Community and privately owned preschools commonly require their teachers to hold a high school diploma or have a GED. It is a requirement in some state licensing regulations that preschools hire only teachers who have graduated high school or have earned a GED. For preschool programs that are not licensed, the owner or the preschool board determines the level of education required. Church-related preschools do not have to meet state licensing regulations if they do not accept state or federal funding. If they do accept state child care funding for eligible children, they must meet state licensing requirements.
A Child Development Associate degree can be earned in two years through either a community college or a technical school. A CDA generally requires completing 60 hours of education from an institution with expertise in early childhood teacher preparation. Students who complete the program receive a transcript, certificate or a letter of completion. The overall focus of the CDA is to teach students about the principles of child development and how children learn. Topics addressed in CDA coursework include how to plan safe, healthy preschool environments; how to support the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and behavioral growth of children; and how to operate a preschool effectively, sustaining positive relationships with families.
The preschool teacher educational requirements for a bachelor's degree vary from institution to institution, but in general, they require 120 hours of academic coursework, several site-based preschool experiences and a internship or student teaching experience that is a semester in length. The first two years of a college degree, or about 60 hours of coursework, consist of liberal arts courses in the areas of math, science, English, literature, history, etc. The remaining hours of coursework focus on preschool teacher preparation. Areas of knowledge addressed include: child development, education of children, infant toddler environments, child activities, child care food and nutrition, instruction, learning, methods of teaching, etc.