Five Core Content Levels S19
Within the Kentucky Early Childhood Core Content, competencies are differentiated based on Levels. Each Level builds upon itself and what you level your training will depend on the current knowledge and/or education level of your participants.
Level I
Represents knowledge and skills across all seven content areas for professionals at the initial level, which includes entry into the field. At Level I, trainees will have a basic understanding of Early Childhood and may have a Commonwealth Child Care Credential and/or high school diploma.
Level II
Represents knowledge and skills across all seven content areas for professionals. At this level, trainees may be lead teachers or administrators with increased knowledge of Early Childhood and may have a Child Development Associate’s Credential (CDA).
Level III
Represents knowledge and skills across all content areas for professionals. At this level, trainees will have increased experience in Early Childhood which may also include a CDA to an Associate’s Degree.
Level IV
Represents knowledge and skills across all content areas for professionals. At this level, trainees have an increased understanding of Early Childhood which allows them to be able to collaborate and ensure higher quality and may have a Bachelor’s Degree.
Level V
Represents knowledge and skills across all content areas for professionals. At this level, trainees have an in depth understanding of Early Childhood that enables them to analyze and evaluate higher quality and may have a Master’s Degree or higher.
As a person gains more experience and education he or she gains more confidence and competence. For example Person A, just out of high school, will be at a different skill level than Person B who has a 2 year degree and 4 years’ experience in the Early Childhood field. Person B will be at a different skill level from Person C who has a 4 year degree and 10 years’ experience in the Early Childhood field.
To create training that meets the specific needs of each early care and education professional, Core Content starts with basic entry level competencies (Level I) and advances to higher level competencies (Level II, III, IV and V).
Level I competencies are a prerequisite to Level II competencies; Level II competencies are a prerequisite to Level III, and so on.
Individual competencies build on one another across these 5 levels.
This chart below lists verbs used to describe the competencies at all 5 levels of Core Content.
Notice that while there is some overlap among levels there is also a progressive increase in the skills and knowledge needed at successive levels. This verb chart is a helpful visual showing the overlap that occurs as one gains knowledge and skills. Each higher level builds on the past level with an upward progression of knowledge and skills required at each successive level.
Take a few moments and carefully read this chart.
