In order to meet the Head Start Performance Standard and meet the need for quality home visiting employees and services to children and families. The Nebraska Head Start Association has developed a credential based on the Nebraska Department of Education, approved equivalent for Home Visitors in Early Childhood Programs.
Head Start Performance Standard, 1302.91(e)(6)(i) Staff Qualifications and Competency Requirements
A program must ensure home visitors providing home-based education services:
Have a minimum of a home-based CDA credential or comparable credential, or equivalent coursework as part of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Nebraska Department of Education, Rule 11- Regulation for Early Childhood Education Programs contains the following regulation concerning the preparation of home visitors:
005.056C6 Home Visitor. The prekindergarten program may employ a home visitor in a program who provides family development and support services under the direction of a teacher. The home visitor shall have received at least twelve (12) semester hours of undergraduate or graduate credit in child development/early childhood education, or the equivalent in prior training or experience as determined by the Commissioner or his or her designee. Please see attachment to this credential for further information or equivalencies etc. as defined by Rule 11.
The Nebraska Department of Education does not have the statutory authority to provide a credential, their authority only grants them the access to review the portfolio of information compiled and give a complete or incomplete to the presented information as outlined in the attachment.
As such in Nebraska a credential is needed to show competency and qualifications to meet both Rule 11 and Head Start Performance Standards in Nebraska.
The following checklist was developed and will be utilized to meet this credentialing process:
- A program will send the completed credentialing checklist to the Nebraska Head Start Association for their review and if acceptable approval. At that time a credential will be issued to the person named in the application and a copy of the credential will be sent to the person and the program.
- A database of these credentials will be kept on file with the Nebraska Head Start Association.
- All supporting documentation of the credential and the credential itself will be kept at the program for use as needed to meet Head Start Performance Standards with access by only programs and credential holders.
The NeHSA education committee will meet annually to review the credentialing process and update or change as needed to maintain the highest standards for home visitors working in Head Start/Early Head Start programs across the State of Nebraska