T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) is an educational scholarship opportunity for early childhood providers in licensed child care center-based, group-based and family child care programs. The scholarship is part of a nationwide effort to increase quality in child care and early learning programs by increasing the educational qualifications of the teachers in the field. Missouri is one of 25 states offering this very successful program.
The four components of the T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI program are:
- Scholarship – T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI pays a percentage of the cost of tuition and books
- Education – The T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI contract year covers 9-15 credit hours over three consecutive semesters
- Compensation – Upon successful completion of coursework, scholarship recipients receive a $300 bonus from T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI with a possible $300 bonus match or a 2% raise from the sponsoring employer depending on the scholarship level
- Commitment – Recipients pledge to complete 6 to 12 months of continued service to children at their sponsoring facility or in the field of early care after the educational year
The Goals of the T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI Scholarship:
- To improve the quality of early childhood care and education BY
- Increasing the education level of early childhood educators AND
- Increasing the compensation for early childhood providers THEREBY
- Increasing the retention rate of early childhood teachers THUS
- Improving the quality and continuity of care provided for our children and their families AND
- Creating a model of partnership in Missouri early childhood programs
