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TEACH Early Childhood Pennsylvania® Celebrates 141 Graduating Scholars!
On June 10, 2026, the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) in partnership with the Start Strong PA campaign honored 141 TEACH scholarship graduates from Summer and Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters in a virtual graduation celebration. More than 100 TEACH scholars, sponsoring child care centers, higher education partners, and legislators attended the event.
TEACH offers early learning professionals a debt-free college education, supporting them while they work to become stronger teachers and earn thriving wages. In addition to significant financial assistance, TEACH provides comprehensive supports that ensure scholar’s academic and professional success and keep them working in the early learning field.
Funding for TEACH comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). TEACH is administered by PACCA.
“Each of you represent the very best of what our Early Childhood workforce can be,” said Shante A. Brown, Deputy Secretary of OCDEL. “By pursuing higher education, you are not only strengthening your own skills and knowledge, but you are also strengthening the future of our Commonwealth. Every single day you are shaping the foundation of a child’s life. The TEACH program represents something very special—an understanding that when we invest in educators, when we invest in children and families, we invest in the future of Pennsylvania.”
“TEACH has had such an impact on my personal and professional life,” said Amy Hixson, a preschool teacher at Frock Childcare Learning Center and newly minted TEACH graduate with a bachelor’s in ECE and PreK Teaching Certification. “Going to school made me a more confident teacher. I see myself now as a true professional. I would not have been able to do any of this without TEACH”
TEACH is a shared investment between scholarship recipients, employers, and TEACH funders. Employers pay a portion of tuition, provide paid release time for classes and issue a stipend or raise at the end of each program year. In return, scholars commit to working for their employer at least one year after graduation, creating a more stable workforce. Last year, TEACH supported 956 scholars who earned an average of 13-14 credits and increased their wages by 11%; 95% remained with their employers.
“After the challenges child care programs faced in recent years, today is a powerful testament to the passion and perseverance of our field,” said Diane Barber, Executive Director of PACCA. “It reflects the dedication of our TEACH sponsor organizations and deep commitment of our early educators—not just to the children and families they serve, but to our communities. Child care is not just an essential service. It’s the workforce behind the workforce, supporting businesses in all other industries!”
Raechel O’Neal Coates, Director of Friends Child Care Center, which sponsored six TEACH graduates this year, said: “Education matters. The more teachers learn, the more it shows in their work. We see stronger classroom environments, deeper relationships with families, greater confidence and more intentional teaching practices. Just as importantly, higher levels of education create pathways for teachers to advance professionally and increase their earning potential. In a field where we are all working to recruit and retain talented educators, programs like TEACH recognize the value of early childhood professionals by supporting both their growth and their long-term careers.”
Tiffany Tucker, owner/operator of Tiffany’s Grow and Glow Family Child Care and recent TEACH graduate with an associate degree in ECE said: “I want to reiterate to our lawmaker that TEACH truly changes lives! It impacts the lives of the adults who are brave enough to return to school, pursue their dreams and grow professionally. But it also impacts the lives of the children and families we serve every day. When you invest in early educators, you invest in children, families and communities.”
View the event program HERE:
View the June 10, 2026 event recording HERE: