Author: Greg Gaspard
FLETCHER’S CARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN PROGRAM RECEIVES BESE APPROVAL
(Schriever, LA) –Fletcher Technical Community College’s Care and Development of Young Children (CDYC) program has received approval from the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) as an approved Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate provider for students who complete the Child Care Teacher Certificate of Technical studies (after 30 hours of CDYC courses) or a Care and Development of Young Children Technical Diploma (after 45 hours of CDYC courses).
The CDYC program began in spring 2020 and originally offered a four-semester curriculum, culminating in an Associate in Applied Science degree. The addition of the Certificate of Technical Studies and Technical Diploma gives more options to students who wish to join the workforce more quickly.
Fletcher’s Associate of Applied Science degree in Care & Development of Young Children is designed to prepare students for the workforce in occupations related to the direct care, education, curriculum development, and/or administration of programs for young children. Graduates will be prepared and eligible to open their own licensed childcare centers, serve as childcare providers and directors of licensed centers, or work in quality childcare programs such as Head Start and Early Start.
“We are excited to be offering this quickly growing program at Fletcher to provide our community’s child care providers with the required education for teaching and advancement,” commented Dr. Regina Verdin, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “We are proud of our students and the contribution they make to the children in our community and we continue to support them in reaching their educational goals.”
In March 2020, Fletcher celebrated an articulation agreement between the CDYC program and Nicholls State University’s Bachelor of Science degree in Birth to Five/Early Interventionist Education. This agreement allows Fletcher students in the Associate of Science degree in CDYC to transfer to Nicholls towards completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in Birth to Five/Early Interventionist Education. Students would complete the last two years of their course work at Nicholls.