GRAMBLING, La. (AP) — Grambling State University plans to launch a new degree program that will equip future educators with the skills to teach children literacy in reading, math and science.
The News-Star reports (http://tnsne.ws/15M2Mh3 ) the Board of Regents on Thursday approved GSU’s proposal to offer a Bachelor of Science degree program in child development and early literacy.
Connie Walton, GSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the degree will be unlike other child development and early literacy programs in the state.
“This is a unique degree for the state in that it focuses on literacy in three areas — reading, math and science,” she said. “Most of the other programs are general child development programs. This is taking it a step further.”
Walton said the goal is to admit the first students into the program this fall.
According to the university’s proposal, the program, with the intent of closing achievement gaps, will teach students how to assist the development of socio-economically disadvantaged children.
Closing these gaps, Walton said, will result in an increase in the educational attainment of the Louisiana adult population.
She said there is much need for introducing science and math to children at a young age because it will spark children’s interest in the subjects and help narrow achievement discrepancies with respect to gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity.
“This program will have a huge impact because if you look at some of the state and national data, we’re really lagging behind in the literacy or achievement of students in science and math,” she said. “This program is going to hopefully address some of those gaps.”
The degree will be replacing the existing Associate of Science degree in child development and the existing Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood education grades PK-3.
Walton said students in the new degree program can concentrate in early childhood education grades PK-3. The program will be housed in the College of Arts and Sciences and administered by the department of family and consumer services.
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Information from: The News-Star, http://www.thenewsstar.com
