The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood Workforce Scholarship Program

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program is an innovative public-private initiative that addresses low qualifications and high turnover in the childcare workforce by offering comprehensive scholarships and incentives for educators to pursue college degrees and credentials.

In the 1980s, during the time the T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship program was being formulated, only 12–15% of childcare workers had a college degree, and many lacked formal training in child development. In addition to low education levels, childcare workers also struggled with low wages, which made it difficult to attract and retain skilled educators. There was a need to break the cycle by helping educators advance their qualifications—meeting rising standards like universal pre-K—while also giving them reasons to stay in the field through better compensation. Traditional financial aid wasn’t enough; childcare workers needed comprehensive support, including tuition, books, and paid release time, to succeed in school while working full-time.

The T.E.A.C.H. program was introduced in 1990 to provide a comprehensive scholarship model that links education, compensation, and commitment to improve the quality of early education. It provides financial and professional support to childcare workers pursuing credentials and degrees in early childhood education, while encouraging retention through incentives. Each scholarship is jointly funded by the state (often via a nonprofit intermediary), the employer (such as a childcare center or home-based provider), and the educator (through a modest co-pay). A typical breakdown might look like this: the state contributes 60% of tuition, the employer 20%, and the childcare provider 20%—which is often offset by a Pell Grant or waived, leaving little or no out-of-pocket cost for the teacher. Upon completing coursework or earning a credential, teachers receive a raise or bonus, and employers commit to a set wage increase. The program is administered by a state-level nonprofit (usually a resource and referral agency or AEYC affiliate), which manages outreach, application support, data tracking, and one-on-one counseling to help participants balance work, school, and life responsibilities.

~12-24 months