The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has given approval for Ivy Tech Community College-Lafayette to offer an associate of science degree in education with a concentration in elementary education, beginning in the Fall 2006 semester. The program will also be offered at fourteen other Ivy Tech campuses including Kokomo. "Ivy Tech Community College's associate of science in education program will have a dramatic impact on economic and workforce development in Indiana," said Dr. Marnia Kennon, Ivy Tech Community College Vice President of Academic Affairs. "The Indiana Department of Workforce Development predicts that in the period of 2002-20012 there will be a total of 9,840 openings for elementary teachers and 9,560 openings for teacher assistants in Indiana."

The associate of science in education degree, being offered at most campuses beginning this fall, will prepare graduates to serve as teacher assistants or as elementary education teachers by transferring at the completion of the associate degree to an institution offering a bachelor's degree.

More information is available at www.laf.ivytech.edu.