Cultural, Linguistic and Ability Diversity (CLAD)

The Office of Head Start, National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness has published a series of briefs, Importance of Home Language Series (February 2013). The series, available in English and Spanish, provides early care and education program staff and families with easy to read information on topics related to:

• children learning two or more languages
• the benefits of being fully bilingual
• the importance of maintaining children’s home language.

Early Learning Updates 

This e-newsletter for the higher education community aims to: 

• Enhance communication between the higher education community, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the PA Key
• Provide the higher education community with important early learning initiative updates from OCDEL and the PA Key
• Provide valuable information for use in work with early care and education students. 

Early Learning Updates will be published three times a year: in the Fall, Winter and Spring. Feedback on this e-newsletter and suggestions for future featured information are welcome and should be sent to Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai at beraho@berksiu.org.

Click here to access and download the current Early Learning Updates. 

Director Credential

• Learning Objectives for PA Director Credential Program
• Application for Institutions of Higher Education PA Director Credential Program
• Business Course Framework for PA Director Credential Program
• Institutions offering Director Credential Programs 

Individuals wanting more information on obtaining a Director Credential, view the Degrees & Credential page.

Gate Opener program

•    11-12 Gate Opener Program Information

Additional Resources

• Pennsylvania Professional Development System Framework for Early Care and Education - This document provides a description of the progress Pennsylvania has made in developing a professional development system framework for early learning and school-age practitioners. 
• Non-teacher certification ECE equivalency programs in Pennsylvania
• Teacher Certification

Visit the Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests website to find out information on the tests required for PA Teacher Certification for PreK-4th grade.

Currently, the Pennsylvania Educator Certification Test (PECT) covers PreK-4.

The PECT/Pearson phone number for questions is (413)256-2886 or (800) 877-4591. (Please note, they will ONLY answer PreK-4 Questions)
Available 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday–Friday.

The Praxis tests, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at www.ets.org will be used for:
Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: Core Assessment, Core Assessment Pedagogy, Core Assessment English Language Arts and Social Studies, Core Assessment Mathematics and Science (5152)
PLUS the concentration area modules:
o Subject Concentration English Language Arts (5156)
o Subject Concentration Social Studies (5157)
o Subject Concentration Mathematics (5158)
o Subject Concentration Science (5159)

CLICK HERE for a document that provides additional information concerning Certification in Pennsylvania.