A bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and teaching from Tarrant County College is only a proposal right now. But if the community college system gets the approval from a higher education accreditor, the degree path could become reality in fall 2026.
“In Tarrant County, the demand for early childhood educators has never been greater. We anticipate in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex an increase by 2,204 positions, or 17%, in the next four years,” said Shereah Taylor-Love, dean for behavioural and social sciences at TCC South Campus. She was speaking at a meeting of the Tarrant County College board of trustees earlier this year.
“Additionally, in our metroplex, we anticipate a minimum 11% increase in the demand for certified elementary educators,” she said.
Technically, the degree will be a bachelor’s in applied science. If approved, it would be the first bachelor’s level degree offered at Tarrant County College, with over 47,000 students enrolled in the six-campus community college system. Classes would be offered at TCC South Campus in Fort Worth, where administrators have been working on a plan for the program for several years. The goal is to have 40 students in the first cohort learning both the theory of early childhood development in the classroom and in the field.
“The program meets the needs of our regional workforce providing students with the opportunity to gain early field experiences in both early learning centers, including head start and early head start, as well as elementary and intermediate schools,” said Taylor-Love, who obtained a doctorate in education, curriculum and instruction from Texas Wesleyan University,
Students who complete the program can work in child care or early learning centers, or go on to an educator preparation program to get teacher certification for early childhood to sixth grade.
College administrators say they will recruit future students from students enrolled in the associate of arts in teaching degree and people working as paraeducators or as early childhood assistants.
The college plans to submit its application for the program at the end of this spring semester to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, a higher education accreditor in Southern states. College officials expect a decision in fall 2025.
Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus. Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org.
The Report’s higher education coverage is supported in part by major higher education institutions in Tarrant County, including Tarleton State University, Tarrant County College, Texas A&M-Fort Worth, Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, the University of Texas at Arlington and UNT Health Science Center.
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