This list is for informational purposes only. No official endorsement of any practice, publication, program, or individual by the TECPDS is intended or is to be interred. Online programs, course offerings, and Web page addresses change frequently, so the information contained on this page may have already changed. Please check with your local and state licensing agency to be sure the resource you are interested in will meet your licensing requirements.
Texas Career Pathway/Lattice
The Texas Early Learning Council developed a career pathway (previously known as the career lattice) for early childhood professionals in Texas, published in 2012. Also known as a career ladder or career lattice, the career pathway relates a professional’s training hours, education, work experience, and other factors to a position on the career pathway, from entry-level to expertise in the early childhood field. Additionally, professionals can advance levels on the career pathway by gaining more professional experience, or obtaining additional education credentials, such as a Child Development Associate (CDA) degree, Bachelor’s degree, or beyond. Ideally, professionals will use this information to guide their professional development in the future and market themselves to employers and parents.
TECPDS Professional Development Self-Assessments
Use the TECPDS professional development self-assessments for your personal professional development planning, and to support your staff! Align your professional development to the Texas Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners and Administrators, identify gaps, and plan your next professional development opportunities.
Sector-Specific Professional Development Requirements
- Child Care: Child Care Minimum Standards
- Head Start/Early Head Start: Head Start Program Performance Standards and Other Regulations
- Head Start/Early Head Start: HS/EHS Training and Technical Assistance Center
Content-Specific Resources
Featuring resources from TECPDS and our partners.
Colleges/Universities offering Early Childhood or Child Development Degree & Certification Programs
- T.E.A.C.H. Directory of Early Childhood Programs at Texas Colleges and Universities
- Resources developed by the Texas Early Learning Council:
- Texas Early Childhood Education Degree Articulation Toolkit (published 2013, updated 2017)
- Texas Higher Education Capacity and Effectiveness Survey (completed 2013)
Online Training Resources
- CLI Engage: free, online training for infant, toddler, and preschool teachers.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: now integrated with TECPDS accounts for automatic certificate transfer.
- Camp Fire USA
- Collaborative for Children
Funding Opportunities
- Campbell’s Labels for Education
- NEA Foundation Grants
- T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood TEXAS Scholarship Program
Parents of Children with Disabilities: Resources and Information
- Navigate Life Texas– This website is especially for families and parents of children with disabilities or special health-care needs and is designed to offer support, inspiration, resources, and links to services available.
- Parent Companion (First Five Years)– Finding Services and Resources in Texas
- Texas Child Care Solutions– Collected state resources for families
Early Childhood Education is a diverse field, explore the Career Directory to find out about career pathways in the early childhood education field. To learn more about career pathways and opportunities click the link to access the full guide.