From the Mayor's Office

ASPIRE STIPEND PROGRAM 2011-12
Do you aspire to be the best Early Childhood Educator that you can be? The ASPIRE program will put you on the path to improving your practice and furthering your education by providing you with financial and advisement support.

What is ASPIRE?
ASPIRE is a new statewide First 5 CA professional development program for early childhood educators, also known as CARES Plus. Participants will complete a free on-line training regarding the CLASS observation tool, academic and career advisement, and 3-6 semester units of coursework. By doing so, they can earn a stipend of at least $1,000 in August 2012.

Why ASPIRE?
Working with small children is a joy-filled, yet challenging job. You need all the skills that you can get to be your best. Unfortunately, wages in the field are low and it may not be easy to pay the costs of further training and education. That's where ASPIRE comes in. Not only will you receive free training and advisements sessions, but you will get a nice financial boost on completion!

Who is Eligible?
ASPIRE is open to people currently working in the ECE field who are looking to do coursework and training to improve their practice. For more details on eligibility, visit this website after July 8th for an application. Applications will be due in October 22, 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: Teaching staff who qualify for L.A. County's "Investing in Early Educators" Stipend Program (AB212) are not eligible for the ASPIRE Stipend Program. The ASPIRE Stipend Program Application will provide details on who is eligible for the County program. To visit the website for the L.A. County's "Investing in Early Educators" Stipend Program click here.


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Sincerely,

Angelica Ayala, MPA
East Valley Area Director
Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
14410 Sylvan St. Room 211
Van Nuys, CA 91401
818-778-4990
818-778-4995 (fax)