THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994 TAG: 9406110301
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: D1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: 940611 LENGTH: CHAPEL HILL
The Board of Governors authorized the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to establish a baccalaureate program in Child Development and Family Studies. Appalachian State University was authorized to establish a program called Child Development: Birth Through Kindergarten.
{REST} Officials cited the state's Smart Start early childhood education and development program as one reason such degree programs are needed.
The programs could help fulfill the commitments of Smart Start, such as training more professionals qualified to work with young children and their families, officials said.
The proposed program at UNC-Chapel Hill will encompass education, psychology, sociology, social work, public health, allied health, nursing and medicine.
The program at ASU is focused in part on helping children with disabilities. The authorization report noted that the state's public schools are responsible for educating more than 7,000 3- and 4-year-old children with disabilities.
``These programs will go a long way toward helping us provide the trained professionals in early childhood development that we need across the state,'' said Lynne Garrison, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Resources. ``Numerous studies have proven the importance of these crucial early years in the later success of children in schools.''
Garrison also offered the help of Smart Start officials.
``We would certainly be interested in a partnership effort between Smart Start and the universities to directly involve these students in Smart Start efforts and hopefully, as a result, keep them in North Carolina once they graduate from school.''
by CNB