Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate

Apply today to our Fall 2023 Cohort!

The Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate is a professional credential issued by the Louisiana Department of Education for teachers currently working in early learning centers. We are happy to provide this certification program for no cost through the ECAC Scholarship Program.

teachers playing with babies

All new lead teachers working in Type III licensed child care centers are required to have the Early Childhood Ancillary Certificate (ECAC) as a minimum credential beginning July 2019. Lead teachers in Type III child care centers will be required to have the certificate within 24 months of their start date as a lead teacher.

Administrators of the LSU Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool (ECELP) will serve as program instructors and LSU Early Childhood Education (ECEI) members will be conducting webinars. The ECELP is a Reggio Emilia - inspired research facility within the School of Education and is aligned with undergraduate and graduate programs in Early Childhood Education. The ECELP is NAEYC accredited.

The ECELP serves as a laboratory for cutting-edge research in the areas of child development and education. It also serves as a training site for undergraduate and graduate students as a model demonstration site within the community. Through its support of research and teaching, the ECELP will generate and disseminate knowledge about best practices in early childhood education to support children’s development and learning.

The course is fully remote giving participants the opportunity to collaborate with educators across the state of Louisiana. You will meet with your fellow classmates on a weekly basis via Zoom.

Instructions

  1. Verify you meet all eligibility requirements (see "Program Costs & Eligibility" below)
  2. Gather required documentation: 
    • Completed Scholarship Application Form 
      Required for all applicants 
    • Copy of High School diploma/GED
      Required for all applicants
    • Assistant teacher letter stating you are eligible for hire as a lead upon completion of the program
      Required for assistant teacher applicants 
    • Pathways Enrollment Information: Enrollment Documents (Enrollment Form, Employment Verification Form, Education Documentation)
      Required for Pathways non-members only
  3. Click "Get Started" below to provide contact information and to upload your documents. 

APPLY FOR THE LSU ECAC HERE!

What you can expect as an LSU ECAC participant: 

  • 120 clock hours across 6 months (10 hours in each CDA subject area)
  • Fully remote with laptop and learning materials provided
  • Two observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
  • Develop your CDA portfolio
  • Development of a CDA portfolio CDA Assessment (online test and 3-hour CDA Council PD Specialist observation)

children playing outside

The ECAC is provided at no cost through the ECAC Program Scholarship. You will be required to submit a completed Scholarship Application Form to complete your application. 

A teacher must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements: 

  • Teaching assistants working at least 16 hours per week in a Type III center are eligible but must have an assurance letter stating that they are eligible for hire as a lead upon completion of the program (NOTE: those currently working as Lead teachers are prioritized).

You can collect the required documents and LSU will submit to Pathways on your behalf along with your Scholarship Application. Required documentation includes:

You will have the opportunity to upload these documents at the time of application. 

ECAC to Associate Degree: transfer in to a Care and Development of Young Children (CDYC), Associate in Applied Science (AAS) as they will accept our ECAC for 3 course credits at Delgado.
We are working on having this with the whole Louisiana Community and Technical College System

ECAC to Bachelor's Degree: transfer in to a Louisiana Transfer Degree program at any Louisiana Community or Technical College. 
We are working on an articulation with the whole Louisiana Community and Technical College System to accept our ECAC for 3 course credits