Child care licensing minimally requires a director of a small center (12 or fewer children) to have a Certificate of Completion from the Vermont Apprenticeship Program, which consists of 9 semester hours in early childhood and 9 semester hours in program administration. In addition to minimal licensing requirements, the competency-based Program Director Credential requires 21 semester hours in early childhood education and program management with two equivalency options. Principal licensure requires a master’s degree and 3 years of teaching experience. Principal certification is pre-K-12 but neither pre-K coursework nor teaching experience is required. The statewide QRIS is a points-based system and the administrator’s qualifications are combined with those of the teaching staff. Program administrators in school-based pre-K programs are required to have a master’s degree, but administrators in community-based programs are required to be licensed.There are two leadership degree programs in Vermont, offered by Champlain College.
