely practical professional skills and knowledge.
2000 – 2004 - VCCICC concentrated on the Department of Labor - Registered
Child Care Apprenticeship Program. It grew this program, developed college
courses as well as continued to use and update the daily activities assessment tools.
2000 - 2004 - Discussions were ongoing between VCCICC, the Department of
Education and technical education instructors about the use the assessment tools as
the basis to achieve industry skill-based certificates of proficiency for students at
the secondary education level. Updates and feedback were often integrated with
the planning meetings about Apprenticeship/CCV college courses that are now part
of articulation agreements in many Career Centers.
Fall 2004 - Technical education instructors learned details of how the Early
Childhood Certificates of Proficiency could now become part of their program and
that their students could now achieve these new and meaningful certificates.
Fall 2004 - The first two students agreed to test the waters of the Certificate
program. These two students had learning job placements at child care centers.
The technical center instructor and the on-the-job work experience teacher were
supportive and in communication with the VCCICC.
Winter and Spring 2005 - VCCICC and the Child Development Division
conducted two training sessions for Independent Industry Skills Representatives.
The 40 participants learned how to use the assessment tool as a component of
awarding a Certificate of Proficiency and developed an understanding of their role
as an industry representative to this person just beginning a career.
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Later that spring, the two students who had agreed to participate in the program
were observed by an independent industry skills representative. One student met
the standards while the other was asked to hone her skills further, allowing
additional time to complete proficiency. Upon the independent industry skills
representative’s second visit, that student succeeded in meeting the standards to
achieve a certificate of proficiency. The students received a certificate of
proficiency at their Career Center's awards banquet in June 2005.
August 2005 - VCCICC participated in the "Take the Helm" conference in Stowe,
VT and formally presented the history and process of awarding certificate of
proficiency. Shortly thereafter, VCCICC contacted all of the human services
instructors reminding them about the opportunity for their students to engage in the
process of achieving proficiency. Instructors identified some students who were
willing to participate in this type of learning.
2005 - Valuable and "Value added" for the Certificates continues to expand. The
Early Childhood Certificates have a profound fundamental value on their own due
to their solid process and underlying standards, and the "value added" also comes
in meeting some of the required 4,000 work-process hours required by Registered
Apprenticeship and the affirmation of their skills for potential employers.
Directors of child care programs have been quick to realize and appreciate the
value of hiring a new employee with clearly defined skills. In level I students
receive 50 hours for each segment for which they have received a certificate of
proficiency. For level II students receive 75 hours toward their apprenticeship.
The VCCICC is working to add to these student incentives. For example, each
segment could be worth one college credit or a scholarship amount.
June 2006 – Hartford Area Technical Center, Applied Technological Center in St.
Johnsbury and Patricia Hannaford in Middlebury have students who achieve
Certificates of Proficiency.
June 2007-Students from six of the state’s technical center programs are
recognized for achieving specific achievement through the Certificates of
Proficiency.
Anticipated accomplishments depend on the following next steps:
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 Promoting The Early Childhood Certificates of Proficiency in the Vermont
Career and Technical Center early childhood education programs.
 Identifying additional incentives such as college scholarships and credits and
collecting wage and employment data.
 Supporting Career Center teachers, students and the on-the-job-supervising
teachers.
 Incorporating Certificates of Proficiency and Early Childhood Daily Activities
Assessment Tools in the Child Development Division licensing and regulatory
standards and the statewide system of professional development and program
quality.
Process of Awarding the Early Childhood Certificates of Proficiency
The process of awarding the early childhood certificates of proficiency brings
together three key partners and ushers the student into their chosen field with
professionalism and support. The Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers
Council is pleased to be contributing to and supporting this process.
1) Technical education instructors are contacted and encouraged to identify and
support interested students. Information and support is provided as needed.
2) On-the-job supervising teachers are provided with information and resources
including several copies of the "Engaging a Child In Conversation" assessment.
3) Student works on the assignments related to the Vermont Framework with
technical education instructor support as deemed appropriate and is regularly
assessed using the assessment tool(s).
4) Supervisor, instructor and student determine that student is ready for assessment
by an Independent Industry Skills Representative.
5) VCCICC is contacted to schedule the Industry Skills Representative.
6) Industry Skills Representative observes and assesses the student and reviews
and discusses the assignments related to the Vermont Framework.
7) If the Industry Skills Representative determines that the student is proficient,
the representative signs the assessment tool and a copy of this document will be
sent to VCCICC. If the Industry Skills Representative determines that a student
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is not yet proficient, then another observation may be scheduled if there is an
agreed upon plan to address the issues of concern.
8) Certificates of Proficiency (in 2005) were printed by the Child Development
Division, signed by the Governor and Commissioners of the Dept. for Children
and Families and Dept. of Education, and VCCICC and awarded in the Spring.
Additional information about the process of awarding Early Childhood
Certificates of Proficiency
 Students may begin working on segments any time; however, all assessments
must be completed by April 30 of any given school year.
 Certificates of Proficiency may be formally awarded to students at a graduation,
awards ceremony or other event depending on school policy;
 Questions may be directed to Jo-Anne McDonough 863-2970.
 The Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council (VCCICC) currently
works closely with the Child Development Division and oversees with the
Community College of Vermont the Vermont Northern Lights Career
Development Center. The VCCICC and is leading the effort to link the
secondary education students to the early education workforce in Vermont and
the variety of professional development pathways open to all who are
committed to grow in this profession.
 In the Vermont Child Development Division, Jan Walker, Director of
Workforce Development and Quality Enhancement is the contact regarding the
industry based early childhood certificates of proficiency. She may be reached
at 241-2198 or jan.walker@ahs.state.vt.us
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