IdahoSTARS Scholarships

Under the IdahoSTARS initiative, child care providers and/or directors can obtain financial assistance in the following categories by completing the correct Scholarship Application:

Training Scholarship
Mentor/Coaching Scholarship
Assessment Scholarship
College Coursework Scholarship
Academic Scholarship

For more information contact:

IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office

1471 Shoreline Dr.
 Suite 202

Boise, ID 83702

Phone: (208) 345-1090 x18 or x21

Or call the 2-1-1 Idaho CareLine by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday – Friday and ask for IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office.

The Training Scholarship covers any IdahoSTARS approved trainings, workshops, or conferences in Early Care and Education Core Knowledge Components completed after initial enrollment in IdahoSTARS.

Approved trainings are listed online at the IdahoSTARS Training Calendar.

Training Scholarships also cover:

• GED Testing: This is a reimbursement of GED Testing Fees
• Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) Training: Courses not taken for college credit

Who is Eligible?

Anyone who is enrolled in the IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry (PDS) and:

• Works in a child care setting designed to care for children when parents work or attend training
• Works in a program that operates full time
• For child care workers: regularly scheduled to work directly with children in a classroom setting at least 15 hrs/week or 780 hours in one year
• For child care directors: regularly scheduled to work directly in the facility with children, staff, and parents a minimum of 30 hours/week or 1,560 in one year
• Earns $15/hr or less

Applying for a Training Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship please download and fill out the Training Scholarship Application and mail it to the IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office at:
 


IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office

1471 Shoreline Dr. Suite 202
Boise, ID 83702

• Sign in on the Official IdahoSTARS attendance sheet when you attend your training
• Complete the evaluations that is handed out during the training

Or you can

• Complete the Initial Training Evaluations Survey online

If you sign the attendance sheet and complete the official evaluation, you will no longer need to send completion certificates or scholarship action plans into the scholarship office. 

Note: Signing the attendance sheet and completing the evaluation is required in order to continue receiving IdahoSTARS scholarships.

Back to Top

The Mentoring Scholarship is for those seeking mentoring to assist with individual projects, or a two-year apprenticeship.

• Mentor Services: Available through the Mentors for Early Care and Education (M.E.C.E.) Program. Both center and family child care providers and directors can request a scholarship for the service of qualified Mentor/Coaches for a specific amount of time seeking one-on-one guidance with a variety of topics. Under the IdahoSTARS initiative, child care providers and/or directors can obtain financial assistance for mentor services in the following categories:
  • Individualized Program: Mentor/Coaches are available for short-term projects. These include but are not limited to assistance with communication skills, leadership skills, developing a business plan for a child care facility, preparing for licensing, parent education, development of policies and procedures, playground safety, health consultation, GED Testing, NAEYC and NAFCC accreditation and much more.
  • Apprenticeship Program: A 2-year structured mentoring relationship for the child care provider working 25 or more hrs/wk in a licensed child care facility. The provider must be pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. This is a nationally recognized program that supports wage increases with increased education and experience.
  • Child Care Health Consultant Services: Child Care Health Consultants assist programs with developing policies and procedures for injury prevention, safe playgrounds, disease prevention, oral health, connecting to community services, sanitation, hand washing and diapering protocols, among other topics as requested.
  • CDA Assessment: Mentor/Coaches can assist child care providers who have completed their Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) coursework/training to prepare for their facility assessment.

Who is Eligible?

Anyone who is enrolled in the IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry (PDS) and:

• Works in a child care setting designed to care for children when parents work or attend training
• Works in a program that operates full time
• For child care workers: regularly scheduled to work directly with children in a classroom setting at least 15 hrs/week or 780 hours in one year, and earn $15/hr or less
• For child care directors: regularly scheduled to work directly in the facility with children, staff, and parents a minimum of 30 hours/week or 1,560 in one year

Applying for a Mentor Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship please download and fill out the Mentor Scholarship Application and mail it to the IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office at:
 
IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office
1471 Shoreline Dr. Suite 202
Boise, ID 83702

The Assessment Scholarship is for those applying for program/classroom assessments using the Environment Rating Scales, the CLASS Classroom Assessment Scoring System, or the Program Administration Scale.

• Classroom Environment Rating Scale Assessment: Reliable assessors use the Environment Rating Scales to observe and report on the environment, interaction, materials and curriculum of a child care classroom. This assessment report can be used by directors to develop an improvement plan for their facility with specific criteria for changes they choose to make.
• CLASS Classroom Assessment Scoring System: CLASS Classroom Assessment scale observes and mentors teaching staff on staff-child interaction.
• Program Administration Scale: Program Administration Scale helps directors in centers assess the business practices and policies of their program to identify specific strengths and weaknesses to make a plan for improvement.

Who is Eligible?

Anyone enrolled in the IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry (PDS) and:

• Facility director/owner must be enrolled in the IdahoSTARS PDS and do not have to be eligible for incentives
• Lead Teacher/Primary Caregiver in each classroom receiving an assessment must be enrolled in the IdahoSTARS PDS and must be eligible for incentives

Applying for a Assessment Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship please download and fill out the Assessment Scholarship Application and mail it to the IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office at:


IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office

1471 Shoreline Dr. Suite 202

Boise, ID 83702

The College Coursework application covers any early childhood education class offered for college credit at an accredited Idaho state college or university. Scholarships will only cover tuition paid for by the student and will not cover enrollment fees, activity fees, parking, books, etc or tuition fees paid with PELL Grants. 


Who is Eligible?

Anyone who is enrolled in the IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry (PDS) and:

• Works in a child care setting designed to care for children when parents work or attend training
• Works in a program that operates full time
• For child care workers: regularly scheduled to work directly with children in a classroom setting at least 15 hrs/week or 780 hours in one year
• For child care directors: regularly scheduled to work directly in the facility with children, staff, and parents a minimum of 30 hours/week or 1,560 in one year
• Earns $15/hr or less

Applying for a College Coursework Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship please download and fill out the College Coursework Scholarship Application and mail it to the IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office at:


IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office

1471 Shoreline Dr. Suite 202

Boise, ID 83702

An Academic Scholarship is for those taking courses towards an early childhood development degree from any: Idaho college/university, Apprenticeship program, or CDA Assessment. Academic Scholarships pay for tuition in early childhood courses toward a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), Associate Degree, or Bachelor' Degree in early childhood.

Academic Scholarships consist of a partnership between IdahoSTARS, the scholarship recipient, and the sponsoring child care center or home where the scholarship recipient works. Each party shares in the cost of the scholarship.

The IdahoSTARS Academic Scholarship provides:

• 100% of the cost for tuition paid by IdahoSTARS
• Academic counseling and administrative support
• Release time is provided by the sponsoring program enabling the scholarship recipient to attend class or study during work hours (80 hrs/year, 2 hrs a week recommended, at the rate of the scholar's wage)
• A 2% pay increase is provided by the sponsoring program above and beyond normal raises in the program, upon successful completion of one contract year
• The employee/scholarship recipient must work at the sponsoring program one year prior to application for an academic scholarship
• The employee/scholarship recipient must pay for their own books, enrollment fees, activity fees, parking, etc.

Scholarship Types

• Academic Scholarships: Academic Scholarship programs are available for both center and family child care providers and directors who need financial assistance while earning a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA), Associate or Bachelor degree in Early Childhood.
• Idaho Quality Child Care Apprenticeship Program: A 2-year structured mentoring relationship for the child care provider working 25 or more hrs/wk in a licensed child care facility. The provider must be pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. This is a nationally recognized program that supports wage increases with increased education and experience.
• CDA Assessment: Available for those providers who have completed an approved CDA course of study and are applying or renewing their CDA Assessment.
• Child Development Associate Credential (CDA): At accredited college programs
• Early Childhood Certificates and Degrees offered in Idaho: An IdahoSTARS Academic scholar must register with a college as well as apply for an IdahoSTARS Academic Scholarship.
  • North Idaho College: CDA, A.A., and A.S. Degree
  • University of Idaho: B.A.S. and B.A. Degree
  • Lewis-Clark State College: Technical Certificate, Advanced Technical Certificate, A.A.S., B.A.S., and B.A. Degree
  • Boise State University: Blended Certificate, B.A.S, and B.A. Degree
  • College of Southern Idaho: Post Secondary Certificate, Technical Certificate, and A.A.S Degree
  • Idaho State University
: CDA, Technical Certificate, A.A.S., and B.A. Degree
  • College of Western Idaho: CDA, Technical Certificate, Advanced Technical Certificate, and A.A.S Degree
  • BYU Idaho: not currently an approved IdahoSTARS School
  • Treasure Valley Community College: This A.A. program is reserved for mono-lingual Spanish speaking providers

Who is Eligible?

Anyone who is enrolled in the IdahoSTARS Professional Development Registry (PDS) and:

• Works in a child care setting designed to care for children when parents work or attend training
• Works in a program that operates full time
• Works directly with children at least 25 hrs/week or at least 1300 hours in one year
• Earns $15/hr or less
• Has worked at least one year in their sponsoring program

Applying for an Academic Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship please download and fill out Academic Scholarship Application and mail it to the IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office at:
 


IdahoSTARS Scholarship Office

1471 Shoreline Dr. Suite 202

Boise, ID 83702