DALTON – (December 5) – The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) has granted certification status to Dalton State College’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) and English as a Second Language (ESOL) programs, College officials announced today.

PSC, the state agency responsible for providing a regulatory system for “certifying and classifying” professional employees in public schools, conducted an on-site review of the Dalton State programs in March and issued its final report earlier this month.

“The report showed that our programs met all of the requirements necessary to be approved by the Professional Standards Commission,” states Dr. Mary Edwards, Chair of the Division of Education at Dalton State. “This is important because in Georgia a teacher candidate must complete the teacher certification program from a PSC approved institution and pass the state licensure exam (GACE) in order to receive a license to teach.”

Moreover, once students successfully pass the Early Childhood Education licensure exam, they have the option of taking an additional exam to receive licensure enabling them to teach in Middle Grades Education. “Some students also elect to take subject content tests to certify them to teach in high-demand areas at the middle and secondary levels” stated Dr. Clare Hite, Associate Professor of Education.

In 2005, Dalton State assumed responsibility for the early childhood and ESOL programs from West Georgia University, and since that time the number of students has more than doubled, Edwards says, noting that 75 junior and senior students were enrolled in upper division courses, but now there are 180 enrolled. “Overall we have nearly 700 students who have declared education as their major field of study.”

Edwards states the increase in enrollment in these programs can be attributed to many factors, including a growing awareness of the College’s four-year degree programs, the accessibility of the programs, and the rapid population growth in the Northwest Georgia region.

The reputation earned by the College for producing successful graduates is also a factor, states Edwards, noting that this past May, 99 percent of the Early Childhood Education graduates passed the required GACE licensure exam, and all graduates seeking employment in area school systems were offered teaching positions by the fall of 2007.

“Word has gotten out about how successful our program has been,” says Dr. Clare Hite, Associate Professor of Education. “Teacher candidates are coming from as far south as Cartersville and Rome, as far north as Tennessee, and as far east as Ellijay and Pickens County.” Edwards adds, “Our students frequently comment on how rigorous our program is, but once they become employed in a school system, they come back and tell us not to change a thing. They are very pleased with the level of preparedness they receive at Dalton State.”

In the fall of 2008, College officials will seek approval status from the PSC for its new mathematics and biology teacher certification programs. Similar to the early childhood programs, students will receive on- campus classroom instruction, and will participate in clinical field experiences and internship. Students are assigned to area schools in Whitfield, Catoosa, Walker, and Murray County school systems and the Calhoun City and Dalton Public Schools.

“We are excited about the prospect of being able to offer additional teacher education programs here at Dalton State” says Edwards, “as we grow, we feel we will be able to be the provider of teachers in northwest Georgia.