MISSOURI CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL NETWORK

SCHOLARSHIPS - TEACH MISSOURI, CDA, AND HOME VISITING - THE TEACH EARLY CHILDHOOD MISSOURI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHILD CARE EDUCATORS SEEKING TO FURTHER THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THROUGH CREDENTIALS, CERTIFICATES, AND COLLEGE DEGREES. THE GOAL OF TEACH MISSOURI IS TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE DELIVERED BY EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING CHILD CARE EDUCATORS. THIS IS THE ONLY NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP DESIGNED TO SERVE CHILD CARE PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK FULL-TIME AND ARE PART-TIME COLLEGE STUDENTS. TEACH MISSOURI WORKS WITH THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT AND SPONSORING EMPLOYER TO SUPPORT ANNUAL COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS AND PROVIDES A SCHOLARSHIP COUNSELOR TO ASSIST IN NAVIGATING THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROCESS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(SCHOLARSHIPS - TEACH MISSOURI, CDA, AND HOME VISITING CONTINUED):THE SCHOLARSHIP ENABLES THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE TO INCREASE COMPENSATION AND RETENTION THROUGH EDUCATION. SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY COMPLETION OF EDUCATION, AN INCREASE IN ANNUAL WAGES, AND INCREASED RETENTION IN SPONSORING CHILD CARE PROGRAMS. CURRENTLY, THE COLLEGE CREDIT BEARING SCHOLARSHIPS SUPPORT THE NATIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CREDENTIAL (CDA), CREDIT HOURS, STUDENT TEACHING, AA AND BA DEGREES, AND A MASTER'S CERTIFICATE. IN FY 2025, TEACH MISSOURI SUPPORTED 270 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WORKING IN 152 SPONSORING CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, EARNING 2,468 COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS AT MISSOURI-BASED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WHILE INCREASING THEIR WAGES BY AN AVERAGE OF 15% AND RETAINING 95% OF THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE. THE TEACH MISSOURI NON-CREDIT BEARING CDA SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTS CHILD CARE EDUCATORS IN EARNING THEIR NATIONAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE CREDENTIAL (CDA) AT NO COST. CHILD CARE EDUCATORS IN LICENSED, LICENSE-EXEMPT, AND SIX-OR-FEWER CHILD CARE PROGRAMS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP. WHETHER EARNING A CDA THROUGH TRAINING CLOCK HOURS OR COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, THIS UNIQUE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE ENTIRE CDA PROCESS - INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL HOURS, PORTFOLIO CREATION, APPLICATION, VERIFICATION VISIT AND TESTING, AND CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT. UPON EARNING THE NATIONAL CDA CREDENTIAL, THE PARTICIPANT IS AWARDED A COMPLETION BONUS. THE CDA SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT INCREASES THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE PROVIDED THROUGH EDUCATION, COMPENSATION, AND RETENTION OF CHILD CARE EDUCATORS. IN FY 2025, THE CDA SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT ASSISTED MORE THAN 521 CHILD CARE EDUCATORS AS THEY EARNED THEIR NATIONAL CREDENTIAL OVER AN 18-MONTH PROCESS. SINCE 2021, MORE THAN 900 CHILD CARE EDUCATORS HAVE EARNED THEIR CDA CREDENTIAL.THE TEACH MISSOURI HOME VISITOR CDA SCHOLARSHIP WAS DESIGNED TO ASSIST CHILD CARE HOME VISITORS IN EARNING THEIR CDA CREDENTIAL. THIS CREDENTIAL HELPS HOME VISITORS GROW PROFESSIONALLY WHILE MAKING A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IT'S A VALUABLE INVESTMENT IN THEIR CAREER AND THE FUTURE OF THOSE THEY SERVE. AS A SOURCE OF CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE HOME VISITOR CDA ENHANCES THE VALUABLE IMPACT OF HOME VISITORS WITHIN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

CHILD CARE KEEPS MISSOURI WORKING (CCKMW) - AS CHILD CARE KEEPS MISSOURI WORKING (CCKMW) ENTERS ITS SECOND FULL YEAR, IT HAS EXPANDED ITS REACH AND IMPACT. BUILDING ON COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH KIDS WIN MISSOURI AND ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS TOOTRIS, IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE IN HOW IT SUPPORTS FAMILIES AND EMPLOYERS. CCKMW NOW INTEGRATES CHILD CARE REFERRALS, SUBSIDY NAVIGATION, AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH UNDER ONE UMBRELLA - THE MISSOURI CHILDHOOD RESOURCE AND REFERRAL (MCRR) SERVICE, OPERATED THROUGH A STATEWIDE CALL CENTER AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS (RCPS). THE RCPS MIRROR THE CALL CENTER'S FUNCTION BUT PROVIDE FACE-TO-FACE, IN-PERSON ASSISTANCE IN HIGH-NEED AND HIGH-SUBSIDY AREAS.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(CHILD CARE KEEPS MISSOURI WORKING [CCKMW] CONTINUED):TOGETHER, THESE EFFORTS HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE SUBSIDY APPLICATIONS SUCCESSFULLY LOCATE BOTH SUBSIDIZED AND UNSUBSIDIZED CARE, AND ACCESS LOCAL SUPPORTS. CCKMW CONTINUES TO OFFER FAMILIES THE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO RECOGNIZE SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE, EMPOWERING THEM TO MAKE CONFIDENT CHOICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. EMPLOYERS ALSO UTILIZE CCKMW TO ADDRESS THEIR WORKFORCE CHALLENGES THROUGH CONSULTING AND GUIDANCE ON OFFERING CHILD CARE AS A BENEFIT.UNDER THE CCKMW BRAND, THE PROGRAM HAS ALSO STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIPS WITH MISSOURI'S REGIONAL LEADERS TO BRING FORWARD A CHILD CARE COST SHARING MODEL - AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH THAT HELPS EMPLOYERS OFFER CHILD CARE AS A WORKFORCE BENEFIT TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. THIS MODEL HAS EVOLVED INTO THE CHILD CARE WORKS INITIATIVE, DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KIDS WIN MISSOURI AND TOOTRIS, CREATING NEW MOMENTUM ACROSS THE STATE. THESE COLLABORATIONS BENEFIT FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND PROVIDERS ALIKE BY PROMOTING STABILITY, ENSURING RELIABLE INCOME FOR CHILD CARE PROGRAMS, AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION.