Table 2 Teacher and assistant teacher credentials requirements in each state-funded preschool program (2020–2021 school year)
From: Qualifications and supports for teaching teams in state-funded preschool in the United States
State and preschool program(s) | Lead teacher requirements: public schools | Lead teacher requirements: nonpublic schools | Assistant teacher requirement: public schools (CDA or above) | Assistant teacher requirement: nonpublic schools (CDA or above) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BA or above | ECE specialized training | BA or above | ECE specialized training | |||
Alabama First Class Pre-K | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Alaska AK Pre-Elementary Programs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Arizona Quality First Scholarships | ||||||
Arkansas Arkansas Better Chance/Arkansas Better Chance for School Success | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
California* | ||||||
CA State Preschool Program (CSPP) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
CA Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Program | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | ||
Colorado Colorado Preschool Program | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Connecticut* | ||||||
CT Child Day Care Contracts (CDCC) | NA | NA | ✓ | NA | ||
CT School Readiness (SR) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
CT Smart Start | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | |
Delaware DE Early Childhood Assistance Program (ECAP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
District of Columbia DC Universal Pre-K | ✓ (DCPS only) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Florida** FL Voluntary Prekindergarten Program | ||||||
Georgia GA’s Pre-K Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Hawaii* | ||||||
HI’s Executive Office on Early Learning Public Prekindergarten Program | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | ✓ | NA |
HI State Public Charter School Early Learning Program*** | ✓ | NA | NA | ✓ | NA | |
Illinois IL Preschool for All and Preschool Expansion | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Iowa* | ||||||
IA Shared Visions (SV) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
IA Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Kansas Preschool Offered by Public School Districts | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Kentucky KY Preschool Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Louisiana* | ||||||
LA 8(g) Student Enhancement Block Grant Program | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | |
LA Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program (LA 4) | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | |
LA Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program (NSECD) | NA | NA | ✓ | ✓ | NA | ✓ |
Maine ME Public Preschool Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Maryland MD Prekindergarten Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Massachusetts* | ||||||
MA Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) | NA | NA | ✓ | NA | ||
MA Chapter 70 | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | |
Michigan* | ||||||
MI Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
MI Developmental Kindergarten (DK) | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | ||
Minnesota* | ||||||
MN Head Start | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
MN Voluntary Prekindergarten and School Readiness Plus (VPK/SRP) | ||||||
Mississippi MS Early Learning Collaborative | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Missouri* | ||||||
MO Preschool Program (PP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
MO Pre-K Foundation Formula (Pre-K FF) | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | ✓ | NA |
Nebraska NE Early Childhood Education Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Nevada NV Ready! State Pre-K*** | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
New Jersey* | ||||||
NJ Preschool Expansion Program (Former Abbott Preschool Program) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
NJ Former Non-Abbott Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
NJ Former Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
New Mexico NM PreK (4s) and NM Early PreK (3s) and NM Mixed Age PreK (3s & 4s) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
New York NY State Administered Prekindergarten Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
North Carolina NC Pre-Kindergarten Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
North Dakota ND Early Childhood Education Grant Program | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Ohio OH Early Childhood Education | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Oklahoma OK Early Childhood Four-Year-Old Program | ✓ | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | |
Oregon* OR Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
OR Preschool Promise | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Pennsylvania* PA Ready to Learn Block Grant (RTL) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
PA Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
PA Kindergarten for Four-Year-Olds and School-Based Pre-K (K4/SBPK) | ✓ | |||||
PA Pre-K Counts (PKC) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Rhode Island RI State Prekindergarten Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
South Carolina SC Child Early Reading Development and Education Program and EIA/4K | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Tennessee TN Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Texas TX Public School Prekindergarten | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Utah Expanded Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs (ESA) | ||||||
Vermont VT Universal Prekindergarten Education (Act 166) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Virginia VA Preschool Initiative | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Washington* Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Washington Transitional Kindergarten (TK) | ✓ | NA | NA | NA | ||
West Virginia WV Universal Pre-K | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Wisconsin WI Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||