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	Regional Keys (hover mouse over region for contact information) Central Central Regional Key 2138 Lincoln Street Williamsport, PA 17701 Ph: 800-346-3020 Fax: 570-323-7510 John LaRose, Director Northeast Northeast Regional Key 1520 Hanover Avenue Allentown, PA 18109 Ph: 800-528-7222 Fax: 610-437-6500 Raine Neal, Director Northwest Northwest Regional Key 3823 West 12th Street Erie, PA 16505 Ph: 800-860-2281 Fax: 814-836-9615 Elana Shively, Director PA Key Pennsylvania Key 301 Market Street, 8th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 Ph: 800-284-6031 Fax: 717-213-0585 Gail Nourse, Director South Central South Central Regional Key 13 West Market Street York, PA 17401 Ph: 800-864-4925 Fax: 717-843-4158 Maureen Murphy, Director Southeast Southeast Regional Key 1500 S. Columbus Blvd, 2nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19147 Ph: 877-660-2273 Fax: 215-271-1607 Debra Lawrence, Director Southwest Southwest Regional Key 305 Wood Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Ph: 877-349-4850 Fax: 412-255-1178 Nedra Perkins, Director

 

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CAREER LATTICE

Description of Positions and Roles in the Career Lattice LEVELS

INTRODUCTION:

The Pennsylvania Keys to Quality Early Learning Career Lattice is a guide to the education levels required for many different positions in the Early Care and Education field. The Career Lattice encourages practitioners to attain credentials and degrees and to plan their educational pathway according to the position that they are interested in attaining.
When viewing the lattice, the education levels can be found on the left side, beginning with Level I as the entry point and ending with Level VIII as the highest category of credentials. A sampling of corresponding positions is listed to the right of these categories. Positions are separated by a line to specify the typical minimum qualifications for that position. The line, however, is broken to indicate to practitioners that their position does not limit them to the corresponding lattice level. As indicated by the double-sided arrow, the lattice can be read from lattice level to corresponding positions (left to right) or from positions to lattice level (right to left). Also, the lattice indicates positions in other sectors of the field for which a practitioner may qualify.

LEVEL I: This is an entry level and starting point for practitioners in the field such as Family Day Care Providers, Child or School Age Care Aides and Assistant Teachers, or Aides for Early Head Start and Head Start. The 15 hours Orientation Training can vary across programs. The content of the Orientation Training as well as the requirements for completion will vary from sector to sector. Regardless of educational level, all practitioners who are new to the field and have not previously worked directly with children should have the opportunity to participate in orientation training.

LEVEL II: This level lists the minimum amount of training for practitioners such as Assistant Teachers and Assistant Group Supervisors within Child or School Age Care. The 45 hours of training includes the minimum 15 hours of Orientation Training. The additional 30 hours of training may be workshop, seminar, or college credit based experiences.

LEVEL III: Practitioners who have met the minimum requirement to serve as Assistant Teachers and Assistant Group Supervisors working in Child or School Age Care and Teachers and Home Visitors within Early Head Start and Head Start may be found at this level. Acceptable certificates or diplomas can vary based on position. Some examples of the required credentials are a Child Development Associate (CDA) or Specialized Certificates or Diplomas in Early Childhood Education or Child Development, which range from nine to eighteen credits.

LEVEL IV: Assistant Teachers or Group Supervisors in Child or School Age Care programs, as well as Assistant Teachers or Para-Professionals working in Public Schools are some of the individuals that may be found at this level. These are practitioners who have earned 30 college credits including 12 ECE specific credits* that may articulate into a degree.

LEVEL V: The practitioners who have met the minimum requirements to be a Director, Lead Teacher, or Group Supervisor for a Child or School Age Care program or Assistant Teachers in Private Academic Schools may be at this lattice level. These are individuals who have already earned an Associate’s (AA) or Associate’s of Applied Science (AAS) degree that includes 18 ECE specific credits.*

LEVEL VI: Directors, Lead Teachers, or Group Supervisors in Child or School Age Care programs; Directors, Coordinators, and Teachers in Early Head Start or Head Start; various positions within Early Intervention; Public School Teachers; Teachers, Administrators, and Directors for Private Academic Schools; and Technical Assistance (TA), Consultants, Mentors, and Trainers may be found at this level. They are practitioners who have earned a Bachelor’s (BA/BS) degree including 30 ECE specific credits.*

LEVEL VII: This level incorporates all the positions listed in VI and is also the minimum criteria established for faculty in Higher Education. This group of practitioners has achieved a Master’s (MA) degree including 30 ECE specific credits.*

LEVEL VIII: This is the highest level of the lattice. Any practitioner who has chosen to obtain a Doctorate (Ph.D or Ed.D) degree has attained additional knowledge beyond the minimum requirements for positions listed in the lattice. The education achieved by these practitioners includes 30 ECE specific credits.*

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