1. How many employees can a center/group home sponsor at one time?

    

   • With our Associate degree (including CDA training) and Part-Time Associate degree two people are allowed per licensed child care center/group home.
   • With our CDA Assessment Scholarship and Building Foundations model, there is an unlimited number of scholarships available per licensed child care center/group home.
   • With our Pilot Bachelor degree model, one person is allowed per licensed child care center/group home.
2. What is release time?

   Release time is one of the required components of the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhoodâ Scholarship Program. It is paid time off that allows recipients to attend class, study, work on projects or handle personal needs. This time is provided to help students manage the stress of going to school, working and caring for their families. Release time is not optional and must be given to each recipient that is enrolled in classes that T.E.A.C.H. is paying for.

3. How do I schedule release time?

   Release time can be scheduled weekly, during midterms or final exams or when a recipient has a project due. Release time can be used during normal business hours at your facility. Release time cannot be used on weekends or holidays. Recipients are eligible for up to 6 hours per week during the semester/ 8 hours per week during the term. The amount allotted is determined by the number of credits T.E.A.C.H. is helping with and the number of weeks in the semester/term. The employee should be paid their usual hourly rate of pay when given release time. The center/group home owner is then reimbursed for one half of the total hours claimed at the rate of $8.00 per hour from the T.E.A.C.H. program. A release time claim form (Form C) should be submitted each semester/term by the center/group home owner.

   Note: If a person is taking 9 credits, then you only get a maximum of six semester/eight term hours of release time per week.

4. When is release time paid to centers/group homes?

   Release Time Reimbursement Claim Forms (Form C) can be submitted at the end of each month or at the end of the semester.

5. If we pay for our employee’s tuition and/or books, will we be able to get reimbursed?

   Yes. If the center/group home paid for tuition and/or books, the center will be reimbursed for their portion of the scholarship. (NOTE: In order to process any reimbursements, we must have the appropriate paperwork from the employee.)

6. How and when do we award compensation to an employee?

   Compensation is awarded to an employee when he/she completes the contract with T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® MICHIGAN. You will receive a letter from T.E.A.C.H. confirming that your employee has completed the contract and that you should issue the bonus or raise. (NOTE: a recipient cannot complete a contract before two semesters or three terms.) In addition to the bonus/raise you pay the employee, T.E.A.C.H. also pays the employee a bonus.

7. When does my employee’s commitment begin with our center/group home?

   The employee’s commitment to continue working at the sponsoring center/group home begins when the employee completes a contract with T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® MICHIGAN.

8. How can we afford to sponsor an employee?

   It is actually very reasonable to sponsor an employee and it can end up saving your program money over the long run. However, if your program budget will have difficulty covering the costs of sponsoring an employee, fundraising is an acceptable alternative. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

   1. Parent Scholarship Fund - Parent donations or possible sponsorship
   2. Sales possibilities
      • t-shirt sales
      • child craft sales
      • bake sales
      • rummage or garage sales
      • silent auctions
      • county fair sales
   3. Possible others:
      • Donations from local companies
      • Race track or local clean ups (adults)
      • Pledge sheets (bunny hop contest)
      • Can collection (from center employees & families)
      • Yearly fee to center (funds from parents)
        • aim for low amount with other ideas
   Other sources of possible income may come from:
   1. Discretionary funds - local grants and foundation funds
   2. Community Scholarship funds
      • donations from community companies (available in smaller rural areas)
   We also encourage you to arrange parent/staff meetings to come up with other ideas and suggestions.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact our office at 1-866-MI-TEACH or 1-866-648-3224.