EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Early Childhood Education Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program is to prepare competent, reflective, and caring early childhood education professionals with the knowledge and skills to impact a diverse population of young children and families using evidence-based, developmentally appropriate practices. The mission includes the philosophy that early childhood professionals are to create safe, nurturing, and culturally conscious learning environments that are affirmative and respectful of children’s and families’ identities, assets, and funds of knowledge, as well as children’s ability to co-construct knowledge.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The Early Childhood Education program prepares students for roles in various early learning and childcare settings (as well as related contexts) serving primarily infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The following six tenets frame the program’s identity, core values, and student learning outcomes – child development, play-based learning, responsive teaching, reflection, honoring children, and professionalism.Two foremost instructional values guide and direct teacher preparation in the Early Childhood Education program: hands-on learning and student-centered practices. The Program Conceptual Framework is described in more detail in the attached document (PDF).
Early Childhood Education Program Outcome Data
The University of Alabama B.S., Early Childhood Education Program Outcome Data
The College of Human Environmental Sciences (CHES)
The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)
| Degree Year | Degrees Awarded | Full-Time at Time of Completion Number | Full-Time at Time of Completion Percent | Part-Time at Time of Completion Number | Part-Time at Time of Completion Percent | Average Cumulative UA GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 23 | 7 | 30.40% | 16 | 69.60% | 3.35 |
| 2021-2022 | 26 | 9 | 35.00% | 17 | 65.00% | 3.26 |
| 2020-2021 | 31 | 13 | 42.00% | 18 | 58.00% | 3.10 |
| 2019-2020 | 48 | 27 | 56.00% | 21 | 44.00% | 3.24 |
| 2018-2019 | 60 | 39 | 65.00% | 21 | 35.00% | 3.25 |
| 2017-2018 | 75 | 35 | 46.66% | 40 | 53.33% | 3.17 |
| 2016-2017 | 74 | 50 | 67.56% | 24 | 32.43% | 3.20 |
| 2015-2016 | 73 | 46 | 63.01% | 27 | 36.98% | 3.14 |
| 2014-2015 | 99 | 52 | 52.52% | 47 | 47.47% | 3.14 |
| 2013-2014 | 71 | 43 | 60.56% | 28 | 39.43% | 3.14 |
| 2012-2013 | 80 | 43 | 53.75% | 37 | 46.25% | 3.04 |
| 2011-2012 | 52 | 24 | 46.15% | 28 | 53.84% | 3.00 |
| 2010-2011 | 68 | 31 | 45.58% | 37 | 54.41% | 3.06 |
| 2009-2010 | 37 | 23 | 62.16% | 14 | 37.83% | 3.04 |
| 2008-2009 | 38 | 19 | 50.00% | 19 | 50.00% | 2.95 |
| 2007-2008 | 39 | 23 | 58.97% | 16 | 41.02% | 2.94 |
| 2006-2007 | 38 | 24 | 63.15% | 14 | 36.84% | 2.94 |
| 2005-2006 | 31 | 12 | 61.29% | 12 | 38.70% | 2.88 |
Outcome measures:
• The number of program completers
• Average GPA of graduating class
Data are provided by The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA)
Program Completion Rate
| Academic Year | Percentage of Full-Time Candidates Who Completed the Program Within 100% of the Published Timeframe (4 years) | Percentage of Full-Time Candidates Who Completed the Program Within 150% of the Published Timeframe (6 years) |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 66.70% | 66.7% graduate in 6 years |
| 2016 | 71.40% | 85.7% graduate in 6 years |
| 2015 | 47.40% | 68.4% graduate in 6 years |
| 2014 | 44.40% | 66.7% graduate in 6 years |
| 2013 | 46.70% | 66.7% graduate in 6 years |
| 2012 | 41.20% | 64.7% graduate in 6 years |
| 2011 | 26.30% | 42% graduate in 6 years |
The published timeframe is 8 semesters/120 hours/4 academic years.
* Tables can be downloaded here
The University of Alabama’s B.S. Early Childhood Education program prepares degree candidates to be proficient in the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators.
| Candidate Performance AY 2023-2024 | |
| Standard | Candidate Performance Summary |
| Standard 1 Child Development and Learning in Context | 93% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
| Standard 2 Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections | 80% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
| Standard 3 Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment | 66% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
| Standard 4 Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices | 100% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
| Standard 5 Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum | 89% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
| Standard 6 Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator | 78% of teacher candidates met or exceeded expectations |
Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.
| Key Competency | Did Not Meet Expectations | Met Expectations | Exceeded Expectations |
| 1a | 6% | 94% | — |
| 1b | 6% | 97% | — |
| 1c | 8% | 75% | 17% |
| 1d | 14% | 68% | 18% |
| 2a | 18% | 77% | 5% |
| 2b | 14% | 61% | 25% |
| 2c | 27% | 55% | 20% |
| 3a | 44% | 26% | 30% |
| 3b | 75% | 25% | — |
| 3c | 6% | 94% | — |
| 3d | 13% | 70% | 17% |
| 4a | — | 17% | 83% |
| 4b | — | 9% | 91% |
| 4c | — | 6% | 94% |
| 5a | 9% | 9% | 82% |
| 5b | — | 17% | 83% |
| 5c | 22% | 17% | 61% |
| 6a | 71% | — | 29% |
| 6b | 21% | 43% | 36% |
| 6c | 11% | 43% | 46% |
| 6d | 29% | 43% | 29% |
| 6d | 14% | 57% | 29% |
