Early Childhood Education Technology

Enrich your career possibilities at COTC

The Early Childhood Education Technology at COTC prepares students for rewarding careers as professional lead and assistant teachers of children birth through preschool ages and as assistant teachers in the public school setting. Career possibilities can include program or center-based administrators, owners or managers.

The curriculum prepares students to:

• Apply for Pre-K Associate Licensure through the Ohio Department of Education
• Successfully Complete Ohio Assessments for Educators and ECE-290 ECE Student Teaching Field
• Assume preschool teaching positions 
• Prepare to transfer to a four-year institution
• Obtain recertification for ODE Licensure

The most rewarding part of careers in education comes from the success of your students themselves and the knowledge that you played a role in that success. Early Childhood Education career growth is 25% higher than the national average based on an increased focus in early childhood education and a growing population of children ages 3 to 5. Many courses meet the Child Development Associate (CDA) area contact hours for CDA certification.

The COTC Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children Associate Degree Early Childhood Programs. The program is also approved by OBR for ODE Pre-kindergarten Associate Licensure.  ​

Upon completion, graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science  Degree in Early Childhood Education Technology. An increasing number of COTC graduates transfer to a bachelor’s degree teacher education program after completing their associate degree at COTC. Local teacher education programs that work with COTC for ease of transfer credit applicability include Muskingum College, Ashland University and The Ohio State University. Also, the University of Cincinnati offers an online bachelor’s program in child development, and the University of Toledo offers an online bachelor’s program in early childhood education.  

Early Childhood Development Advisory Group

Andrea Dickerson, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor and Teaching Careers Instructor, C-Tec 

Barbara Smith, Center Owner and Director, Adventures in Learning, Newark

Beth Rutter, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor

Carol Copenhefer, COTC Professor 

Carol Fuller, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor, Delaware Area Career Center

Casey Hoeflich, Child Development Coordinator, Knox County Head Start

Christina Wythe, COTC ECE Program Graduate and Center Owner, Absolute Love Learning Center, Mt. Vernon 

Cindy Andrews, COTC ECE Program Graduate and Center Owner, Creative Minds Learning Center, Heath

Kelley Gaynier, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor, EMRC Coordinator, COTC

Kristin Ream, Preschool Director, Licking County Family YMCA

Linda Miller, Retired Head Start Director, Retired COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor, LEADS Head Start and COTC

Megan Grimm, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor, Coshocton County Career Center

Nancy Nagle, Retired Kindergarten Teacher, Coshocton County School

Regina Williams, Retired COTC Program Director

Staci Smith, COTC ECE Adjunct Instructor

Teri Brannum, Early Head Start Education Manager, Coshocton County Head Start

Teri Peasley, Early Childhood  Faculty, Ohio University

Tracee Hatfield, Head Start Education Manager, Coshocton County Head Start 

Tracy Stainer, COTC ECE Program Graduate and Center Owner, Kids Garden Childcare Center, Mt. Vernon

Program Outcome Data

Number of Program Completers

• 16AU-17AU had 3 program completers; 33% were full-time, 67% were part-time
• 17AU-18AU had 4 program completers; 0% were full-time, 100% were part-time
• 18AU-19AU had 10 program completers; 54% were full-time, 46% were part-time

Program Completion Rate

Percentage of full-time candidates completing the program within the program’s published timeframe (2 years)
(Most recent data is from 2014, 2015, and 2016 years)

• 14AU- 17% of students completed the program within 150% of the published timeframe
  • 14% completed the program within 200% of the published timeframe
• 15AU- 14% of students competed the program within 150% of the published timeframe
  • 0% completed the program within 200% of the published timeframe
• 16AU- 30% of students completed the program within 150% of the published timeframe
  • 20% completed the program within 200% of the published timeframe

Fall-to-Fall Retention Rate

• 15AU
  • 72% of part-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 100% retention rate
  • 25% of full-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 29% retention rate
• 16AU
  • 81% of part-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 50% retention rate
  • 19% of full-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 50% retention rate
• 17AU
  • 82% of part-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 40% retention rate
  • 18% of full-time candidates enrolled (% of total enrollment)- 50% retention rate

Program Graduates Currently Employed or Pursuing Further Education within the Profession

• 2015/2016 Academic Year- 8 graduates
  • % employed in the ECE profession within one year of graduation = 50%
  • % pursuing further education in the early childhood profession = currently unknown
• 2016/2017 Academic Year- 3 graduates
  • % employed in the ECE profession within one year of graduation = 67%
  • % pursuing further education in the early childhood profession = 33%
• 2017/2018 Academic Year- 4 graduates
  • % employed in the ECE profession within one year of graduation = 100%
  • % pursuing further education in the early childhood profession = 0%