Early Childhood Education Program

The group of four Early Childhood Education Program certificates prepare students for Infant/Toddler Teacher Leader, Early Childhood Education Assistant, Early Childhood Teacher, and/or Early Childhood Education Director-qualified positions in early childhood care and education programs. A grade of "C" or higher is required in all courses leading to a certificate or degree. The Early Childhood Director Certificate meets current director requirements for the Colorado Department of Human Services.  

Also see: Associate of Arts with a designation in Early Childhood Teacher Education for students who wish to pursue a two-year degree and transfer on to a four-year institution for a Bachelor's of Arts degree.

Early Childhood Education Background Check Policy

A national criminal background check must be completed and passed for every Early Childhood Education student at Morgan Community College. To participate in the ECE program, the student will be required to complete and pass a criminal background check through Castlebranch at https://cccs.castlebranch.com/ and is responsible for the cost. Previous background and/or fingerprint checks completed for employment will not suffice: MCC has a separate requirement. This policy is implemented and monitored by the MCC Human Resources Department.

Students enrolling in any ECE course must pass the criminal background check before they can start observation or practicum hours with children. Contact the Instructional Office if you are enrolling in an ECE online course for information on how to complete the background check process.

The background check is valid for two years. The Vice President of Instruction or the Dean of General Education can request additional background checks at any time.  The student will be responsible for the additional cost. In some cases, additional background checks may be required by a practicum site.

Should any required record indicate that a student is unable to work with children, he or she will not be eligible to complete courses requiring interaction with children. In the event that a student's background check prevents them from working with children or being hired at an educational facility, the Dean of General Education or Student Services will work with the student to individualize an alternative education plan and career path.