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T.E.A.C.H.
T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) works to improve the quality of early childhood care and education programs for children by working to improve education, compensation and commitment. T.E.A.C.H. sponsors the Early Childhood KANSAS Project, which is an educational scholarship opportunity for family child care providers and staff working in child care centers. Our Goals To improve the quality of early childhood care and education, in child care centers and family child care homes. To increase the educational level of child care givers. To increase compensation of child care givers. To decrease the turnover rate of child care providers. To promote individual professional development. To create a model of partnership for improving the quality of Kansas child care programs. Criteria used to award scholarships Scholarships are awarded on the basis of need and commitment to the early childhood field. Child care center staff working with children in a licensed center, or any licensed or registered family child care provider meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply for scholarship: A minimum number of hours of employment in a licensed or registered early childhood program is required. A high school diploma or GED Make a wage of less than $14.45 per hour. Do not currently hold a degree in Early Childhood Education. The educational level of his/her caregivers is one of the most critical indicators of the quality of a child's experience in child care. The project assists caregivers in going back to school to gain more education. The project also addresses two important issues: the low wage of child care providers, and the high turnover rate in the child care field. These issues are addressed by increasing compensation to caregivers with more education and requiring participants to remain in child care for an additional time period following their training.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE (CDA) PROGRAM
The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition operates the Child Development Associate (CDA) credentialing program as a major national effort to improve the quality of child care. Focusing on the skills of the child care providers, the program is designed to provide performance-based training, assessment, and credentialing of child care staff, family child care providers, and home visitors. Goals for competency in child care through CDA To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment To advance physical and intellectual competence To support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance To establish positive and productive relationships with families To ensure a well run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs To maintain a commitment to professionalism Do you qualify as a CDA Candidate? Personal Requirements Be 18 years or older Hold a high school diploma or the equivalent Be able to speak, read, and write well enough to fulfill the responsibility of a CDA Candidate Sign a statement of ethical conduct Educational Requirements Have 120 hours of formal child care training taken in the last five years from an agency or organization with expertise in early childhood teacher preparation Training must consist of at least 10 hours in each of eight subject areas: Plan a safe, healthy learning environment Steps to advance children's physical and intellectual development Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development Strategies to manage an effective program option Strategies to establish positive relationships with families Maintaining a commitment to professionalism Observing and recording children's behavior Principles of child growth and development Experience Requirements Must have 480 hours of experience within the last five years working with children in the designated setting in which you are applying for credentialing Setting Requirements Choose one of these settings: (bilingual options available) Center-Based Preschool Center-Based Infant/Toddler Family Child Care Home Home Visitor Steps in the CDA Process Meet eligibility requirements Apply for an information packet from the Council Prepare documentation: Formal observation by eligible CDA advisor Written competency statements and autobiography Professional resource collection Parent opinion questionnaires Submit Direct Assessment Application with assessment fee to the Council Be visited by CDA representative for the early childhood studies review and oral interview Be notified of Council scores of assessment

W.A.G.E.S.
Child Care WAGE$ KANSAS provides education-based salary supplements to teachers and family child care providers working with children between the ages of 0-5 who meet salary guidelines. The project is designed to provide young children more stable relationships with better educated teachers by rewarding teacher education and continuity of care. What are the goals of this project? To improve the quality of early childhood care and education in child care centers and family child care homes. To decrease the turnover rate of child care providers. To increase compensation of early childhood educators without increasing costs to parents. To increase the educational level of staff providing child care. To maintain marketplace competition for better salaries. To integrate and build upon other education and compensation initiatives. Salary supplements are awarded based on the level of education attained and after verification of employment following a six month commitment period. Child care teachers or family child care providers meeting the following criteria are eligible to apply for a salary supplement. Applicant must: work a minimum of 10 hours per week with children ages 0-5 in a licensed child care program. Make a wage of less than $14.45 per hour. Must have some formal child care credential or education beyond high school. Must work in an eligible or participating county. Child Care WAGE$ KANSAS is either funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation or as a collaborative effort between KACCRRA and your local Smart Start Partnership, which is awarded discretionary grant funding through the Kansas Children's Cabinet. For more information please contact: Kris Nicholson, Project Director toll free at 877-678-2548 or kris@kaccrra.org