T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Arkansas
The T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood ® Scholarship Program is a licensed program of the Child Care Services Association. It is a national, evidence-based strategy that creates access to higher education for teachers, directors and family child-care providers (early educators) working with young children. T.E.A.C.H. provides comprehensive scholarships to enable educators to take coursework leading to credentials and degrees by making it possible for them to afford both the time and expense of going to school. At the same time, T.E.A.C.H. will help leverage the financial resources necessary to provide capacity in higher education to helping individuals attain their educational and career goals. T.E.A.C.H. is a change agent for the early care and education (ECE) workforce and system.The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Arkansas Scholarship Program was developed to upgrade the level of education of teachers working with young children while making the educational process affordable, increasing wages and reducing turnover. With funds from the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the program is now in Arkansas and has had remarkable success. Teachers and their sponsoring centers overwhelmingly support the program in their evaluations. Teachers typically complete 4-17 credit hours per year and remain in their sponsoring centers, this reducing turnover.
Any teaching staff who would like to attend a college to enroll in coursework in Early Childhood Education and who is employed full-time (30 hours/week minimum) in a licensed child care center and earns no more than $15 per hour or has a licensed family child care home and earns no more than the equivalent of $18 per hour is eligible to apply for a scholarship. Scholarships are awarded based on need and commitment to the Early Childhood Education field, as shown through information on the application and availability of funds.
T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® pays for 90% of tuition and books, provides an $80 travel stipend each semester, reimburses the center for $11 per hour of release time given, provides $450 in bonuses for teachers who complete their contract and provides counseling and administrative support for the program.
Centers must agree to sponsor a scholarship teacher by contributing a portion of the cost of tuition (5%), giving teachers paid release time each week (3-6 hours) and agreeing to award the teacher a $300 bonus upon completion of the one-year scholarship contract. T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Arkansas will reimburse centers for $11 per hour of release time.
To help with their cost of the degree, teachers may also look for additional sources of scholarships and grants, including Pell Grants. If they are eligible, they may use those funds towards their portion of books/tuition and living expenses. Teachers may also choose to obtain their CDA credential while working on their Associate degree. In this case, the T.E.A.C.H. grant will cover 90% of the cost of the CDA assessment.
As scholarship recipients, teachers must attend classes and successfully complete 9-15 semester hours toward a certificate, diploma or associate degree in early childhood education during the contract year. Teachers are expected to contribute 5% of the cost of tuition and 10% of the cost of books each semester. At the end of the scholarship year, teachers must promise to continue to teach at their sponsoring center for another year in return for a bonus.
Profit, not-for-profit, faith-based public and Head Start programs have all sponsored scholarship teachers. Any licensed center or family childcare home in good standing wishing to make a commitment to teacher education and compensation by meeting the terms of the scholarship contract is eligible to sponsor up to two scholarship recipients.
T.E.A.C.H. College Partners
University of Arkansas Fort Smith
Shelli Henehan
5210 Grand Avenue/ Echols 110
Fort Smith, Ar 72913
479-788-7965
University of Arkansas Community College Batesville
Mindy Shaw
2121 White Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
870-612-2114
University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton
Marilyn Thomas
1537 University Boulevard
Morrilton, AR 72110
501-977-2070
University of Arkansas Pulaski Tech College
Becca Chism
B Building room 103, 3000 West Scenic Dr.
North Little Rock, AR 72118
501-812-2331
University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology - McGehee
Faith Hurd
1609 East Ash Street
McGehee, AR, 71654
870-222-5360
University of Arkansas at Monticello - Crossett
Alisa White
1326 Highway 52 West
Crossett, AR 71635
870-460-2026
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Joyce Hargrove
1210 Ricebelt Avenue
DeWitt, AR 72042
870-946-3500 ext. 1840 or ext. 162
OR
Yvette Robertson Barnes
P.O. Box 785
1000 Campus Drive
Helena, AR 72342
870-338-6474 ext. 1307
Northwest Arkansas Community College
Natasha Kile
One College Drive
Bentonville, AR 72712
479-619-3125
Jeff Dyer
AECA Executive Director and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Director
Married for almost 30 years to Robin. She is a Physical Therapist. We have 2 kids, both at the University of Arkansas. Drew(son) is a senior and Abby just finished her Freshman year. We have a rescue dog, Wrigley and 2 cats, PJ and Junior.
I just concluded my 30th year in education with the last 8 years at the Arkansas Department of Education, where I coordinated the Teacher Recruitment and Retention programs. During my education career I was also an elementary teacher and principal. I have been involved with Special Olympics for almost 40 years and I have been involved with many other service organizations over the years.
I am very excited to be able to join such an amazing group as we work together to strengthen early childhood education around Arkansas. I am truly humbled with the confidence shown in me by the Board of Directors and can’t wait to get started.
You can contact me at jeff@arkansasearlychildhood.org
Paul Lazenby
Association Manager & T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Counselor
Paul earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Arkansas and studied Early Childhood Education at Arkansas State University. From 2003-2009, he served in various positions at the DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, including Arkansas Better Chance administrator and Assistant Division Director. During this time, the Division oversaw the expansion of the Arkansas Better Chance Pre-K program and the creation of the Better Beginnings Accreditation system. In 2009, he joined Arkansas State University Childhood Services as a project manager and trainer for directors and administrators of early childhood programs. Over the next seven years, Paul worked with programs applying for Better Beginnings to help them strengthen their administrative systems. Since 2016, he has served as Executive Director and Operations Manager with Western Arkansas Child Development, Inc. which operates five early education facilities in western and Northwest Arkansas. Paul has also served as Treasurer of the Arkansas Early Childhood Association.
“Having the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship program in Arkansas is the most important milestone in our education history since the creation of the state-funded pre-K program. Educating and training Arkansas’ early childhood workforce is paramount to bring about the sustainable positive change we want to see in children’s lives. And it will bear out what we already know—quality early childhood programs bridge the achievement gap and generate value-added benefits to our state’s economy. I am both humbled and proud to be a part of this momentous next step in early education for Arkansas.”
You can contact me at paul@arkansasearlychildhood.org
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