Preschool Associate Credential (PAC)

• Introduction
• Requirements
• Training
• Transferable College Credit
• Virtual University
• Professional Portfolio
• Renewal Requirements
• Fees

Introduction:

At ACSI we believe that excellence in early education depends on quality Christian programs. Many ACSI member preschool and childcare centers are now required to be licensed with state or local requlatory agencies. The ACSI Preschool Associate Credential (PAC) answers the minimum competency standard requirements. It is equivalent to other nationally recognized credentials and comes from the perspective of a Christian worldview.

The Preschool Associate Credential (PAC) is valid for five years. Obtaining an Early Education Associate Credential qualifies a candidate for an ACSI Early Education Associate Certificate.

Requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Hold a high school diploma or GED
• Meet state regulatory requirements
• Hold a valid First Aid card
• Hold a valid Infant/Child CPR card
• Have completed a minimum of six months (no fewer than 480 hours) successful employment in the same early education program
• Be an active member of the International Association of Christian Early Educators

The following requirements are explained in detail in the ACSI Preschool Associate Credential (PAC) manual. The PAC manual is designed to guide a person step-by-step through the credentialing process. It is available through Purposeful Design Publications.

Certification information, help, and support is available by calling 888.892.4258 or emailing earlyeducation@acsi.org. Thank you!

Training

Have completed 12 professional clock hours in each of the following required study areas (120 hours total):

• Understanding the growth and development of the young child
• Providing a safe and healthy learning environment
• Advancing the physical and intellectual development of children
• Encouraging the social and emotional development of young children
• Observing and recording the behavior of young children
• Providing effective classroom and program management
• Developing productive relationships with families and the community
• Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
• Have completed an additional 24 clock hours of professional study electives

Professional studies requirements may be fulfilled through First Aid and Infant/Child CPR training and in-service clock hours. The candidate may take clock hour electives for credit or noncredit. The agency or organization providing training must be qualified in early childhood teacher preparation and must provide a transcript, letter, or certificate verifying the candidate’s participation.

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Transferable College Credit

Vanguard University 
Vanguard University's Child Development Program provides fully online early education classes, all taught from a Christian worldview. Students may enroll in individual classes as needed, or complete the entire 27-unit certificate. All classes are 5 weeks in length and each provides 3 semester units of credit. As a result of the University Collaboration Agreement between ACSI and Vanguard University, ACSI early educators are eligible to receive a 10% tuition discount on all Child Development Program classes at Vanguard. This results in a savings of $30 per class. For more information, please visit the website. 

Bethel College
Early educators who have received their PAC credential are able to convert their PAC training into 10 transferable credits towards an AA or BA at Bethel College in Mishawauka, IN.  The 10 credits include Child Growth and Development (3 hours), Introduction to Early Childhood (3 hours), and Early Childhood Learning Environment (4 hours).  Degrees are not offered online and degree work must be completed on campus.

• Contact Bethel College Adult Studies admissions at 574.807.7550. Admissions information is also available at the  Bethel College website. Select adult programs. Candidates may call Dr. Wilson (Early Childhood advisor) at 574.807.7115 for more program information.
• There is no fee to transfer transcript courses to Bethel from an accredited school. To bring in a credential, students will be required to take the  Prior Learning Assessment Class (PLA, 1 credit hour) for $270. After writing papers about the content they learned while completing the PAC, they will pay $60 per credit hour for a total of $600. These fees are subject to change.
• Adult (non-traditional) students are given a tuition discount.
• The Early Childhood major is a non-licensure program.
• The A.A. and B.A. Early Childhood majors for both traditional and adult (non-traditional) students course information is available  online. Most classes are offered in the evening format. All classes are on site, some are offered in Elkhart, and a few are offered online.
• An appropriate expectation is that an A.A. degree will take 2 years and the B.A. degree will take 4 years, but this will vary depending on how many classes students take each semester.

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
Those who have completed ACSI’s Preschool Associate Credential may transfer a completed credential into Liberty University and receive 12 hours of transferable credit. The PAC credential substitutes for the four classes listed below. This is based upon the Carnegie-Mellon scale of 10 seat hours = 1 credit hour.

• PSYC 221 Psychology of Childhood 3 hours A study of child growth and development from birth to puberty. Examination of the basic theories principles and practices of childhood training and education.
• EDUC 390 Teaching Practicum 1-6 hours Prerequisites: EDUC 205 A supervised field experience related to the field of education. May be repeated to a maximum of six hours.
• FACS 260 Early Childhood Education 3 hours Prerequisite: PSYC 210 or instructor’s permission Theories, principles, and strategies of working with young children. Developmentally appropriate curriculum will be emphasized.
• HLTH 205 Accident Prevention and 3 hours Care (First Aid) Principles of accident prevention and personal safety with emphasis upon development of knowledge and skills needed for dealing with emergencies which may be faced in a variety of settings. First aid and CPR certification is included. Lab fee.
• For more information contact:
  Sharon E. Cohick
  Transfer Evaluations Coordinator
  1.434.592.3492 or email
  
  Transfer information is listed on Liberty’s website.

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Virtual University (Online Training)

You can complete the 120 hour training requirement for the PAC by going through ACSI's Virtual University, an online training module that is convienient for everyone. This one year subscription will allow you to complete the 120 clock hour requirement in a timely manner that won't break your budget. Completing this training does not give you the PAC credential. You must complete the whole process in order to receive the credential.

Professional Portfolio:

A notebook organizing documentation of proficiency in the contents of Area II as described in the PAC instructional manual

• Include a personal professional biography and a written understanding of the biblical principles of authority in the relationship between teacher, administrators, and the school board
• Supply evidence that the candidate is proficient in each of the content areas listed in the professional study section
• Utilize the Parent Questionnaire for feedback regarding children’s experiences in the candidate’s classroom
• Choose an appropriate advisor who will guide the candidate through the credentialing process
• Submit to an ACSI credentialing representative’s observation of the candidate’s skills while working with the children as the primary teacher/caregiver
• Submit to an oral interview with the ACSI credentialing representative following the observation to evaluate the candidate’s skills and knowledge of age-appropriate early education practices. The credentialing representative will send a formal report of the observation and interview to ACSI
• Have completed the ACSI Principles and Practices of Christian Early Education course
• Have completed 12 clock hours in Bible

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Renewal Requirements: 

• Hold a current first aid and infant/child CPR card.
• Complete 12 additional clock hours in Bible.
• Complete 30 additional clock hours of professional growth.
• Have a minimum of 180 hours of documented work with young children within the past year.
• Make an arrangement with an early education colleague who possesses a minimum of an associate credential or a degree in early education to verify applicant’s competency with young children by completing the
• Recommendation for Renewal form.

 Fees

 *This total does not include your 120 hours of training in early childhood education. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Total cost of program with ACSI's Virtual University (online training):
$709.00

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