特殊教育和教育领导力部提供的这项非教学认可计划旨在使毕业生为与残疾家庭和残疾儿童或处于危险中的非学校环境/计划中的学生做好准备。这个严格的专业结合了特殊教育和幼儿阶段的内容。在整个计划中，学生将发展技能，使他们能够综合发展知识，评估，循证干预，家庭系统以及他们在其中工作以支持儿童和家庭的法律/社会/政治背景。
Early childhood education is a branch of education that relates to the teaching of children (formally and informally) from birth to eight years old. Knowledge of developmental changes during early childhood and the subjects being taught in an early childhood classroom are important for early childhood educators. Teacher certification is common, but not part of every program. There are further specializations in the field for working with students who are at-risk for developmental delay and disability.<br><br>This non-teaching endorsement program offered through the Department of Special Education and Education Leadership was designed to prepare graduates to work with families and children with disabilities or at-risk in a variety of non-school based settings/programs. This rigorous major combines content in Special Education with that in Early Childhood. Throughout the program, students develop skills that enable them to synthesize knowledge of development, assessment, evidence based intervention, family systems, and the legal/social/political context in which they work with the goal of supporting children and families.