Grant aids child development

By: Jenni Garcia

Posted: 10/26/09

Dallas County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Wright Lassiter signed an agreement between DCCCD and Worksource of Dallas County in early October to receive a federal grant.

The money will be used to train people who want to teach child development, Jane Rowe, child development professor, said.

She said the grant would benefit those people and help them continue their educations.

"This is a good opportunity for people to work in childhood," Rowe said.

Rowe said the grant is about $1 million. She said it is a collaborative effort among Eastfield College, Cedar Valley College and Brookhaven College to use on Child Development Associate classes and Association of Texas Mental Health.

Rowe said right now child development is recruiting people, and the qualifications are: being a Dallas County resident, being more than 18 years old, having no felonies, having a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma, being a legal U.S. citizen and being a DCCCD student.

Rowe said people who qualify for the position must have eight hours of training experience, 15 credit hours and must complete three CDA courses. The grant will cover CDA students' training, books, tuition and the assessment fee.

CDA students who get a grade of C or higher will get a bundle package, Rowe said. The bundle consists of books, CDs and other equipment they can use in the program with the children for no additional cost, she said.

Carmen Alonso, Head Start teacher, said she was covered with the American Opportunity credit and wished she had this chance.

Alonso said she has the opportunity to go back and get her associate degree while teaching at the same time.

Alonso said she is pursuing a degree in what she loves doing, child development. She said she wants to stay here to get the experience she needs and sees no reason to leave.

Rowe said, "CDA is a national credential that anyone can earn and is recognized all over the country."