Check requirements for your level of certification
Certification eligibility depends on educational degree(s), coursework, and work experience. Each certification level has its own eligibility requirements.
- Teacher eligibility requirements
- Lead Teacher eligibility requirements
- Director eligibility requirements
Your application must include documents proving that you meet these requirements. You'll need to apply again if your documents are missing or unclear.
Gather your required documents
High school diploma (only applies if you're under 21)
If you're under 21, you must submit your high school diploma (or equivalent).
Official transcript
Your official college transcript must clearly show:
- College/university name and seal
- Registrar's signature
- All course names and credits received
- Degree earned (if applicable)
If your transcript is from an institution outside the United States, it must be evaluated and translated into English by a credential evaluation service. When submitting your application, you must include:
- The original transcript
- A copy of your diploma/degree
- The credential evaluation
Verification of Work Experience Form
A completed Verification of Work Experience Form must include:
- Exact dates you've worked (MM/DD/YYYY)
- Total hours worked
- Address of the state-licensed facility you've worked at
- Age group you've worked with
- Signature by your program's EEC director or EEC lead teacher
- Must be the same name as what's listed on their certification
Additional documents
If you have any of the following documents, include them with your application:
- A diploma from an approved Ch. 74 high school child care program
- Must include an official transcript and recommendation letter
- A copy of your Pre-K - 2 or Pre-K - 3 license from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
- Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential approved by the Council for Professional Recognition
- Montessori Certificate approved by MACTE
- Must include an official transcript and congratulatory letter
- Early Intervention Specialist Certificate from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Continuing Education Unit (CEU) course certificates from MAAEYC, NAEYC, or ChildCare Education Institute only
- StrongStart courses don't apply
- Professional Development Points or workshop attendance verification are not substitutes for CEUs and won’t be accepted
Apply for your certification
Once you've collected all your documents, you can begin the online application.
The application takes 5-10 minutes to complete. You'll be asked to:
- Provide your personal and contact information
- Upload your official transcript
- Upload your completed Verification of Work Experience Form
- Upload additional documents, as needed
Once submitted, you'll get a confirmation email from EEC with a record of your submission.
Contact
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| Date published: | March 7, 2025 |
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| Last updated: | March 7, 2025 |