Yes! You just need to ensure that the person signing the Center Participation Agreement is authorized to do so.

Click here to see the Potential Sponsoring Program Guide for estimated costs, the model matrix with explanations, and a printable FAQ.

Each scholarship contract is for one year (3 terms). After the initial contract, recipients may reapply to continue working toward their professional milestone or degree.

Item descAn essential component of most TEACH Early Childhood® Colorado scholarships is paid release time.

Because most TEACH scholarship recipients work full time and often have children of their own, paid release time helps balance responsibilities of going to school with their work and family obligations. Paid release time is defined as any paid time the sponsoring program gives the recipient to study, do homework, etc.

Continue exploring the FAQ to learn more about how to make this work for your program and how to collect reimbursement from TEACH for Paid Release Time.ription

In evaluations of TEACH Early Childhood®, sponsors often identify the release time component as one of the more difficult aspects. As a potential sponsor, you may recognize the importance of paid release time, but you also may be challenged with how to balance this with your need for full staffing. However, it is easier than you think!

• Offer release time during rest or planning times. Scholarship recipients can study or use the center’s computer for papers and class projects.

• Schedule release time when teacher:child ratios go down.

• Scholarship recipients can leave work early with pay and, if necessary, other qualified staff can substitute.

• Allow recipients to come in late or leave early while receiving usual pay.

• Pay scholarship recipients for their lunch breaks. But remember, recipients can’t work over 40 hours without overtime pay.

• Bank leave time and give scholarship recipients a whole day off before a major test, or give them half days off so it is easier to bring in a substitute.

• Any other creative ways you can find!

Paid release time acknowledges the time commitment a TEACH Early Childhood® Colorado recipient is making to your program; not only are they going to school but they are committing to stay employed in your program for a year after their contract is completed.

Additionally, TEACH will reimburse your program for release hours you provide at $15 an hour. If you provide the maximum release hours during the semester (36), TEACH will send your program a check for $540!

Use release time reimbursements to help with other TEACH related costs like the program’s portion of the tuition cost. It is up to you!

TEACH (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) Early Childhood® is a comprehensive national strategy helping address the need for a well-qualified, fairly compensated and stable workforce. TEACH is unlike any other scholarship opportunity. Strengthening the workforce benefits us all. Collaboration between all parties ensures dedication to educational attainment, confidence in skills and shows your staff you are willing to invest in them and their education. You are not only investing in your staff, but your program and the early childhood field as well.

When you invest in your staff, they invest in your program.

The sponsoring program is responsible for paying 5% of the recipient’s tuition and fees, giving paid release time, and the work commitment bonus in the form of a two percent increase OR a one time bonus after the recipient has completed the work commitment.

The work bonus varies by model:

• $125 for the Teacher Credential Model

• $200 for Director Qualification Model

• $325 for the Associate Degree Model

• $350 for the Bachelor’s Degree Model

Once the contract is active, TEACH Early Childhood® Colorado will send authorization to the college notifying them that TEACH should be billed directly for 90% of tuition and fees for that semester. TEACH will then pay this amount directly to the college. The college will then send an invoice for the remaining 10% of tuition to the sponsoring program. The program will submit payment for the 10% and will be responsible for collecting 5% from the employee.

It is to your discretion to decide how you will collect the recipient’s portion.

This varies by college and how many credits a recipient completes. The average cost per credit hour at a Colorado Community College was $188.09 in 2021. Each course is usually three credits, which would bring the total to $564.27 for one, 3 credit course, putting the sponsoring program’s cost at $28.21 not including fees. All colleges charge different fees based on the program, the course, etc.

Keep in mind that four-year colleges are more expensive. If you are worried about the costs, please visit the college website for accurate pricing and discuss with the recipient. Each model has a minimum and maximum number of credits associated with it, so you will want to keep this in mind. If you sign a contract to support a recipient with a Director Qualifications Model, you are stating you will be responsible for costs for a minimum of nine credits and a maximum of 18 credits.

The sponsoring program agrees to assist with tuition and fees, provide two hours of paid release time weekly, and provide a bonus or pay increase at the end of the recipient’s work commitment period. They will also agree to partnerships and ongoing communication with the TEACH office

The TEACH Scholarship Program was designed to address issues surrounding compensation, recruitment, education, quality, and retention in the early childhood field. Teachers tend to remain with their programs when they receive support and investment from their employer. Therefore, this scholarship model was created to foster and strengthen collaboration and partnerships between the employee, the employer, and the scholarship program.

Investment from each party involved results in success for the recipient as well as the sponsoring program. Developing this collaboration is a key component of this unique model, so it is a requirement of the scholarship. When you invest in your staff, they invest in your program. Employer outcomes can include increased retention and a more highly qualified workforce with strong ties to the field

The recipient’s work commitment period begins at the end of the recipient’s educational journey with TEACH Early Childhood® Colorado. The work commitment ranges from six months for Early Childhood Teacher Credential model contracts to 12 months for the Director Qualification, Associates and Bachelor’s model contracts.

If a recipient quits (outside of extenuating circumstances), then they are responsible for repaying all funds paid out on their behalf by TEACH and your program.

It is at the discretion of the program on if/how they collect.