Prior Learning

Early Childhood Education

This guide records how articulated postsecondary credit from a high school early childhood education career and technical education (CTE) program of study will be accepted at the colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

Credit for Prior Learning Request

COLLEGE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

To earn articulated credit for interdisciplinary early childhood education, a student must have completed all of the following:

  1. Completed their high school early childhood education program
  2. Earned one of the following industry-recognized credentials: Commonwealth Child Care Credential or Child Development Associate (CDA) (certification must be valid)
  3. Submitted the necessary documentation, signed by a school personnel, indicating all requirements have been met (see next page of this document for signature page)
  4. Applied to a KCTCS college and enrolled within three years of graduating high school
  5. Met with their IECE program coordinator (or their designee) at their home KCTCS college.

Upon successful completion of the requirements above, a student will be eligible to receive college credit for the following courses:

CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING BASED ON THE END OF PROGRAM ASSESSMENT:
End of Program Assessment/ Certification Equivalent Course(s) Credit Hours
Commonwealth Child Care Credential

IEC 101 Orientation to Early Childhood Education

 3 credit hours
Child Development Associate (CDA)

IEC 101 Orientation to Early Childhood Education

IEC 102 Foundations of Early Childhood Education

 3 credit hours

 

Note: IEC 101 and 102 are also offered for dual credit through KCTCS colleges and many high schools and CTE center. If a student has already earned one or more of the courses through dual credit, then there is no need for articulation for the same course(s). Please discuss the best option with your KCTCS program coordinator.


This agreement will be in effect until changes are made to the KCTCS curriculum or the third-party credential. This is valid for students who graduate high school in 2022 and until the criteria for this CT2KCTCS guide are changed.