DC Leading Educators toward Advanced Degrees (DC LEAD) is a program that is focused on supporting scholars that are pursuing degrees in early childhood education (ECE)
The $3,000 incentive application has ended
The DC LEAD grant aims to provide the District’s child care educators with the knowledge, skills and credentials needed to work with DC’s youngest learners and increase the number of high-quality early childhood professionals in the District through scholarships for postsecondary degrees. Southeast Children’s Fund (SCF) is the recipient of the DC LEAD grant through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) Division of Early Learning (DEL) and will administer the grant program.
Through SCF, the DC LEAD program provides scholarships and incentives to child care educators in the District of Columbia to complete coursework toward an associate and/or bachelor’s degree in ECE to:
The DC LEAD scholarship and incentive program was launched on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Child care educators can access the DC LEAD scholarship and incentive application by visiting the DC LEAD webpage on the OSSE and SCF websites. The OSSE and SCF websites also provide more information about the DC LEAD scholarship and incentive program eligibility requirements and directions on how to apply.
For questions related to DC LEAD or resources for child care educators, please contact the DC LEAD team at DCLEAD@sechildrensfund.org or at (202) 561-5500. You may also contact the OSSE ECE Help Desk at ECEhelpdesk@dc.gov or (202) 478-5903.
To be eligible to receive a scholarship through the DC Leading Educators toward Advanced Degrees (DC LEAD) grant program administered by Southeast Children’s Fund (SCF), a child care educator must meet the following requirements:
a. Employment confirmed through staff record in Division of Early Learning Licensing Tool (DELLT).
b. Must be employed on the date the child care educator completes the application form.
Note: Staff in facilities not licensed by OSSE are not eligible. If more child care educators apply for scholarships than there are funds available to support, priority will be given to current lead teachers who do not meet the minimum education requirement.
2. Have a high school diploma or GED.
3. Complete an employer agreement form (if applicable).
4. Commit to working at your current child care facility throughout the DC LEAD scholarship contract year.
5. Be in a program working to meet the minimum education requirements or interested in enrolling in a program to meet the minimum education requirements for your current position or a position you are interested in obtaining.
6. Submit a completed DC LEAD application form.
In order to be eligible to receive an incentive of up to $3,000 based on funding availability through the DC Leading Educators toward Advanced Degrees (DC LEAD) program administered by Southeast Children’s Fund (SCF), a child care educator must meet the following requirements:
a. Employment will be confirmed through a staff record in the Division of Early Learning Licensing Tool (DELLT) at the time of application, after six months (when the initial payment will be made) and at the end of one year;
b. Must be employed on the date the child care educator completes the DC LEAD incentive application form; and
c. Remain employed with the current employer for one year from the date the incentive agreement is signed.
Note: Staff in facilities not licensed by OSSE are not eligible.
2. Be employed in an eligible position:
a. “Staff Type” must be one of the following:
i. Center Director
ii. Teacher
iii. Assistant Teacher
iv. Expanded Home Caregiver
v. Home Caregiver
vi. Associate Home Caregiver
3. Be enrolled in a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an associate/bachelor’s degree program to meet the OSSE minimum education requirements or already meet the OSSE minimum education requirements for their current position based on the “Staff Type” above.
a. Current position will be confirmed through staff records in DELLT.
b. See Table 1 for minimum education requirements timelines.
Position | Minimum Education Credential Required | Effective Date |
Center Director | Bachelor’s degree (BA) in early childhood education (including early childhood development, elementary education or early special education) or a bachelor’s degree in any subject area with at least 15 semester credit hours in early childhood education. | December 2022 |
Teacher | Associate degree (AA) in early childhood education (or early childhood development, child and family studies or a closely related field) or an associate degree (or higher) in any subject area with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood. | December 2023 |
Assistant Teacher | Child Development Associate (CDA) or an associate degree (or higher) in any subject area. | December 2023 |
Expanded Home Caregiver | Associate degree in early childhood education (or early childhood development, child and family studies or a closely related field) or an associate degree (or higher) in any subject area with at least 24 semester credit hours in early childhood. | December 2023 |
Home Caregiver and Associate Home Caregiver | CDA | December 2023 |
4. Complete the DC LEAD incentive payment agreement
a. In order to receive the incentive, eligible child care educators must sign an incentive payment agreement with the DC LEAD program and their employer. To be paid, the child care educator will be required to provide the required information below to DC LEAD:
i. Completed DC LEAD application form
ii. Signed DC LEAD contract
Note: If you are a DC LEAD scholar, this will be included in your DC LEAD scholarship agreement
iii. Payment Information (Note: There are both banked and unbanked payment options)
a. Bank name
b. Routing number
c. Account number
2. Check (via mail): If you choose to be paid via check, the following information is required:
a. Home address
Note: A paper check will be mailed to this address
iv. W-9 form
5. Upon DC LEAD application approval, recipients must sign an agreement that includes the following:
a. Agreement to remain employed in their current child development facility in a child development facility licensed by OSSE for one year.
6. Incentive payment will only be issued after all required information is provided and the DC LEAD incentive application is approved.
A first incentive payment will be made after six months and a second payment may be made at the end of the one-year agreement, contingent on continued employment and availability of funding.
Incentive Payment Amount
The incentive payment amount for child care educators who meet the minimum education requirements or are in a CDA or degree program to meet the minimum education requirements for the position they are currently in is up to $3,000 across a one-year period. The incentive payment will be distributed as up to two payments of $1,500.
For questions about the DC LEAD eligibility policy, please reach out SCF at DCLEAD@sechildrensfund.org.
1. Be employed in a child development facility licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE):
2. Be employed in an eligible role:
i. Center Director
ii. Teacher
iii. Assistant Teacher
iv. Home Caregiver
v. Expanded Home Caregiver
vi. Associate Home Caregiver
3. Be in a program to meet the minimum education requirements or already met the minimum education requirements for their current position based on the “Staff Type” above. Current position will be confirmed through staff record in DELLT.
4. Submit supplemental incentive payment request to DC LEAD
i. Completed application form
ii. Photo ID
iii. Headshot/selfie
iv. Payment Information (note: payment options for both banked and unbanked)
1. Direct Deposit: If you choose to be paid via director deposit, the following information is required to complete the incentive payment:
2. Debit Card: If you choose to be paid via a debit card, the following information is required to complete the payment:
3. Zelle: If you choose to be paid via Zelle, the following information is required to complete the incentive payment:
4. Cash App: If you choose to be paid via Cash App, the following information is required to complete the incentive payment:
5. Mail-in check: If you choose to be paid via a mail-in check, the following information is required:
v. Social Security Number (SSN)/Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
vi. W-9 form
Incentive Payment Amount
Incentive payment amount for child care educators who meet the minimum education requirements or in a program to meet the minimum education requirements for the position they currently in is up to $3,000. The incentive payment will be distributed in two equal installments identified by DC LEAD.
1. Be employed and remain employed in a child development facility licensed by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) for one year:
2. Be employed in an eligible position
3. Be enrolled in a Child Development
Associate (CDA) credential or an
associate/bachelor’s degree program
to meet the OSSE minimum education
requirements or already meet the
OSSE minimum education
requirements for their current position
based on the “Staff Type” above
4. Complete the DC LEAD incentive
payment agreement
5. Upon DC LEAD application approval,
recipients must sign an agreement
that includes the following
1. Be employed in a child development
facility licensed by the Office of the
State Superintendent of Education
(OSSE)
2. Have a high school diploma or GED
3. Complete an employer agreement form (if applicable)
4. Commit to working at your current
child care facility throughout the DC
LEAD scholarship contract year
5. Be in a program working to meet the minimum education requirements or interested in enrolling in a program to meet the minimum education requirements your current position or a position you are interested in obtaining
6. Submit a completed DC LEAD Program Interest Form
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