Five Iowa school districts, including a couple in the area, have been chosen by the Iowa Department of Education to pilot a new childcare careers program.
Sioux Central and Marcus Meriden Cleghorn-Remsen Union are two of the five districts piloting the program which involves the Iowa Department of Ed leveraging school-community partnerships to expand access to childcare while supporting high school students earning a national child development credential. Each district is receiving over 140 thousand dollars in the first rounds of competitive grants through the Credentials to Childcare Careers grant program.
District awardees will receive a course curriculum that meets both the professional development requirements outlined by Iowa Health and Human Services for employees of Iowa licensed childcare centers and the classroom requirements for a CDA credential. Districts can also use their grant awards to cover allowable costs such as student exam fees, textbooks, and other approved expenses that help remove barriers to participation.
Grants to the first cohort will be distributed in July for district implementation during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.