Welcome our new Higher Education Partners
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) Scholarship Program is excited to announce three new partnerships with our Institutes of Higher Education:
- Navajo Technical University
- NMSU – Carlsbad
- SIPI – Southwest Polytechnic Institute
Effective with the Fall 2021 semester, students now have the option to choose one of these three schools, in addition to the other 21 schools that are partners in the Scholarship program.
Scholarship Program
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) provides scholarship opportunities that make it possible for early childhood educators and care providers to afford coursework leading to advanced credentials and degrees. Scholarship awards include one year of funding for tuition, fees, and associated textbooks. Scholarships have the possibility of renewal each year. Dedicated Scholarship Coaches work directly with scholars to support their pursuit of advanced credentials and degrees.
Bilingual Incentive Payment
- Current scholarship and/or wage supplement recipients may be eligible to receive a one-time incentive payment of $1,500 if they are certified bilingual.
- To receive the incentive payment, upload a copy of your certification document to your scholarship or wage supplement account:
- passed PRAXIS-TESOL or
- passed La Prueba or
- bilingual seal on High School Diploma or
- Tribal/Pueblo/Nation Certification for indigenous languages
Scholarship Payment Information
- Once you upload all required documents, your coach will send an Authorization Ticket to the college/university letting them know the ECECD Scholarship will pay your tuition, fees, and books after all Financial Aid and other scholarships have been applied.
- You may still see a balance on your account until your Scholarship is paid. Typically the balance is shown as “Third Party” but this may not always be the case.
Scholarships are not paid to the colleges/universities until at least the middle of each semester.
Wage Supplement Program
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) provides education-based supplemental wages to low-paid teachers and teacher’s assistants and family childcare home professionals working with children from birth to age five. Applicants must earn less than $16/hour; work a minimum of 20 hours/week in a qualified program, and have at least 5 credit hours of Early Childhood education classes or 70 credit hours or well-rounded coursework from a higher education institution.
Bilingual Incentive Payment
- Current scholarship and/or wage supplement recipients may be eligible to receive a one-time incentive payment of $1,500 if they are certified bilingual.
- To receive the incentive payment, upload a copy of your certification document to your scholarship or wage supplement account:
- passed PRAXIS-TESOL or
- passed La Prueba or
- bilingual seal on High School Diploma or
- Tribal/Pueblo/Nation Certification for indigenous languages