The Inclusive Early Childhood Education (IEC) Program at Bowling Green State University is a revolutionary program in the state of Ohio that offers an extensive curriculum to prepare candidates for undergraduate teacher education. This professional collaboration includes joint planning and co-teaching of courses, modeling best practices in early childhood and early childhood special education classrooms today. The IEC program combines the best practices of early childhood education with special early childhood education. Candidates for BGSU teacher education programs enjoy a variety of useful resources including the Education Building Technology and Resource Center, as well as the Jerome Library Curricular Resource Center.
The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparedness (CAEP) and is in good standing. Investing in early childhood development has numerous benefits, such as preventing achievement gaps, reducing the need for special education, increasing the likelihood of healthier lifestyles, reducing the crime rate, and decreasing overall social costs. These rules replace previous versions of the Ohio Early Childhood Education Standards and represent a collaboration between state agencies that serve young children, including the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Department of Labor and Family Services, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, and the Governor's Office of Health Transformation. Graduates of the BGSU program will be able to teach young children with and without disabilities in inclusive settings. The Inclusive Early Childhood Education program is nationally recognized by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).In conclusion, Bowling Green State University's Inclusive Early Childhood Education program provides an excellent opportunity for those interested in teaching young children with and without disabilities in inclusive settings. The comprehensive curriculum combines best practices from early childhood education with special early childhood education to prepare students to work in inclusive learning environments.
