Quality Counts

Professional Development Resources

Build Professional Development Task Force

As part of the Build process, the state formed a Professional Development task force to develop a method to start a state-wide conversation regarding professional development as it related to early childhood education and care with a specific emphasis of supporting child care in this area. During the summer of 2004, the task force held forums around the state to elicit suggestions and ideas about what a high quality professional development system should look like for early childhood practitioners in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A total of 587 people attended 23 sessions throughout the state. Pennsylvania Build collaborated with partners from United Ways and their local partners.

• Download the Task Force Report, November 2004 (PDF)
  

The Build Initiative is designed to help states build a coordinated system of programs, policies and services that

• respond to the needs of families
• carefully use public and private resources
• effectively prepare young children for a successful future.
  

For more information on Pennsylvania Build, visit http://www.buildinitiative.org/synopsis_pa.html

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood^Ò PENNSYLVANIA Scholarship Program

T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood^ÒPENNSYLVANIA works with providers, colleges and child care staff to offer scholarship programs and support systems that improve the education and compensation of child care workers. T.E.A.C.H. obtains its funding through grants from businesses, foundations and government. By helping to increase professionalism, raise wages and reduce turnover of child care staff, this public-private partnership brings higher quality care to Pennsylvania’s children. T.E.A.C.H. offers scholarships for child care teachers and directors to attend classes towards a CDA, Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. T.E.A.C.H. is administered by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association.

Child care programs participating in Keystone Stars receive priority enrollment in T.E.A.C.H. As part of the Keystone Stars Quality Initiative, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is granting additional funding to enroll Stars centers into T.E.A.C.H. This means that T.E.A.C.H. applicants from Stars programs will receive priority in enrollment and could be attending classes in the Spring 2005 semester.

T.E.A.C.H. can help Stars programs meet an essential component of the Stars standards: staff education. As you know, every Star above Star 1 requires that a certain number of your staff be enrolled in or have completed CDA, AA or above in Early Childhood Education or a human services field. Through T.E.A.C.H., staff can attend classes towards a CDA or AA and continue to work.

Even if you aren’t participating in Stars, you may apply for a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. is continually enrolling applicants and new funding can become available at any time. If we have your application on file, we can contact you quickly when funding is available. For more information, visit the T.E.A.C.H. section of PACCA's website.

PACCA Annual Conference

PACCA conducts an annual conference each Fall for child care professionals, packed with education, exhibits, networking opportunities and fun for everyone. With our wide variety of sessions, there is something for everyone. This conference is an excellent educational opportunity for all child care professionals.

2008 Early Childhood Professional Development Summit - Keeping PA’s Promise to Children and Families: The Difference We Make!

The 2008 Early Childhood Education Summit is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and will be provided by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Pennsylvania Head Start Association, Pennsylvania Association Federal Program Coordinators, and the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning.

The Summit will be held October 20-22, 2008 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA. The committee is hard at work organizing this event. Information regarding exhibiting, sponsoring and registration will be available in February.

For more information, please visit http://www.earlychildhoodsummit.org/

PHEAA Loan Forgiveness Program - eligibility criteria expanded(posted 9/6/06)

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) recently adopted expanded eligibility criteria for its Quality Early Education Loan Forgiveness Program. These changes represent the hard work of the PA Office of Child Development and ECE advocacy groups to make sure that more early childhood professionals have access to the program.

The new eligibility requirements are

• You must be a Pennsylvania resident.
  
• You must have earned either a Bachelor’s Degree, OR an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field. If you did this between September 1, 2004 and December 31, 2006, you meet the initial eligibility requirement for the maximum benefit. (note: you no longer are required to have teacher certification in ECE)
  
• You must have one or more eligible, non-defaulted Federal Stafford loan(s) that are serviced, guaranteed, and owned by AES/PHEAA or outstanding AES/PHEAA serviced, guaranteed, and owned Consolidated loans, based on underlying PHEAA guaranteed Stafford Loans that are current and in good standing. The loan(s) proceeds must have been used to obtain the Bachelor’s or Associates Degree for Early Childhood Development.
  
• You must not be in default on any federally guaranteed student loan.
  
• You must be employed full-time by a Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare-approved child day-care center, family day-care home, group child day-care home, or Head Start program facility within six months of entering your Stafford loan grace period and must maintain such employment as of the date of each benefit payment to be made under the program. (note: family providers are now eligible for loan forgiveness.)
  
• Your gross annual income can not exceed $30,000 from employment in one of the institution types listed above. (note: this is an increase from the prior $23,000 income cap).
  

The newly adopted Resolution is for two years from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008 unless the Board takes action before or on June 30, 2008 to extend the program.

For more information and an application, call 1-800-233-0557, extension 5473 or visit http://www.pheaa.org/loanforgiveness/quality_early_education_loan.shtml

If you would like to speak to a Project Manager at the PA Key, please call Bernadine Ahonkhai at 717-213-2064.

NAEYC Offers Financial Assistance for Accreditation Fees

Beginning September 1, the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), through its Accreditation Scholarship Fund, is offering financial assistance to child care programs who are either renewing their NAEYC accreditation or applying for a new accredition (before 9/1, only programs applying for renewal were eligible for financial assistance.)

Accreditation Scholarship Program awards will be to subsidize and support the fees associated with

• the filing of Annual Reports,
• the required Validation Visit, and
• the Application fee for accredited programs entering Step 2 of the new accreditation system.

For more information on the scholarship and how to apply, you may download a fact sheet at http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/pdf/accreditation_scholarship_program.pdf or contact Cassandra Tseckares at CTseckares@naeyc.org

Other Professional Development Resources

• ECIC: Professionalism and Leadership - Member Access
• PA Department of Ed Summer Professional Development Workshops
• Professional Development (PA Keys Website)
• Child Care Professional Development Opportunities (PA Keys Website)
• Capital Area Early Childhood Training Institute
• Director's Core Credential (PA Keys website)
• How to obtain PA certification
• ECE Praxis Test - General Information (PDF)

Colleges and Universities with Early Childhood Education Degrees

You can view a list of colleges and universities that offer either a CDA, Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree or Director's Credential in Early Childhood Education or Child Development by visiting the T.E.A.C.H. section of PACCA's website for a list of participating colleges and universities.