EO Center Resource Alert

Early On Center for Higher Education

This collection of recorded program spotlights was developed to help current and prospective students, early childhood professionals, and career changers learn more about the endorsement pathways available across Michigan.

Representatives from higher education institutions throughout the state share brief overviews of their B–K ZN endorsement programs, highlighting program structure, delivery formats, partnerships, and unique features. Presenters also discuss potential career opportunities supported by the endorsement, including roles in Early Intervention/Early On, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), and other early childhood settings.

Early On Center for Higher Education

This quick-reference tip sheet answers common questions about the ZN endorsement, including eligibility, preparation program requirements, clinical experience, the MTTC, funding opportunities, and how the ZN compares with the existing ZS endorsement.

Early On Center for Higher Education

Faculty can invite family members and Early On professionals to share their experiences with students through the EO Center for Higher Education’s Sharing Our Stories and Voices of Early Intervention initiative. Presentations are available in person or virtually and can be tailored to your course. Topics may include family experiences, the IFSP, family-centered assessment, the Early On process, careers in early intervention, and the role of early intervention professionals.

This resource is free for faculty and offers students a meaningful opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences.

Opening the Pipeline of Talent into Michigan's Special Education (OPTIMISE)

OPTIMISE’s Early Childhood resource is a great place to explore career possibilities in early childhood special education and early intervention. Learn about different career pathways, Michigan education and endorsement options, college programs, and financial support opportunities—all designed to help you take the next step toward a career supporting young children and their families.

The field of early intervention offers a broad array of career opportunities including developmental specialists, service coordinators, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, infant mental health specialists, and more. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federal regulations requires states to have policies and procedures to ensure that qualified personnel are available to support the early intervention system for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

This resource includes a competencies framework and an assessment tool to measure a set of priority competencies in pre-service students who are preparing to work with infants and toddlers with special needs. These tools are designed for instructors and trainers teaching the pre-service infant/toddler workforce and could be used for practitioners to engage in self-reflection.

A unified vision outlining essential content knowledge and practical skills for entry-level early childhood educators in Michigan, detailing what they should know, understand, and demonstrate in their teaching practices. These standards capture the profile of a well-prepared beginning teacher, equipped to support and respond to the holistic needs of young children.

The first stand-alone standards to focus specifically on the preparation of EI/ECSE professionals who work with young children ages birth through eight years who have or are at-risk for developmental delays and disabilities and their families in homes, classrooms, and other community settings.

These standards support the growth and development of all children throughout the state, birth to kindergarten; to support early childhood professionals in recognizing individual developmental trajectories and expressions of learning, and to guide programs toward the highest quality in their operations.

This set of standards and competencies describe what early childhood educators should know and be able to do. As such, there is a core body of knowledge, skills, values, and dispositions that early childhood educators must demonstrate to effectively promote the development, learning, and well-being of all young children.

Encourage your students and recent graduates to explore job opportunities from employers across Michigan. Our job board features current openings in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Early Childhood fields—perfect for those seeking their first position or next career step.

(Note: If you’re an employer looking to post a job, please email the link to eotweb@edzone.net.)

The Central Directory includes a category specifically for Early Intervention Research in Michigan. Click the category to discover current projects, reports, and research focused on Michigan’s youngest learners.