T.E.A.C.H. SCHOLARSHIPS
Your Pathway to Higher Education
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Minnesota is a scholarship program that helps early childhood and school-age educators increase their levels of education, compensation, and commitment to the field by earning college credits and degrees. It is a national program licensed by T.E.A.C.H Early Childhood® National Center located in North Carolina.
Interested in learning more about how much a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship will cover? Use our T.E.A.C.H. Cost Calculator to estimate your expenses and the amount of assistance you could receive.
View the 2022 - 2023 Annual Report.
Early Childhood or School-Age Care Educator Scholarship
Family child care providers, center-based staff, or school-age care staff can receive funding to take classes to earn college credit or an associate or bachelor’s degree in Child Development or Early Childhood Education at an accredited Minnesota college or university. T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships cover 85% of the cost of tuition and books for up to 18 credits per year. Recipients also receive a travel stipend and release time. Upon successful completion of nine or more credits, recipients may receive a two percent raise (center-based only) and/or a $250-$300 bonus. Scholarship recipients commit to remaining at their place of employment for at least one year after their scholarship end date. Other scholarship options are available for early childhood educators who are participating in Empower to Educate, who wish to pursue fewer credits, or who choose to complete their CDA trainings at an approved college or university.
Early Childhood Trainer or Coach Scholarship
Coaches, Achieve Approved Trainers, and participants in the Trainer Academy can receive financial assistance to help them increase their Career Lattice Step while they support the early childhood field through quality training or coaching. Recipients receive a tuition stipend and a $50 bonus for each course completed. After the scholarship end date, recipients commit to instructing at least three Achieve-approved trainings within one year or remain in their coaching position for at least 2 years.
Early Childhood or School-Age Care Educator Scholarship
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Be employed by a licensed early childhood or child care program, be a licensed family child care provider, be employed by a public prekindergarten program, or be an employee in a school-age program exempt from licensing in Minnesota or participating in Empower to Educate
- Be working at least 20 hours per week
- Be committed to continue working at your current place of employment for one year beyond your contract year
- Be accepted into a Child Development or Early Childhood Education degree program or be pursuing college credits for a national Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) at an approved, accredited college or university in Minnesota
- Have a Develop Individual Membership with verified employment
- Not currently receiving a REETAIN grant from Child Care Aware of Minnesota
Early Childhood Approved Trainer or Coach Scholarship
- Be an Achieve Approved Trainer or Coach*
- Be accepted into a Child Development or Early Childhood Education degree program at an approved, accredited college or university in Minnesota
- Be committed to instructing at least three Achieve-approved trainings in the year following your scholarship or remaining as a Coach for at least 2 years
- Not currently receiving a REETAIN grant from Child Care Aware of Minnesota
*Coaches must contact a T.E.A.C.H. counselor to confirm eligibility.
Before you apply
- Work a minimum of 20 hours per week at a licensed or license-exempt early childhood program in Minnesota or be participating in Empower to Educate
- Apply and be accepted to an approved, accredited Minnesota college or university
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Complete the appropriate participation agreement
Applying for a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship
- Complete an online T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Application. Apply online at any time, but applications must be in by the following deadlines to have a specific semester covered by the scholarship:
Fall Semester Deadline: December 1
Spring Semester Deadline: May 1
Summer Semester Deadline: August 1
- Email or upload the required paperwork to complete the application
For applicants currently working in the early childhood field:
- Signed participation agreement
- Recent pay statement or Schedule C (Form 1040)
- FAFSA confirmation or financial aid award letter from the college
- College acceptance letter or email
- Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) Develop Learning Record showing verified employment. An active Develop membership is required. For help, contact support@develophelp.zendesk.com.
For applicants participating in Empower to Educate:
- College acceptance letter/email or current unofficial transcript
- Proof of a Develop account (A screenshot or Learning Record is sufficient. Develop membership not required).
- Acceptance letter from Empower to Educate
- FAFSA confirmation/denial or financial aid award letter from the college
Once all application materials have been received, T.E.A.C.H. counselors connect with applicants within 1-2 weeks to award or deny a scholarship.
View a recorded Recipient Information Session to learn more about applying for a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship.
A quality program counts on quality teachers. One of the most significant indicators of quality child care is the educational level of child care providers. The T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program helps you assist your staff in achieving their professional development goals with credit-based education and helps to reduce staff turnover in your program.
When you sponsor a T.E.A.C.H. recipient, you commit to paying just 5% of employee’s tuition and book fees, providing three hours of paid release time per week to the employee, and paying a raise or bonus to the employee at the completion of the contract. Use our T.E.A.C.H. Cost Calculator to estimate your sponsorship expenses.
For more information about sponsoring a T.E.A.C.H. recipient, contact a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor.
Sponsorship Forms
View a recorded Sponsor Information Session to learn more about applying for a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship.
The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Minnesota Apprenticeship Program supports skill development in the high-demand field of early childhood education. By combining employment, on-the-job training, college coursework, and individualized mentoring, apprentices will receive additional support in earning industry-recognized credentials and degrees and applying early childhood best practices in their programs.
Benefits for Apprentices
- Develop skills in an essential occupation.
- Learn from a hands-on mentor.
- Earn college credits or a degree while working.
- Begin a long-term career with no college debt.
- Earn a nationally recognized apprenticeship certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Benefits for Employers
- Support the development of a highly skilled workforce.
- Reduce turnover in your program.
- Invest in your program’s quality by investing in your staff.
For more information, contact Erin Young or call 651.290.9704 x 200.
