Stay Put Stipend



The “Stay Put” Stipend is designed to enhance the quality of child care in Manatee County by reducing child care teacher turnover.  The stipend provides a supplement to lower-paid child care teachers working with children and encourages them to remain at one child care program for a substantial amount of time.   

Child care teachers (those working with children between the ages of 0-5 and school-based programs, center staff and family child care providers) that currently have School Readiness subsidized children enrolled in their education program are eligible to apply for the Stay Put Stipend.  Directors who are also the owners of a child care center/program do not qualify.   

Applications for this stipend will be on a first-come, first-served basis and will be for individuals earning $14.00 per hour or less (based on a 40-hour work week). Applicants must possess some type of formal education credential (FCCPC or above) beyond a high school diploma. 

Teachers must complete at least five months of employment at the same child care program and complete at least ten hours of face-to-face training within five months.  

Interested individuals will be required to:

The Early Learning Coalition will verify that approved teachers have worked in their child care program and have completed the face-to-face training hour requirements during the preceding five months prior to the initial stipend disbursement.  Once all requirements have been met and documents verified, the participant will receive the stipend in the sixth month.   

Once approved for the stipend, participants who remain employed at the child care program will not need to reapply during that ELC agreement year in order to receive future payments. The ELC agreement year is July 1 to June 30. Applicants will need to reapply for each new ELC agreement year in order to continue to receive the stipend. To remain eligible a teacher must maintain employment at the same child care program, attend at least ten hours of face-to-face training every five months and continue to submit proof of attendance to the Early Learning Coalition.  

Teachers who are deemed eligible for the Stay Put Stipend are not eligible to receive scholarship or grant money from the Early Learning Coalition’s other reward programs in order to attend these trainings.  The ten hours of face-to-face trainings required for the Stay Put Stipend cannot be used for other coalition reward programs.

If a teacher ceases employment at the initial child care center or fails to complete and submit proof of attendance for ten hours of face-to-face trainings every five months, the teacher will no longer be eligible to receive the stipend.  The teacher can, however, reapply at a later date if the requirements are again met.

If you are interested in the Stay Put Stipend or have any questions about the program, please call the Early Learning Coalition at (941) 757-2900 extension 250 or submit an electronic request for information.