The number of certified Early Educators in North Carolina is rising. Over 12,000 Early Educators are certified and another 19,000 have applied. Nearly 75% of the workforce is on its way to becoming certified.

Early Education Certification Benefits. A free year of membership from the NC Early Childhood Association for those already certified. Get updates on early childhood issues happening now in our legislature; receive reduced training costs and more. Click here to apply. Get discounts on services and goods from early childhood supplies to bath and body products! A full list of benefits is available online.

EEC renewal requirements support learning to keep children healthy and safe. The Institute and DCD are working together to help programs, directors and staff understand and meet EEC renewal requirements. Programs and individuals will be supported in maintaining their individual certification, resources for the program and/or facility licensure.

Time and support aid workforce in maintaining certification. Certified Early Educators will receive a letter outlining individualized renewal requirements to help plan for required continuing education. Certified individuals have between three and five years to complete their renewal requirements. Learn more about EEC renewal requirements.

Scholarship pays for most of EEC renewal requirements – even if you have a degree! T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® now has a scholarship that can support attaining college credits for EEC renewal, if you work in a regulated program and even if you already have a degree.

CEUs options are growing across the state – online and in person! Check out the new source list.  Visit the Institute’s Calendar of Events to find affordable, accessible CEU options across the state.

EEC is good news for child care businesses. Early Educator Certification is a model efficiency strategy, creating benefits for the field while reducing operating costs for thousands of child care businesses. Early Educator Certification:

• Reduces burdensome expenses of purchasing, mailing and tracking duplicative education documentation for employers and individuals working in the field.
• Provides families with information about the education of the teacher in her/his child’s classroom.
• Decreases operating costs through discounted supplies and services and purchasing transcripts for multi-agency review.
• Reduces the cost of continuing education for employers and individuals.
• Reduces employer wait-time for hiring new employees.
• Creates mobile verified education documentation for potential employees, for use at ALL regulated programs.
• Reduces costs and creates efficiencies across state agencies and services.