Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education (AAS) is offered at:

• Aspen
• Breckenridge
• Carbondale
• Dillon
• Glenwood Springs
• Leadville
• Rifle
• Salida
• Spring Valley
• Steamboat Springs
• Vail Valley at Edwards

If you live closer to a campus that is not listed above, you may be able to take some classes locally. Contact your campus for more information.

The ◆ Early Childhood Teacher Education Emphasis (AA) is offered at:

• Aspen
• Breckenridge
• Carbondale
• Dillon
• Glenwood Springs
• Leadville
• Rifle
• Salida
• Spring Valley at Glenwood Springs
• Steamboat Springs
• Vail Valley at Edwards

If you live closer to a campus that is not listed above, you may be able to take some classes locally. Contact your campus for more information.

The Early Childhood Education program’s curriculum gives students the necessary skills for success in the field of educating young children. Students will be able to responsively meet the needs of the community and provide quality early childhood experiences for children and families.

1. Acquire understanding of young children’s development and learning in order to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children.
2. Proficient knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities in order to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and to involve families in their children’s development and learning.
3. Proficient understanding of the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. Students will acquire hands-on knowledge of using systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence children’s development and learning.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of respectful approaches to guiding young children toward self-direction and self-regulation. Provide children with skills to develop a sense of connectedness and belonging with other children and adults, to resolve conflicts, and to solve the challenges they encounter.
5. Understand content in early education and build meaningful curriculum.
6. Knowledge and use of ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. Students will be continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. Students will be informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
7. Able to utilize skills to plan budgets and hire and maintain staff.
8. Able to evaluate their program in the context of minimal standards of licensing regulations and know the guidelines and professional standards relating to the Early Childhood Education field.

Colorado Mountain College Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is an approved Career & Technical Education program.

Number of Program Completers

Program Completion Rate

Average GPA of Early Childhood Education AAS Degree Majors