Texas Director’s Certificate

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

• Identify key considerations for developing a child care center philosophy and mission & vision statements
• Recognize elements of a developmentally appropriate classroom and effective curriculum practices
• Recall characteristics of child development and activities that promote growth and learning
• Identify practices that ensure safe and healthy food service and promote healthy eating habits in young children
• 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 of a child care center budget
• Identify effective marketing tools and strategies 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 Texas 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
• End of Course 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 certificate program.

• Must be 21 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 Director’s Certificate training courses within this 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: Textbook is required and must be purchased at the student’s expense.

Handbook for Early Childhood Administrators by Hilde Reno, with Janet Stutzman and Judy Zimmerman; 1^st Edition; Allyn & Bacon; ISBN – 978-0205469802; Approximate Cost: $60

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