Starmont Among Five School Districts Selected to Pilot New Program

Starmont is among five school districts in the state selected for a new pilot program.

The Iowa Department of Education says the new program will leverage school-community partnerships to expand access to child care while supporting high school students earning a national child development credential. 

In support of the pilot, the school districts were awarded a total of over $140,000 in the first rounds of competitive grants through the Credentials to Child Care Careers grant program. 

As one of the five school districts, Starmont is named as a grant cohort, working to align existing family and consumer science programs to the attainment of a Child Development Associate credential.

Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow says these Credentials for Child Care Careers programs will expand access to high-quality child care, while supporting an early childhood workforce of and for local communities. Snow says they commend the awardees for their leadership in realizing the shared priority to strengthen pathways to in-demand child development careers and to support working families.

The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is a nationally recognized credential in early childhood education awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, a leader in the credentialing of early childhood educators worldwide. Obtaining the CDA credential requires coursework, experience in the field and a demonstration assessment during which the student is observed while working with children. 

District awardees will receive course curriculum that meets both the professional development requirements outlined by Iowa Health and Human Services for employees of Iowa licensed child care centers and the classroom requirements for a CDA credential. Additionally, districts can use their grant awards to cover allowable costs, such as student exam fees, textbooks, CDA course materials, student stipends, licensed child care partner stipends, 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 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.

photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH