Pathway to Permit
If you are looking for a quick on-ramp to get to work, then our Pathway to Permit Program is for you. This program is a quick way to attain the knowledge, skills, and permit required to enter the workforce. You can quickly take four specific Child Studies courses and enter the workforce. If you’re not sure where to begin to become a teacher, then this pathway is your first step.
California Child Development Permit Information
- California has created a Child Development career ladder that consist of different levels of permits that pave the way for you to start out as a teacher assistant, become a teacher, and then possibly a director. The permits satisfies the Department of Social Services Title 22 Community Care Licensing requirements as well as the California Department of Education Title 5 child development coursework requirements.
- California Child Development Permit Matrices are a quick, one page view of the educational and experience requirements for all the permit levels
- Detailed explanation of the requirements for each of the levels of the Child Development Permit can be found here
West Valley Child Studies courses and degrees that qualify for a permit
- New Certificate Coming Fall 2025: Child Development Permit Preparation Certificate
- Permit Alignment with Child Studies Courses
Funding for Permits
- Child Studies Department currently has funding to pay for West Valley students to obtain their permit through June 2025
- Child Studies Checklist for Child Development Permit Application
ESL Pathway to Permit Program
You can learn English while going to college with our partnerships with Adult Education Schools. This is a quick on ramp to become a teacher and gainemployment. The Bay Area desperately needs teachers who look like and speak the same language as the children in our classrooms.
We use an IBEST model in which we provide support to students through co-teaching with a Child Studies instructor and an ESL instructor. Students will complete four courses in one year and complete the requirements for a child development permit. Students learn in the same cohort with their classmates throughout the year. Currently, 2024-2025 school year, we have a grant to pay for tuition and textbooks.
Requirements to enter the program for Adult Education School Students
- ESL learners at level 5 or 6
- Complete a reading and writing assessment
- California resident
Current ESL Programs
- Fall 2024-2025 Overfelt Adult School. Program is full, and we are not accepting new students.
- Fall 2025-2026 We are currently seeking funding for another cohort
Contact laurie.dotsonFREEWEST_VALLEY for more information