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Tuition Assistance Makes College, Career Advancement Possible for Early Childhood Workers

Posted on February 11, 2016

Johnstown, PA (Feb. 11, 2016) – According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2015–16 school year was $32,405 at private colleges, $9,410 for state residents at public colleges, and $23,893 for out-of-state residents attending public universities. As college costs continue to rise, 83 percent of Americans say they cannot afford the expense of college tuition, according to a recent Edward Jones survey

The Learning Lamp recognizes the value of a college education and offers tuition assistance to full-time early childhood staff through the Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program. The Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program was developed in 2013 by then PA Governor Tom Corbett to support early learning practitioners by eliminating barriers to enrolling in higher education courses and degree programs.

“Being involved in this program allowed me to complete my degree by helping me pay for the cost of tuition,” explained Brittany Darr, Director of School Age Programs at The Learning Lamp. “Many people struggle with going to college because of the cost, but this program supports early childhood practitioners by assisting them to pay for their college education so they can obtain their degree, just like I did.”

The Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program helps eligible applicants who are enrolled in Child Development Associate or other college-credit bearing courses by:

  • Covering 95% of the tuition costs of a class;
  • Providing applicants with tuition assistance prior to the beginning of the course(s);
  • Providing annual support for credits up to $6,000 each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30);
  • Partnering with institutions of higher education to develop cohort classes, distance learning opportunities and additional discounts where possible.

The Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program covers tuition costs only and does not include books, materials or fees. For more information about the Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program, visit pakeys.org. To learn more about employment opportunities with The Learning Lamp, click our Employment Page.

The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. The Learning Lamp served 30,711 children from 57 school districts and 53 non-public and private schools and other organizations in 17 Pennsylvania counties and one county in Maryland in 2015.

Our programs include: one-to-one tutoring; before/after school programs; portable classrooms aimed at building math and science skills; alternative education programs for at-risk students; evidence-based prevention programs; online learning and credit recovery; SAT preparation; educationally-focused child care; literacy-based preschool programs; and grant writing and project consulting for schools.

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