Dive Brief:
- A new state program created by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is working to reward early education teachers who pursue further education
- Until July 1, 2017, educators will be able to claim bonuses at three tier levels.
- Teachers with their CDA credential or a technical certificate of credit are eligible for $1,200; those with a technical college diploma, or an associate of applied arts or science degree are eligible for $1,500; and teachers with a bachelor's or master's degree will be eligible for $2,500.
Dive Insight:
Rewarding early education teachers is a great way to bring attention to the field — especially as more eyes turn in that direction. The need for better early education programs has been stressed time and again this year and it's promising to see Georgia making moves to better incentivize the career path. It is a bit troubling, however, how low the threshold currently is — and remains. The idea of giving a bonus for being certified without a college degree places a lot of trust in what the "certification" process looks like.
