WA Scholarships is a comprehensive scholarship program that supports teachers and child care providers who wish to enhance their education and professional skills in early childhood education by receiving formal training at community and technical colleges.  We support participants working towards their CDA (Child Development Associate), ECE Certificate and AA/AAS degree in Early Childhood Education.  We also offer CDA Assessment scholarships once students have completed the CDA course work. 

The goal of WA Scholarships is to improve the field of early childhood education by increasing compensation levels, sustaining commitment to the field, and advancing the educational achievements of its scholars. The comprehensive scholarship support provided by WA Scholarships helps remove barriers by providing paid release time, a travel stipend and a majority of the costs to take classes.  We provide a bonus at the end of the scholarship contract, and the scholar will be expected to remain a family child care provider or center employee for one year after the conclusion of the contract.  As a result, scholars increase their professional status and become better early childhood educators. 

Previous scholars have demonstrated a significantly higher commitment to stay with their program or in business.  Over the course of our program, the turnover rate for WA Scholarships participants has continued to decline.  The caregiver’s relationship with children is the most critical indicator of high quality care and long-term success in school.

 WA Scholarships has two scholarships available for child care providers.

General Scholarship 

Questions are answered about how to earn your CDA (Child Development Associate), ECE Certificate and AA/AAS degree in Early Childhood Education and what kind of commitment is required.

Child Development Associate (CDA) Assesment Scholarship

Questions are answered about how to earn your CDA and fees covered in association with applying to the CDA Council.

Scholarship Recipient Chosen as Provider of the Week

Watch a video clip of Mai-Thanh Dovinh to see why this WA Scholarship recipient has been chosen Child Care Provider of the Week by A Place of our Own, a television series and website devoted to the unique needs of people who care for children. A Place of Our Own is produced in association with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and 44 Blue Productions, Inc. one of America’s top suppliers of reality, documentary, and “how-to” programming.