Concord, N.H. (November 15, 2023) – The Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) is offering various tuition assistance opportunities for those interested in a rewarding career in early childhood education. Multiple funding sources and partnerships with the State of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire’s College of Professional Studies (UNH CPS), and the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Children Youth and Families, enables CCSNH to increase the amount of assistance so that students have the opportunity to complete an Early Childhood Education certificate or degree at any of New Hampshire’s seven community colleges at little or no out of pocket cost.
“New Hampshire needs quality childcare providers,” said Teri Laflamme, CCSNH College Access Programs – ECE. “CCSNH’s programs enable and equip these providers wanting to serve the children and families living in our beautiful state. With our new avenues for tuition assistance, individuals can now complete formal course work more quickly, and with minimal expense. There is no greater joy than working with young children and no better time to start career training in this field.”
Multiple scholarships programs are available that can be paired with other tuition assistance programs offered by CCSNH colleges, resulting in little to no cost towards an Early Childhood Education certificate and degree. These scholarships include:
- Early Childhood Tuition Assistance (ECTA) through DHHS UNH’s CPS provides tuition awards for one course per term while the individual is working in a N.H. licensed preschool program.
- Granite Steps for Quality Tuition Assistance (GSQ) provides tuition awards for ECE courses for students working as preschool teachers, out-of-school-time workers or elementary school paraprofessionals.
- And, new this year, CCSNH ECE Scholarships (ECE GAP) are available to assist with ECE and general education course costs for individuals enrolled in an ECE certificate or degree program.
Community College System leaders created the gap funding program because, while other sources of aid existed in the state, the amounts and eligibility requirements did not position students accelerate their coursework to complete a degree or certificate expeditiously. With the great need across New Hampshire for quality childcare, CCSNH prioritized making these programs more accessible and affordable for Granite Staters.
“Completing the Early Childhood Education program through CCSNH will equip individuals to intentionally foster the growth of joy and knowledge in the lives of children by learning from experienced, highly skilled faculty and mentors,” said Diana Menard, CCSNH ECE Educator.
For more information about how to enroll in or accelerate progress in Early Childhood Education programs, visit CCSNH.edu/ECE.
About CCSNH
New Hampshire’s seven community colleges, located across the state to serve every NH community and region, enroll more than 20,000 students annually including 8,000 high school students who take courses for dual high school and college credit at a reduced cost. Thanks to state support, CCSNH is also able to broaden the number of courses that high schoolers can take at no cost, getting a head start on college requirements and saving from the eventual costs of a college degree. CCSNH also offers short-term, customized career training that prepares individuals for in-demand jobs and helps New Hampshire employees meet their hiring needs. CCSNH works to align its programming with the needs of the state, helping thousands of students enter careers or begin their education before transferring to a four-year college or university. CCSNH has long been the largest transfer partner of the state’s university system and has relationships with numerous other transfer destinations for students.
