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Share the
Vision....
Gain the recognition you deserve for your experience, education, and
training in early care and education through your work with young children
and families. You are invited to apply to The Practitioner Registry today!
Your active status on The Practitioner Registry allows you to apply for Montana's Best
Beginnings grants, scholarships and stipends developed to help
you help
every child receive quality early care and education.
To request an
application packet for the Montana Early Care and
Education Practitioner Registry please call 1-800-213-6310 or email
ecp@montana.edu
When you apply to The Practitioner Registry you will be placed at a
level on the Career Path. The Career Path is intended to promote professional development for early care and education practitioners by providing a framework for recording and recognizing experience, training, and educational accomplishments.
The Career Path covers nine levels of career development based on training,
education, volunteer professional contributions, and experience in the field.
Any individual developing a plan for professional growth in early care and
education can chart a course on the
Career Path.
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What is the purpose of the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner Registry and the Career Path?
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How might the Career Path be used?
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Who may apply to the Practitioner Registry?
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Why should I apply?
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How does the initial application process work?
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How do I remain active once I'm on The Practitioner Registry?
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What twenty credits are accepted as early childhood/child development for levels 4 and above on the Practitioner Registry?
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What about Master's and Doctorate degrees?
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How do I know if my credits/degrees are from accredited institutions?
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What can I do if I do not agree with my Career Path level?
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What was the Longevity Clause?
What is the purpose of the Montana Early Care and Education Practitioner Registry and the Career Path?
The Practitioner Registry and the Career Path give recognition to practitioners at various levels within the early childhood profession. Participation on The Registry increases the number of high quality early care and education programs by helping to develop and track a knowledgeable and skilled early childhood workforce that is competent to teach and care for young children, support families, and train practitioners.
The Registry also helps consumers, employers, and others know a practitioner's level on the Career path and their experience and knowledge of child growth and development, early childhood education, and other Knowledge Base areas. Registry participation raises the status of and compensation for early care and education as a viable and critical profession in our society.
How might the Career Path be used?
The primary purpose of the
Career
Path is to publicize the education, training, and experience of
practitioners in a program so parents and others know that children are
being cared for and educated by knowledgeable, competent and nurturing
people.
The Career Path can also be used as a tool for staff recruitment and
as a reason to increase wages and benefits for early childhood
practitioners. As practitioners participate at every level on the Career
Path, they help to develop a committed workforce dedicated to early care and
education in Montana.
Who may apply to the Practitioner
Registry?
Early childhood practitioners who are working with young children and their
families are encouraged to apply for the Practitioner Registry. This
includes caregivers, teachers, educators,
administrators, and other advocates for young children. The Registry is
designed for anyone who works with children birth to age eight (providing
direct or indirect service) in a variety of settings:
- Family and group child care homes
- Child care centers
- Head Start programs
- Preschools
- Public and private schools--pre-kindergarten-3rd grade
- Higher education, including community and tribal colleges and universities
- Child Care Resource and Referral agencies
- Community agencies serving children and families (early intervention, family literacy, teen parent programs and others)
- Private organizations and government agencies who impact early care and education at local, state, and regional levels
The Practitioner Registry is voluntary in Montana and has been created to enhance and professionalize the early care and education field. The Registry improves the status, wages, working conditions, and employment opportunities for early care and education practitioners. Ultimately, The Practitioner Registry impacts the quality of early care and education that young children receive in Montana.
Participation in the Montana Practitioner Registry will help you:
- Count yourself as a professional in early childhood services in Montana
- Inform parents about your level of professional development as you make decisions about your fees for early care and education services
- Apply for new employment positions in early childhood programs or negotiate for a salary increase with your employer
- Validate and document the learning and training experiences in which you have participated
- Plan your future education and career goals
- Be eligible for the Best Beginnings programs administered by the state Early Childhood Services Bureau
Mail your completed Practitioner Registry Application to the Early Childhood Project along with the necessary documentation for the level on the Career Path you are applying for (Please allow six weeks processing time). The initial application fee for The Practitioner Registry is $25.
The ECP will review your application materials. If all necessary documentation is complete, you will be awarded a registry certificate that honors your level on the Career Path. If further documentation is needed, you will receive a written request for the missing information.
Please note: If you have applied for The Practitioner Registry and have been asked to submit further documentation, your application will be set at a pending status until you provide the ECP with the requested documentation.
How do I remain active once I'm on The Practitioner Registry?
You will remain active on The Registry for one year from the date on your certificate. Each year, the ECP will mail you a renewal packet two months prior to your renewal date.
By completing your renewal application, you will update your annual training and education, and documentation for your level on the Career Path. This information is then used to keep our records and your online training record current. This is also a good time to apply for a new level on the Career Path.
To renew at the Pre-Professional level on the Career Path you must complete and document eight hours of approved training annually.
To renew at Levels 1- 8 you must complete and document a total of twenty three hours of approved training if you are working in a licensed/registered program (8 hours of training required by licensing and 15 hours for The Registry).
*If you do not work in a licensed/registered program, 15 hours are required for Registry renewal.
The annual renewal fee to remain active on The Practitioner Registry is $10.
What twenty credits are accepted as early childhood/child development for Levels 4 and above on the Practitioner Registry?
For levels 4-8, early childhood/child development college credits or degrees are required. To count for the Practitioner Registry, all credits and degrees must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities.
in 1994 the Montana Board of Public Education approved the Early Childhood Permissive Special Competency (ECPSC). The Montana ECPSC is currently offered through MSU-Bozeman and the University of Montana-Western. The ECPSC requires 20-26 specialized credits, depending on the college or university.
The ECPSC includes content in the areas listed below. This same content (20 credits) is required for Levels 4-8 on the Career Path. The ECP reviews transcripts to ensure that college credits fall within six of the areas below:
- Child/Human Growth and Development
- Learning Environments
- Cultural and Developmental Diversity
- Family and Community Partnerships
- Early Childhood Curriculum
- Child Guidance
- Observation and Assessment
- Program Management/Administration
- Professionalism
- Practicum or lab credits in infant/toddler through third grade program/classroom or student teaching in K through 3rd grade classroom; a maximum of 5 credits may be counted.
What about Master's and Doctorate degrees?
People applying to the Practitioner Registry for Levels 7 or 8 without a degree in early childhood education/child development must submit transcripts and written documentation describing emphasis of studies in working with families and children that are ages birth through age eight. Documentation shall include course descriptions, special projects, papers, internships, thesis, or other supporting materials.
How do I know if my credits/degrees are from accredited institutions?
In order to count towards a level on the Career Path, college credits and degrees must be from a regionally accredited colleges or universities. The US Department of Education manages a database for institutional accreditation, which can be found at www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation. Type in the name of your college or university, then check to see if the institution is accredited by one of the agencies listed below:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
For more information on higher education accreditation, please contact the Early Childhood Project or check out our Info Sheet.
What can I do if I do not agree
with my Career Path level?
If you believe that your education and training should be considered for
higher placement on the Career Path
than the ECP is able to place you, you may appeal to the Practitioner Registry Review Committee.
The committee consists of 2-3 members of the Montana Career Development Advisory Board and the Career Development
Director. If you wish to appeal, you must provide the committee with the following items:
- A cover letter describing why you wish to appeal
- Additional documentation about your course content, projects, independent study credits, and other items you feel will help your case
- Evidence of informal (non-credit) training hours that you have completed in Knowledge Base content areas and the areas identified for the 20 credit requirement listed above.
What was the Longevity Clause?
This option, available during the first five years that the Practitioner Registry was operational, has been phased out and is no longer available.
Updated 11/16/05