Early Childhood Educators Receive Tuition-Free Coursework

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa., Feb. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Further enhancing early childhood education across Pennsylvania is a vital step in helping children discover lifelong love of learning on their journey to becoming global citizens in an increasingly interconnected world.

To support the growth of children and future generations in the Commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) granted Shippensburg University $5.9M for the creation of the Early Childhood Education Professional Development Organization at PASSHE (ECEPDO@PASSHE). The mission is to provide coursework and credit-bearing professional development for early childhood professionals across Pennsylvania at little to no cost.  

Opportunities include earning Child Development Associate certification (CDA) and associate's or bachelor's degrees, further strengthening the early childhood field by implementing creative solutions to educational barriers in the workforce.  Current estimates are 39% of workers in childcare centers have a relevant credential or degree. The goal under this grant is to increase that to 65% by 2025.

The statewide initiative is led by Shippensburg University (SU) with PASSHE partner universities Lock Haven, East Stroudsburg, and Edinboro to provide statewide leadership. Each university has engaged with their community to offer customized instruction onsite, online and in hybrid formats.

"We are excited to offer credit-bearing work with no tuition cost to the early childhood workforce. This is a great opportunity for early childhood educators across the state, and a transformative approach to early childhood education," said Dr. Jennifer Pyles, director of PDO@PASSHE and assistant professor of teacher education at SU, adding that early childhood education is one of the most effective economic development tools.

In a field that experiences high turnover, this initiative invests in and supports early care and education professionals in unprecedented ways, including a potential 13% return on investment by retaining qualified educators who provide comprehensive, high-quality birth-to-five early childhood education.

Childcare providers, directors and owners are encouraged to attend a regional event to provide valuable input regarding the needs of their region and explore the free coursework by contacting Kari Delp, program coordinator at (717) 477-1899 or [email protected] with the subject line "Workshop Registration."

• March 10, 2020
• Everett, PA - Southwest/Central Region  
• Pittsburgh, PA - Southwest Region   
• March 12 
• Clarion, PA - Northwest Region  
• March 13 
• State College, PA - Central Region   
• March 18
• Allentown, PA - Eastern Region

SOURCE Shippensburg University

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