North Dakota Growing Futures Career Pathways: A Clear Guide to Professional Advancement - post

The North Dakota Growing Futures Career Pathways serve as a roadmap for #early-childhood-education professionals, outlining the standards and requirements for #career progression. These pathways delineate the levels and content of training and education necessary for specific careers, providing a comprehensive framework for ongoing professional #development. Aligned with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services childcare licensing rules, these pathways guide individuals in planning their professional growth to enhance qualifications and seize new opportunities. Let's take a look at the requirements for each Category.

Category A

• Requirements:
• 15 hours of basic childcare training (free "Getting Started" training by ND Department of Health and Human Services)
• Minimum of a High School diploma or GED
• Current CPR/1st Aid certification
• At least 18 years of age
• Annual Level 1 training completion as required by licensing

Category B

• All Category A PLUS:
• Completion of at least 25 additional hours of Growing Futures Approved Level 2 training
• 10 clock hours in each of the following ND Core Competency Areas: Area II (Learning Environments and Curriculum) and Area VI (Health, Safety, and Nutrition)
• OR Documentation of equivalent professional preparation

Category C

• All Categories A and B PLUS:
• Completion of at least 40 additional hours of Growing Futures Approved Level 2 training
• 10 clock hours in each of the following ND Core Competency Areas: Area I (Child Growth and Development), Area III (Assessment and Planning for Individual Needs), and Area IV (Interactions with Children)
• OR Documentation of equivalent professional preparation

Category D

• All Categories A, B, and C PLUS:
• Completion of at least 40 additional hours of Growing Futures Approved Level 2 training
• 10 clock hours in each of the following ND Core Competency Areas: Area V (Families and Communities), Area VII (Program Planning and Evaluation), and Area VIII (Professional Development and Leadership)
• OR Documentation of equivalent professional preparation
• OR 1-year Early Childhood Certificate from a vocational or technical school
• OR Montessori Teacher Certificate
• OR 3-credit semester college course directly applicable to Category D Core Competency Areas

Category E

• All of Category A PLUS:
• Current CDA Credential
• OR Associate degree or higher in any field with at least 8 semester credits of Early Childhood Education or Child Development

Category F

• All of Categories A, B, C, and D –OR– Placement in Category E PLUS:
• Current Center Director Credential (national Aim4Excellence or ND state-specific)

Category G

• Associate degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development –OR– Associate degree or higher in a related field with:
• At least 12 semester credits of Early Childhood Education or Child Development
• OR Associate degree or higher in a non-related field with at least 18 semester credits of Early Childhood Education or Child Development
• OR Bachelor's degree in Human Service (requires additional preparation for #early-childhood care and education positions)

Category H

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development –OR– Bachelor's degree in a related field with:
• At least 24 semester credits of Early Childhood Education
• OR bachelor's degree or higher in a non-related field with at least 24 semester credits of Early Childhood Education PLUS a valid ND ESBP Teaching License Pre-K or K-3

Category I

• Master's degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development –OR– Masters degree in a related field with at least 24 semester credits of Early Childhood Education or Child Development

Category J

• Doctorate degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development –OR– Doctorate degree in a related field with at least 24 semester credits of Early Childhood Education or Child Development

Let ChildCareEd help you meet your training requirements and goals!

ChildCareEd is an Approved Sponsor with the Growing Futures Registry. ChildCareEd approved courses can be found on the Registry. Users may purchase approved courses through the ChildCareEd website. For Registry credit, please add your Registry ID number to your ChildCareEd account. Attendance data will be uploaded weekly to the Registry. Please allow a minimum of 5 business days for your completed course to appear on your Registry account.

All of ChildCareEd trainings are accepted based on our status as IACET accredited. For ChildCareEd trainings not listed on the Growing Futures Registry, please complete the Individual Request for Training Approval form found on the training tab of your account in the Growing Futures registry.