As of the fall semester of 2002, Idaho colleges and universities began to offer a new certification for early childhood teachers. The Blended certificate is a new, exciting undergraduate program that focuses on the skills needed to effectively teach every young child between birth and grade three. The Blended Certificate program combines general early education and early special education teacher training into one four-year undergraduate teacher preparation program now offered at Idaho's state universites. CSI's Early Childhood Program meets the standards for two-year colleges, prior to transfer to university programs.