LCCC offers tuition assistance

Students studying early childhood education at Lehigh Carbon Community College and members of the community who would like to advance their career in the field have access to funding this spring that will allow them to take courses at little or no cost. Potential funding is available for summer courses as well.

Interested participants must first apply for tuition assistance through an online application, which determines eligibility. Students can then apply to the LCCC program and register for classes.

Classes start Feb. 12 and run through May 8 and are designed to accommodate the schedules of working professionals, offered in person, hybrid and fully online. Classes will be offered for those seeking to earn their child development associate certificate in infant/toddler, their director credential or their associate of applied science degree in early childhood education. Three noncredit classes are also offered: the Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education, Children’s Growth and Development, and Observation and Recording, which meet the Preschool CDA requirements.

To be eligible, students must be employed at a licensed early childhood education program for at least six months, have a professional development profile through the PD Registry and work an average of 25 hours per week.

Funding is based on the STAR level of the facility, number of hours worked per week and staff level. Participants can earn anywhere from $290 to over $4,000 toward their education.

A virtual information session will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday. To register and receive the meeting link, for assistance applying or information, contact Tonia Breech, coordinator and assistant professor of teacher education at LCCC, tbreech@lccc.edu or 610-799-1706.