Financial Support: Vermont Northern Lights CDC Resources

Financial Support for Professional Development

How Can I Afford to Pay for Professional Development?

Some courses are low-cost or free. Check:

Vermont Child Care Apprenticeship Program for courses at the associate/ undergraduate level http://www.vtchildcareindustry.org/
Vermont Early Childhood Educator Licensing Project for courses and support to get your teacher licensure if you have a Bachelor’s degree http://www.vecel.org/
The Child Development Division has many resources to support you if you want to take college courses. Click here to learn more.
Vermont Child Development Division quality enhancement grants for individuals, programs and collaborative groups
Higher Education Collaborative for courses to help you get your teacher licensure and Master’s degree if you have a Bachelor’s degree http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/prodev/vt-hec.html
Vermont Northern Lights Career Development Center for various opportunities http://northernlightscdc.org
Your local Resource Development Specialist

Other Sources of Financial Support

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation http://www.vsac.org
Grants, loans, and scholarships available to eligible Vermonters for degree and non-degree study.
New! Loan Forgiveness- The recent Federal College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, signed by the Bush administration, and ushered through congress with the help of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, includes provisions for Loan Forgiveness for those in public service jobs. Child care and early education fit the definition of public service. Click the link above for more information and click here for a summary of this section of the College Cost Reduction Act, prepared by Huck Gutman of Vermont Senator Sanders’ office, and here is more information.
Child Development Division, Vermont Agency of Human Services
Offers grants for college tuition and other expenses related to professional development. http://brightfuturesinfo.org Select “Resources,” then “Grants.”

Your college or university can help you to plan to pay for your education. Here are the some of the institutions in Vermont:

Community College of Vermont http://orion.ccv.vsc.edu/financial_aid/index.html
Champlain College http://www.champlain.edu/finaid/
Lyndon State College: http://www.lyndonstate.edu/OfficesServices/StudentServicesCtr/FinancialAid
/tabid/285/Default.aspx
University of Vermont http://www.uvm.edu/financialaid/
Union Institute and University http://www.tui.edu/tuition/finaid/index.asp
For a longer list of institutions of higher education in Vermont, click on this link to information complied by VSAC http://services.vsac.org/ilwwcm/connect/VSAC

The IRS offers credits for your federal taxes called the Hope and Life Time Learning Educational Credits. You may be able to deduct certain expenses related to tuition and fees. Learn more at http://www.irs.gov

Does your organization offer tuition assistance to help you pay for the cost of courses? Some larger organizations do, such as hospitals and some school districts.