The details
The grant will help fund consulting services and curriculum development for the degree program, as stated in the release.
The Bachelor of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching will serve early childhood-grade 3 and early childhood-grade 6. The degree is expected to launch in fall 2026 with an initial cohort of 150 students, pending approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as well as the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, per the release.
“About 12% of Texas teachers were uncertified in the 2024-25 school year—up from just 3.8% in 2019-20,” Seelpa Keshvala, LSC executive vice chancellor, academics, said in the release. “Lone Star College System is committed to equipping future educators with the training and expertise needed to thrive in the classroom. We’ll continue to work closely with our local school districts in these efforts."
The bachelor’s degree would become the fifth bachelor’s program in the college system’s offerings, which includes cybersecurity, emergency management, energy and trades management and nursing, according to the release.
What they’re saying
- “Education is the foundation for future success,” Nicole Robinson Gauthier, executive director of the Lone Star College Foundation, said in the release. “We are eager to see this expand opportunities for aspiring teachers who will encourage and empower the next generation.”
- “Every child deserves a well-prepared teacher, and that starts with strong, affordable pathways into the profession. Lone Star College System’s new bachelor’s degree in early childhood education is a smart, timely response to our region’s certified teacher shortage,” August Hamilton, education program director for Houston Endowment, said in the release. “By aligning with workforce needs and supporting future educators on their journey to certification, this program will help ensure more children in Greater Houston have the skilled teachers they need to thrive.”
