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Inclusion Credential

Every child deserves to feel welcome, to belong, and to participate fully. Working with children who have disabilities and special health care needs presents unique opportunities — and sometimes unique challenges. The Maine Inclusion Credential supports practitioners in building the skills, knowledge, resources, and attitudes to work confidently and effectively with all children in inclusive environments.This credential is built around three dimensions of quality inclusive practice: access — removing physical barriers and ensuring every child and family feels welcome; participation — ensuring all children take part in routines and activities and feel they belong; and support — creating program policies, staff training, and family collaboration that sustain inclusion over time.Earning the Maine Inclusion Credential benefits you as a professional, the program you work in, and the families and children you serve.

The credential is built around competency areas specific to inclusive practice:

  • Foundations of quality inclusive practices — access, participation, and support
  • Relevant laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Background, philosophy, and beliefs about inclusion
  • Child development and learning
  • Understanding children with disabilities and special health care needs
  • Curriculum, assessment, instruction, and learning environments
  • Universal design and the continuum of adaptations and modifications
  • Individualizing for children with disabilities and special health care needs
  • Building relationships with children and families
  • Building inclusive communities
  • Family-centered practices
  • Professionalism — personal and professional awareness, ethical practices, and self-care

Complete all of the following:

  • Your Professional Development Portfolio
  • Supporting Inclusion: Laws and Practices OR Foundations of Inclusion: Relevant Laws, Featuring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Foundations of Universal Design and Individualizing
  • Collaborating with Others to Support Inclusion
  • Positive Supports and Challenging Behavior

Choose one general inclusive practice training:

  • Inclusive Child Care (recommended for birth through kindergarten settings)
  • Creating Inclusive Youth Development Settings (recommended for out-of-school time programs)
  • Creating Inclusive Preschool Settings (recommended for public Pre-K through 3rd grade)

If you completed required training more than ten years ago or have comparable training from another source, you may apply for an alternative pathway.

Before applying, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Active membership in the Maine Roads to Quality Registry
  • High school diploma, GED, or HiSet
  • At least 480 hours of documented experience working or volunteering with children and/or youth within the past five years
  • Completion of required MRTQ PDN training within ten years of your application date

Education Requirements

  • Option 1 — Current credential: Hold a current Child Development Associate (CDA), Maine Infant Toddler Credential, Maine Preschool Credential, Maine Youth Development Credential, or Maine Director Credential.
  • Option 2 — Degree: Hold an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field. Contact MRTQ PDN to confirm whether your degree qualifies.

If approved, your credential is valid for three years. Renewal requires 45 contact hours of training OR a 3.0 credit college course covering a topic related to early childhood education, early childhood special education, or disability studies. Initial credentials renew after three years; subsequent renewals every five years.

  • January 15 — notified by February 28
  • April 15 — notified by May 31
  • July 15 — notified by August 31
  • October 15 — notified by November 30

Questions?

Contact our credentialing team at mrtq.credentials@maine.edu or 1-888-900-0055.