The board of trustees at Harrisburg Area Community College approved the college joining with the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) to participate in the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH) Early Childhood Project. PACCA is a private, voluntary, nonprofit organization headquartered in Harrisburg.

The TEACH Early Childhood Project was developed in Pennsylvania to upgrade the level of education of the teachers working with young children while making the educational process affordable. A statewide tuition rate of $70 per credit was negotiated for the 15 Pennsylvania community colleges and the York Campus of Penn State. Through the program, HACC agrees to offer a tuition rate of $70 per credit to child care employees who are studying early childhood education at any of HACC¹s campuses in Lancaster, Lebanon, Gettysburg, or Harrisburg. HACC's regular nonsponsored rate is $131 per credit.

"We are excited about being able to participate in this tuition program subsidy by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association for employees working in child care centers," says Dr. Edna Baehre, president of HACC. "The program makes it possible for the employees to upgrade their education and skills, and after obtainment of an early childhood education degree, have better pay and promotion opportunities. We expect that more than 130 employees of child care centers in our service region will enroll in the program as a result of our participation. Having more qualified and educated child care workers in the region will be beneficial for the welfare of young children."

Qualified child care employees can earn college credits at HACC that can lead to child care credentials or degrees in early childhood education or child development, while making the most of the discounted tuition.

"We are glad to increase the service range of the TEACH project," says Terry Casey, executive director for PACCA. "Especially in locations such as Lancaster, where students previously had to commute to Berks or York counties, this will mean child care workers planning to further their education will be able to do so close by and enjoy the benefit of the lower tuition rate. It makes things much easier."

For more information about scholarship opportunities for child care employees through the TEACH project, contact contact PACCA at (717)236-0458, or HACC's Communication, Arts, and Social Sciences Division at (717)780-2425 or 1-800-ABC-HACC, ext. 2425.