I want to take courses on line using the web. Do you have any distance learning courses?

Nothing is available on line at this time. We have made the deliberate decision not to offer college credit courses on line. The experiences we offer students depend upon the in -person collborative work in classes and the intensive experience in the classroom. We believe we could do this by distance learning to some degree, but that will not directly help the children in our community. It is a problem that we are working on. If you want our programs on line, tell us. That will help us find the ways to make that possible.

I want to become a Certified Pre-kindergarten to Third Grade or a K-12 teacher in the public school system. Will your community college credits transfer to a teacher certification program?

Not yet, mostly.... Transfer of your vocational early childhood credits can be a problem. Academic degrees usually transfer easily into academic programs. For example, an Associate of Arts, AA, is usually accepted as proof of junior standing for most bachelor degree programs. Transfer is easy and efficient. Get an AA Degree from North Seattle. Really. You will not find a better 1st and 2nd year program at an expensive university. We have Coordinated Studies programs that are OUTSTANDING. However, we offer a professional/technical degree, called an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree, AAS, not an academic degree. It is the same as 'Real Estate' or 'Heating and Air Conditioning.' The studies directly addresses the skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed when you work. That, above all, is what we care about. Therefore, most four-year colleges and universities will not accept many credits from a professional/technical program. Most BA programs in Education or Arts and Sciences require 2 years of general education (equivalent to an Associate of Arts degree) and 2+ years of study in a major program, i.e., psychology, dance, economics, etc. The AAS degree does not fulfill those general education credits. That is the way it is. Not our choice. The 90 credits in our AAS vocational degree are rarely viewed by universities as a package, like the AA or AS associate degrees are. Those degrees are what are called Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) degrees. The AAS is not a DTA, so when students transfer, their work is evaluated piece by piece by the receiving institution. Each class may or may not apply to the future degree you are seeking. The decision is up to each individual college or university what they take and what they do not. Usually a few of our courses transfer, filling electives options in the receiving university's degree program. We will continue to hope that ultimately, people will agree, that the most important thing in being with children from birth to five, is competence... really enhancing children's lives... for THEIR benefit in being human. One thing we can say is that our graduates are good with children. No matter what happens, this is what we care about.

Are there colleges where NSCC's Early Childhood Program credits do transfer?

The good news is YES. The most successful transfer arrangement is to Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and Whitworth in Spokane , Washington. Their "upside-down" BA programs treat our transfer credits as a major. You then take your general education work there as a Junior and Senior and efficiently earn a BA. Most of our graduates are pursuing their BA degrees at Evergreen by taking weekend courses once a month in Olympia, WA. City University has also agreed to accept professional and technical credit from North Seattle Community College as lower division transfer credit. Your Early Childhood Education classes can apply there toward a BA in business. If you want to stay in Seattle to pursue an advanced degree, The Praxis Institute will be opening its doors in 2005 and the University of Washington is opening an early childhood program in a few years.

How much does it cost to attend your program?

Currently the tuition for full time Washington State residents is $71.40 for each credit. Full time (12 credits) is $752.60 per quarter, three quarters per year. Out of state tuition is $2477.20 for the same load, about $7500 per year. Typically, state residents have to show they have a Washington State drivers license and have been registered to vote in Washington State for the 12 months immediately preceeding enrollment. So if you are out of state and wish to enroll here, plan to spend a year living in Washington State first, or pay the higher tuition. Financial aid is available for many students. If you are currently working in an early childhood program, other resources are available to pay for tuition.

What kind of salary will I earn once I get an AAS Degree in Early Childhood Education?

The maintenance staff who clean childcare centers at night, when the children are gone, make more money than the teachers in the day. But our graduates tend to do relatively well. The range is $14.00 to $19.00 per hour with benefits. Several of our graduates quickly become directors and receive increases, too. It is obvious they know what they are doing. However, in our State of Washington licensing requires 20 hours of training (Washington STARS program) for all preschool and child care teachers. Additionally, to meet licensing requirments, someone in a licensed child care facility should have 45 credits of Early Childhood Education courses. Most child care workers have no college at all. As a result, many of our students take a few courses here as they work in child care centers. Gradually, over time, they find that our courses improve their lives. The children are happier. They are happier. So they keep coming. Increasingly centers are requiring an AAS Degree for teachers. They are really in short supply. The degree increases salary and gives a teacher a wide choice of schools to work in.

Why should I choose North Seattle Community College?

We encourage you to shop around. Most community colleges offer programs. Check them out. Visit their web sites. See if they promise professional practice. We do. If your search finds descriptions of several Early Childhood Programs, you can compare the course offerings rather quickly. These are indicators, we believe, of a comprehensive program: Specific Course Names: The program should offer a diverse set of courses that appear to cover the fundamental components of teaching. Most courses you see have very general names that provide no clue as to the content. Course names ought to ring your bell. Flexibility: The program should make it easy for you to apply previous learning and experience toward the degree. We have 20 elective credits. Anything in early childhood will apply. Full time faculty: Many colleges employ part time teachers, who may be wonderful, but they are only paid for the hours they teach. They get paid so poorly they do not have much opportunity to collaborate with each other to develop an integrated program or evaluate whether students who complete the course sequence attain the outcomes desired. Do you see full time faculty, with web pages that tell you about what you are buying?

Where is North Seattle Community College?

We are located in Seattle, Washington, in the northwest corner of the United States. We are in the north part of the city of Seattle about 8 miles from the city center. We are right beside the main Interstate freeway I-5. Across the freeway is Northgate Shopping center, the first shopping mall in America. Use exit 173. The main campus page may help. MapQuest can help, too.

I am interested in the North Seattle program. What do I do now?

Write us: Early Childhood Education Program Child and Family Education Division North Seattle Community College 9600 College Way North Seattle WA 98103 Or click on the e-mail address below, include a way for us to reach you in your message, and let us know you are interested. We are very pleased you took the time to look for a good place to study early childhood education. It is an important investment in your future... and when you learn to teach well, the future of hundreds of children. And know too, that what we can send you in the mail is not as complete as what is on this web site. Please call Tom Drummond at (206) 528-4626 or Bob Ford (206) 529-6029 to get us. We want you to have the opportunity to enroll in one of the finest early childhood education programs anywhere in the world. Bob Ford rford@sccd.ctc.edu