The Early Childhood Program at Boynton Beach Community High School focuses on broad, transferable skills and stresses understanding and demonstration of the following elements. Planning, management, finance, technical and production skills, underlying principles of technology, labor, community, health, safety, environmental issues and developmentally appropriate practices for children from birth through age eight. The program consists of 600 hours, with four occupational completion points which results in the issuance of a Florida Department of Education Early Childhood Professional Certificate(ECPC). Instruction and learning activities are provided in a laboratory setting using hands-on experience with equipment and materials appropriate to the program content with  standards in the field. Activities provide instruction in the use of manipulative equipment; language development; creative arts; music; science; dramatic play; developmentally appropriate practices; brain research; classroom management; and established early childhood/child development competencies. Students in the Early Childhood Academy will potentially earn 9 college credits at Palm Beach State College upon the completion of all 4 levels.