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# SMC graduates a new kind of student
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-graduates-a-new-kind-of-student/
- Published: 2003-05-23T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:09:44.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Responding to an enormous need for pre-school teachers and paraprofessionals with specialized skills in working with children with disabilities, Santa Monica College will graduate in June its first class of students from a new program that provides such specialization.

Graduation ceremonies will be held June 17 at SMC, which is just one of six community colleges statewide to offer the training.

Twenty students will receive special certificates, along with their Associate of Arts degrees, that will give them entry into one of the fastest growing occupations in California.

The students have been trained to work with children with disabilities at public and private schools, at child care centers, with families and at a wide range of early childhood education facilities. The children’s disabilities include a variety of developmental challenges, including physical, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for these teachers and assistants with the specialized training are expected to grow 50 percent by 2008 in California. Studies indicate the need is especially acute in the Los Angeles area.

The SMC program, which is officially called “early intervention” teacher or “early intervention” assistant, was started in 2002\. Students have to take the regular early childhood education curriculum as well as three special education classes, one of which includes 90 hours of internship in an early intervention setting.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 23, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052303.pdf?ref=smdp.com)