Director’s Certificate

Upon satisfactorily completing the CCEI Director’s Certificate program, students should be able to:

• Identify key considerations for developing a child care center philosophy 
• Recognize elements of a developmentally appropriate classroom and effective competencies in education
• Identify the reasons that nutrition is important in an early childhood education setting
• Identify common hazards throughout the school facility and strategies for maintaining a safe and healthy environment
• Identify and utilize best practices and strategies for assessing young children’s learning and development
• Recognize leadership practices that promote efficiency, teamwork, collaboration and effective communication
• Identify strategies, requirements and best practices for hiring, training, and retaining employees
• Identify effective communication strategies with employees and families
• Define and identify key elements for operating a child care center budget
• Identify effective marketing tools for child care centers
• Identify various forms of child advocacy
• Recognize recommended strategies for building relationships with families and promoting family involvement
• Identify regulations and legal requirements that relate to operating a child care center
• Recognize signs of child abuse and neglect
• Demonstrate key elements of child care center management

Students enrolled in the CCEI Director’s Certificate program are assessed using the following methods:

• Competency based multiple choice questions
• Essays and short-answer writing assignments
• Student activities and/or observations with written feedback
• Quizzes in multiple choice format – Students must pass each quiz with a grade of 70% or better to complete the course
• Cumulative Final Exam in multiple choice format – Students must pass with a grade of 70% or better to complete the Director’s Certificate program

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Must possess a high school diploma or GED obtained from institutions accredited and recognized by U. S. Department of Education and submit documentation as proof. High school diplomas issued by private schools that are registered with the Florida Department of Education will also be accepted. Diplomas earned outside the U. S. or presented in a language other than English must be translated by a member of the American Translators Association, an approved credential evaluation agency approved by the Bureau of Educators Certification, or an accredited college/university.
• Must have access to a computer and printer
• Must have a valid email address
• Must have access to the Internet through a CCEI supported JavaScript enabled web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.)
• Must be able to speak, read, and write well enough in the language the course is presented in to understand and complete the course material
• Several courses within the Director’s Certificate program require observation, assessment, and practical application of learning principles in an early childhood learning environment. Students must be working in or have access to an early childhood environment to successfully complete these courses.

Textbook Information:  A textbook is required and must be purchased at the student’s expense.

Handbook for Early Childhood Administrators: Directing with a Mission – Hilde Reno, with Janet Stutzman and Judy Zimmerman; 1st Edition; Allyn & Bacon, Inc.; Approximate cost: $60

Prospective students of the Director’s Certificate program are strongly encouraged to check with their licensing representatives to determine each program’s applicability toward state requirements.