Community Impact reports that because of help from a $200,000 grant from Houston Endowment, the Lone Star College System will offer a new bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with a planned beginning date in fall of 2026.
LSCS Executive Director for the educator preparation program Rebecca Saiz said the four-year degree will result in a teacher certification in elementary education. According to a release, the Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching will cover early childhood to third grade and early childhood to sixth grade.
According to the Texas Education Agency there’s been a significant increase in the number of uncertified teachers in Texas for the past five years.
With the new bachelor’s program, Saiz said the college hopes to tackle the rising numbers in uncertified teachers
Pending approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as well as the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and schools, the initial cohort will begin with 150 teacher candidates.
