Community Colleges Level Up for Early Childhood Educators
Aida Rodriguez, a professional development specialist at The Imagine Institute, earned her bachelor's degree in early childhood education from North Seattle College in 2022. This made her one of the approximately 16,000 students who earn a bachelor's degree from a community college each year.
Rodriguez's decision to pursue her degree at a community college was influenced by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families' (DCYF) revamped childcare rules in 2019, which required educators to earn more credentials. She received help from the DCYF's Early Achievers scholarship, which covers up to $9,000 in tuition and books for bachelor's degrees in early childhood education.
Research by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that employers view job candidates who get bachelor's degrees in early childhood education from community colleges similarly to those who hold traditional baccalaureate degrees. The study compared callbacks for fictitious job applications from early childhood educators who earned their bachelor's degrees at community colleges and traditional four-year institutions.
The researchers found that employers generally view community college bachelor's degree applicants similarly to traditional four-year institution bachelor's degree holders. This suggests that community college baccalaureate degrees may be a more accessible and affordable way for students to earn four-year degrees without having to transfer to a four-year university.
The number of community colleges that offer a baccalaureate has increased from 187 to 214 since 2024, according to a report by the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA). The report also found that the number of community college baccalaureate programs rose from 678 to 763.
Establishing which route is less expensive - community college or a four-year college - can be difficult, as sticker-price comparisons substantially overstate the affordability advantage of community college baccalaureate programs.
The cost of earning the degrees affects students through both personal expense and earning potential. This is especially the case in a labor market that is both extremely tight and highly constrained by salary budgets.
Julie Ferin, executive director at the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs, says the findings raise important questions about how employers understand credentials within a field shaped by persistent shortages, low wages, high turnover, and varied educational requirements.
Cheryl Calhoun, president and CEO of the CCBA, says the findings bolster the cause of community college bachelor's degree programs. She notes that the philosophy behind these programs is to give students the opportunity to get additional education often times at the same institution where they started their educational journey and located close to where they live.
For early childhood educators, Calhoun says, the bachelor's degree is a way to "level up" and become master teachers or directors. They need more than just a two-year degree or just a certificate, she says. They need the additional skills that they gain from that degree, such as supervisory and management skills.
Rodriguez says she chose to get her early childhood education degree at North Seattle Community College because the school's cohort model really resonated with her. A lot of the time you learn more from your peers than you do from the actual content, she says.
Now that Rodriguez is on the teaching side, she uses the insight she gathered from her peers to educate the childcare teachers of the future.
Community College Baccalaureate Programs
Leveling Up for Early Childhood Educators
For early childhood educators, the bachelor's degree is a way to "level up" and become master teachers or directors. They need more than just a two-year degree or just a certificate, Calhoun says. They need the additional skills that they gain from that degree, such as supervisory and management skills.
Rodriguez says she chose to get her early childhood education degree at North Seattle Community College because the school's cohort model really resonated with her. A lot of the time you learn more from your peers than you do from the actual content, she says.
Now that Rodriguez is on the teaching side, she uses the insight she gathered from her peers to educate the childcare teachers of the future.
The study's findings point to the value of studying outcomes beyond initial employer contact, including hiring, compensation, advancement, and retention. Despite questions about the costs and payoffs, proponents of community college bachelor's degree programs say the findings bolster their cause.
Rodriguez is currently leading a cohort of early care providers who are pursuing their education in Spanish at her college alma mater, North Seattle College. She will serve as an adjunct at the college later this fall.
