American College of Education® (ACE) has joined forces with StraighterLine and its subsidiary, ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), to offer early childhood educators a convenient and affordable path to earn a bachelor’s degree in education online. This empowering opportunity allows those working in childcare centres, Head Start programmes, and preschools to further their education and advance their careers at their own pace without compromising their work commitments.
Through this collaboration, early childhood educators can access a range of professional development opportunities offered by CCEI, including the Child Development Associate® (CDA) training certification programmes, Florida Child Care Professional Credential (FCCPC) programmes, Director’s Certificate programmes, and Renewals. They can also earn undergraduate credit toward a bachelor’s completion programme degree at ACE. By continuing their education with online general education courses through StraighterLine, educators can save up to $30,000 on their Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies. This financial relief allows them to focus on their professional growth and career advancement.
Speaking on the collaboration, Amy Smith, PhD, Chief Learning Officer at StraighterLine, said:
Many educators develop their passion for teaching while working in an early childcare setting. This partnership provides early childhood educators a tremendous opportunity to advance their careers by earning a bachelor’s degree and opening doors to opportunities from the classroom to administration.
ChildCare Education Institute® (CCEI) provides high-quality distance education certificates and child care training programmes in various childcare settings, including preschool centres, family child care, prekindergarten classrooms, nanny care, online daycare training and more. The platform also has online certification programmes that provide the coursework requirement for national credentials, including the CDA, Director and Early Childhood Credentials.
Geordie Hyland, ACE President and CEO, stated:
Our mission is to equip educators to grow in their careers and ultimately serve their students best. We are very excited to work with StraighterLine and CCEI to be able to provide pathways to do just that.
Since 2017, StraighterLine and ACE have been working together to provide students with a credible and affordable path to earn their bachelor’s completion programme online. ACE’s bachelor’s completion programme degrees are designed to maximize the credit students transfer to ACE and help them complete their degree in as little as 15 months.
Founded by educators for educators, students can be confident in continuing their education at an institution they can trust. Each year, a combined 150,000 learners from StraighterLine and CCEI take one of 250+ online courses or certification programmes to upskill into new careers or earn credit from over 3,000 colleges and universities worldwide. The platform works with institutions and corporate partners to provide their students and employees with flexible education options that allow them to work and learn at their own pace. In 2022, the company acquired ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), one of the largest online training providers for early childhood education professionals.
