Credentials of Teachers in States Where Elementary and Early Childhood Education Licenses Overlap in Grades K, 1, 2, and/or 3

This study investigates the claim that in states where elementary education (ELED) and early childhood education (ECED) licenses share the same grades, the preponderance of generalist teachers in the early grades hold ELED rather than ECED licenses. We investigated this question by sending information requests to 43 states where stand-alone, generalist ECED and ELED licenses overlap in Grades K, 1, 2, and/or 3. Responses from the 25 states that supplied this information indicate that a high percentage of teachers in overlapping grades in these states hold ELED licenses only in kindergarten (77%), 1st grade (76%), 2nd grade (79%), and 3rd grade (82%). Further, states with overlaps in grades 1-2 and 1-3 had substantially higher percentages of teachers with ECED licenses than states with K-3 overlaps: 32% more in 1st grade and 28% more in 2nd grade. The current results support calls for states to restrict the early grades to teachers with ECED licenses only and to base their credentialing standards on developmental science.