TEACH Early Childhood® MICHIGAN links education, compensation and commitment to improving the quality of early education. TEACH Early Childhood® MICHIGAN is a statewide scholarship program designed to help child care center teaching staff, preschool teachers, family child care providers, group home owners, center directors, early childhood professionals and administrators meet their professional development goals, while continuing their current employment in regulated early childhood and school age care settings TEACH Early Childhood® MICHIGAN addresses two major challenges in the early education and care field – low wages and high turnover. The scholarship helps increase compensation and the retention of skilled teachers. The education level of child care providers is one of the most critical indicators of the quality of a child’s experiences in child care.

You may be eligible for a TEACH Early Childhood® Michigan scholarship if you:

• Work in a licensed, tribal, Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), or Developmental Kindergarten (DK) setting at least 20 hours/week directly with children. 
• Are pursuing coursework in early childhood education, a CDA, MiYDA, associates degree, or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education including ZN and ZO endorsements. 
• Meet the following income eligibility requirements:
  • Earn no more than $29.90/hour if pursuing credits in ECE, CDA, Associate degree, or Bachelor’s degree coursework
• Work in a program willing to sponsor you on scholarship, or are employed in a stipend scholarship approved program.

For Master’s Degree eligibility requirements, visit https://www.miaeyc.org/professional-development/t-e-a-c-h-scholarships/scholarship-information/masters-degree-scholarship/

• CDA® assessment fees
• MI-YDA credential fees
• Credits needed for CDA and MI-YDA training requirements
• Associate and bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education
• Master's degree in early childhood education (waitlist)
• Endorsements to teaching licenses: ZN (Birth to Kindergarten) and ZO (Pre-K to 3rd Grade) when combined with a ZN
• Building Foundations: Credits needed for Infant Toddler Caregiver course or Program Administration Course

For more information on what might be the next best step in education for you, visit our Career Directory.

TEACH scholarship contracts are for one year each (Master's awards are 1 semester/term), supporting tuition and fees for up to 18 credits, books, release time (paid time away from work to balance school, work, and family responsibilities), travel costs, and an annual bonus or raise. Some recipients who work in programs that have moved beyond Maintaining Health and Safety in the GSQ Quality Improvement Process are eligible for a quality improvement stipend each semester as well.

Summer Semester 2025 Scholarship Award Amounts:

Credentials:

CDA Assessment fee award- 85% of assessment or renewal fee

MI-YDA Credential fee award- 85% of credential or renewal fee

Sponsored:

Associates degree, CDA Training, or MI-YDA Training award- $228/credit or total cost of up to 6 credit hours/semester, whichever is higher

Bachelors degree award- $632/credit or total cost of up to 6 credit hours/semester, whichever is higher

Sponsored awards receive $150 book stipend, student access stipend, paid release time if eligible, raise or bonus from employer, bonus from TEACH and quality improvement stipend if eligible.

Stipend Scholarships:

Associates degree, CDA Training, or MI-YDA Training award- $228/credit

Bachelors degree award- $632/credit

Master's degree award- $704/credit

Stipend awards receive a $25/credit book stipend and a bonus from TEACH

Award amounts subject to change each semester.