CCAC, Robert Morris University Awarded More Than 300 Thousand In State Grants
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - State representative Dan Miller announced on Friday that the CCAC and Robert Morris University received a combined $356,003 in state funding to improve upon both schools' early childhood education programs.
Miller said that the improvements to the programs would help generations of young children to come to receive the best education possible.
"When we initially send our young children to school, we do so under the assumption that the educators responsible for providing a top-line educational experience possess degrees centered in recent coursework and research around children's learning and development," Miller, chairman of the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation said.
"The grants awarded today will help both institutions ensure students are receiving the most advanced, up-to-date schooling in terms of early childcare education, which will further benefit young children – our most vulnerable of minds – as they begin their educational careers in elementary school."
The Preschool Development Grants will allow early childhood education professionals and students to work towards a Child Development Associate certificate, associate degree, bachelor's degree and/or PreK-4 teacher certification to professionalize the field.
CCAC received the largest portion of the grant, amounting to $231,120. The idea to develop a consistent and thorough early childhood education program by creating workshops, specialized training and real-world experiecnce.
RMU received the remaining $124,883 for a project that will provide childcare workers with a 12-credit RMU Child Care Special Education Certificate. The university also has an Infant/Toddler Certificate program.
The grant is a partnership between the Pennsylvania Departments of Education, Human Services Office of Child Development and Early Learning and the Pennsylvania Department of Education Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education.
More information about Pennsylvania's education policies and programs can be found on the Department of Education's website at www.education.pa.gov.
