Blended Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education
Did you know that the ‘early childhood’ teaching certificate in Idaho means that you will be working with children of all abilities from birth to Grade 3?
The Blended Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education program offers the opportunity to work with all young learners, including learners with disabilities, in early childhood and elementary settings.
Degree Type: Bachelor of Arts
Type of Idaho Teaching Certification: Blended Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special (birth to grade 3)
Note for Students with Out-of-State Home Addresses: If considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification in your state, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in your home state BEFORE beginning the academic program located outside your state, or upon changing states. Visit the Professional Licensure Disclosures website for more information.
Individuals working in or studying early childhood education may be eligible for grants or scholarships through Idaho STARS. Learn more here:
**Do you already have an undergraduate degree and are looking for a graduate option to earn your teaching certification? Check out our Master In Teaching (MIT) programs. Most programs can be completed within a year and will earn both a master’s degree and teaching certification.
What can I do with this degree?
This degree leads to recommendation in certification for one Idaho teaching certificate: Blended Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special (birth to grade 3).
The Blended Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education program offers the opportunity to work with all young learners, including learners with disabilities, in early childhood and elementary settings.
Degree Requirements and Advising Resources
Program Prerequisites
To apply to the Teacher Education program, you must have the following three things completed:
All lower division courses, including the 200-level pre-professional Teacher Education courses, must be either complete or in progress
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a 3.0 or higher GPA in all Teacher Education courses
After Admission
Once admitted to the Teacher Education program, you complete the upper division Teacher Education courses. During the Teacher Education year, you must also complete the required Praxis 2 tests in order to apply to the Professional Year.
Required Praxis Tests
The required Praxis 2 tests are:
Praxis 2: Early Childhood Education test #5025
Praxis 2: Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood #5692
Application Deadlines
Program Admissions
The deadline to apply to the Teacher Education program is either the first Friday in February if you apply in the spring and the third Friday in September if you apply in the fall.
The admission process includes an interview which is scheduled after the application deadline.
Professional Year
The deadline to apply for Professional Year is also either the first Friday in February if you apply in the fall or the third Friday in September if you apply in the spring.
After admission to Professional Year, you complete two semesters of student teaching. One semester is an Early Childhood Practicum, and the other semester is in Early Childhood student teaching.
Pathway to Proficiency – Teacher Education Program Requirements
To apply to the Teacher Education program, you must have the following three things completed:
All lower division courses, including the 200-level pre-professional Teacher Education courses, must be either complete or in progress
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a 3.0 or higher GPA in all Teacher Education courses
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply to the Teacher Education program is either the first Friday in February if you apply in the spring and the third Friday in September if you apply in the fall.
The admission process includes an interview which is scheduled after the application deadline.
After Admission to the Program
Once admitted to the Teacher Education program, you complete the upper division Teacher Education courses. During the Teacher Education year, you must also complete the required Praxis 2 tests in order to apply to the Professional Year.
For this major, the required Praxis 2 tests are:
Praxis 2 Early Childhood Education test #5025 / score 156
Praxis 2: Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood test #5692 / score 159
For Elementary Ed option only: Praxis Elementary Education: Content Knowledge for Teaching #7811
Reading & Language Subtest #7812 / Score: 161
Mathematics Subtest #7813 / Score: 150
Social Studies Subtest #7815 / Score: 161
Science Subtest #7814 / Score: 154
*Do not proceed until you successfully complete ALL Praxis exams!
Applying to Professional Year
The deadline to apply for Professional Year is also either the first Friday in February if you apply in the fall or the third Friday in September if you apply in the spring.
After admission to Professional Year, you complete two semesters of student teaching. One semester is in an Elementary Education classroom and the other semester is in an Early Childhood/ Early Childhood Special Education setting.
Pathway to Proficiency – Courses
Courses required for entrance into program
All of the following courses are required for graduation and entrance into the teacher program.
FW ENGL 101 – Writing and Rhetoric I (3 credits)
FW ENGL 102 – Writing and Rhetoric II (3 credits)
UF 100 – Intellectual Foundations (3 credits)
UF 200 – Civic and Ethical Foundations (3 credits)
FM MATH 157 – Foundations of Number and Operations (4 credits)
MATH 158 (prerequisite: MATH 157) – Geometry and Measurement for Teachers (4 credits)
FN Natural, Physical, & Applied Science Science course (must be in a second field; lab optional) (3-4 credits)
FA Arts Course (3 credits)
FC COMM 101 – Foundations of Oral Communication (3 credits)
FH Humanities Course (3-4 credits)
FS Social Sciences Course (HIST 111 or 112 is required for Elementary Ed option) – Foundations of Social Sciences (must be in a second field) (3 credits)
ED-LLC 201 (field work included) – Cultural Diversity in the School (3 credits)
FS ED-CIFS 201 – Education, Schooling and Society (3 credits)
ED-ESP 221 – Foundations of Professional Practice (3 credits)
ED-ESP 223 – Child Growth and Development (3 credits)
ED-ESP 250 – Exceptionality in Schools (3 credits)
ED-ESP 255 – Educational and Assistive Technology (3 credits)
ED-ESP 260 – Special Education Policies and Procedures (3 credits)
Courses that may be taken prior to admission to program
ED-ESP 328 (field work included; spring only; co-requisite: ED-ESP 327) – Intervention Methods: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 329 (spring only) – Behavior Support in Early Childhood (3 credits)
Elementary Education Option
FS HIST 111 or 112 – United States History I or II (3 credits)
ED-LLC 300 – Foundations of Linguistics and Language Acquisition (3 credits)
KINES 305 or 355 – Adapted Physical Education or Elementary School Health and Physical Education Curriculum and Instruction (3 credits)
ED-CIFS 430 – Fundamental Frameworks for Supporting Teaching and Learning (4 credits)
ED-CIFS 459 – Teaching Experience in Elementary Education (8 credits)
Courses that require admission to the Professional Year
Professional Year A – Early Childhood Practicum
You will be in the school all day three days a week. You may take elective courses during this semester.
ED-ESP 326 (fall only) – Natural Environments, Birth to Three (3 credits)
ED-LLC 442 – Integrated Disciplinary Language Arts in the Social Sciences (3 credits)
ED-ESP 461 – Early Childhood Practicum (5 credits)
Professional Year B – Early Childhood Intervention Student Teaching
You will be at a preschool program the equivalent of four days a week. You may take an elective course this semester.
FF ED-CIFS 400 – Professional Inquiry, Reflection and Capacity for Change (1 credit)
ES-ESP 463 – Teaching Experience in Preschool Programs (8 credits)
Professional Year for Elementary Education Option
Admission to Professional Year is required before continuing in teacher education.
Professional Year A – Elementary Education Student Teaching
You will be in the school all day 4 days per week.
ED-LLC 442 – Integrated Disciplinary Language Arts in the Social Sciences (3 credits)
ED-CIFS 459 – Teaching Experience in Elementary Education (8 credits)
ED-CIFS 430 – Fundamental Frameworks for Supporting Teaching and Learning (4 credits)
Professional Year B – Early Childhood Education Student Teaching
You will be at a preschool program the equivalent of four days per week.
ED-ESP 326 (fall only) – Natural Environments Birth to Three (3 credits)
FF ED-CIFS 400 – Professional Inquiry, Reflection and Capacity for Change (1 credit)
ED-ESP 463 – Teaching Experience in Preschool Programs (8 credits)
Note: Your fall semester will be your Early Childhood student teaching semester, and spring will be your Elementary Education student teaching semester. Students who start professional year in the fall will do Early Childhood their first semester, and Elementary Ed their second semester. Students who start professional year in the spring will do Elementary Ed their first semester, and Early Childhood their second semester.
Costs and Scholarships
Boise State provides an affordable, quality education to improve your future. Scholarship opportunities are available for residents and nonresidents, making it even more affordable to attain a quality education.