Rio Salado College and Northland Pioneer College Early Childhood Degree Partnership

NACCTEP Now welcomes Ms. Rene' Manning from Rio Salado College's undergraduate Early Childhood Program and Dr. Allison Landy from Northland Pioneer College's Early Childhood Program to jointly discuss the seamless pathway they've developed for students to earn a Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education. Through this partnership, students who complete an Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education at Rio Salado College can apply to and seamlessly transfer 100% of their credits into Northland Pioneer College's Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education program to complete their studies. With no loss of credits and no need to retake courses, the first cohort of students has been able to complete the BAS in just four semesters.

Not only is this an effective way to address the continuing shortage of teachers in early childhood, it is also a leading example of how transfers between community colleges and other institutions can painlessly benefit students.