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Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 2)

Program Overview

Welcome to the Western Illinois University Para Pathway, designed to provide high-quality educational workforce members working with children from birth to Grade 2 access to pursue licensure and/or credentials in Early Childhood Education. The courses are offered online in either an asynchronous or synchronous format (synchronous courses are held in the evening hours). We have created flexible options to ensure an equitable experience, allowing workforce members to remain employed in their current placements as long as their placement aligns with their licensure pathway, meets ISBE requirements, and both the employer and workforce member are willing to collaborate with us to ensure successful program completion.

If you are interested in adding endorsement(s) to your teaching license, you can take additional courses during or after completing your degree requirements.

We offer two options: 1) the Licensure option and 2) Non-licensure option. Both options lead to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Education in Elementary Education with an option of Early Childhood Education.

Early Childhood Licensure (Student teaching)	Early Childhood Non-licensure (Internship)
Illinois Professional Educator Licence (PEL) (Birth to 2nd grade) Early Childhood Special Education Approval (for PreK) ESL Approval (for PreK) Gateways ECE credential level 5	Gateways ECE credential Level 5 Gateways IT credential level 5 Illinois Director credential Level 1 Choice to pursue Developmental Therapist Credential

Eligibility

• Verifiable employment in a school or early care and education setting, including home/family based childcare, in a position that directly supports children from birth to Grade 2
• At least one year of work experience working with children from birth to Grade 2 in a school or early care and education setting
• Ability and willingness to attend asynchronous and synchronous courses
• Transfer GPA of a 2.0 or above or high school diploma/ high school equivalency for those that are new to higher education

Application

Application  

• Complete your undergraduate (transfer) application linked below. 
  • • Admissions - Undergraduate Application for Admission: Account Creation & Login (wiu.edu)
    • If you live closest to the Quad Cities, you will choose Quad Cities Campus. If you live closest to Macomb, you will choose Macomb campus. Regardless of the campus that you choose, you will not be required to come to a campus to participate in classes but choose the appropriate campus and DO NOT CHOOSE ONLINE because your block and student teaching should be completed in person.
    • Note : Please select the Elementary Education drop down first and then select the Early Childhood dropdown box next. 
• Immediately send all official transcripts that you have from any institution (including any from WIU) to the following email: admissions@wiu.edu or they can be mailed to: Undergraduate Admissions, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455.
  • Note : The schools you have attended will have that information on your website. If you can’t find the right spot, try putting “your former school name + transcripts” into the Google search bar.
• Please complete the Google Forms linked below to give us preliminary information that will help us get things moving. These two should be completed immediately. 
  • ECH potential para student information (must be completed by you)
    • https://forms.gle/8pWxNZGgDCoc16447
  • ECH para employment verification (must be completed by the building administrator, supervisor, center director or Human Resources representative ) 
    • https://forms.gle/DcYm8wrxvvSaJWZLA

Teacher Education Program (TEP) Requirements

Teacher Education Program (TEP) Requirements

Candidates should have all requirements for the Teacher Education Program (TEP) completed within two semesters after starting the para program. (See TEP HANDBOOK ). 

1. Create an ELIS Account .
2. Submission of an acceptable Reflective Paper . Candidates must submit their first reflective paper to the program coordinator ( by-lee@wiu.edu ). 
3. Complete the State-mandated Safety Training through Western Online:
   1. 1. Log on to Western Online
      2. On the homepage, click on the Tools dropdown in the purple navigation bar.
      3. Choose Self Registration.
      4. Click on the Teacher Education Program Safety Training link.
      5. Click the Register button and follow the prompts:
         1. Submit
         2. Finish
         3. Done
         4. You will be sent back to the Western Online homepage. Select the Teacher Education Program Safety Training Workshop and follow the prompts to complete the training.
4. Complete the English Language Learner modules http://www.wiu.edu/ell .
5. Once you complete all the above, please contact your advisor to complete the TEP application form ( https://www.wiu.edu/coehs/teacher/advising/tep_application.pdf )

Financial Assistance Opportunities (updated in March, 2025)

Financial Assistance Opportunities (updated in March, 2025)

• FAFSA ( Federal Student Aid)
  • https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/pdf/2025-2026
  • Applying for Financial Aid with the FAFSA form Video https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out
  • You will want to have your social security number available. It will ask you if you want to login to your IRS account to have your tax information shared with FAFSA. It is much easier if you say yes to that option. The WIU school code for WIU is 001780.

• MAP
  • If you are an Illinois student who is not eligible for federal financial aid (and do not file the FAFSA), you may apply for a State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant using the online Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, which is patterned after the FAFSA. For more information, visit the Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page of this website, and talk with your high school counselor or the financial aid office. 

• ECACE 

• • https://www.isac.org/ECACEscholarship - must be employed or previously employed as a workforce member in Kindergarten and below in public school or community based early care and education.

• Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship 

• • Scholarship - Gateways to Opportunity (ilgateways.com) - must be employed in a Preschool for All program designated by ISBE or a Care for children in an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) licensed program
• Golden Apple- https://www.goldenapple.org/become-a-teacher
• Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program- https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/minority-teachers-of-illinois-mti-scholarship-program.html
• Grow Your Own Teachers- https://growyourownteachers.org/application-process

• Great River Teacher Corps- https://www.wiu.edu/coehs/grtc/

 

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