Published by CounciLINK on April 25, 2019
The Council for Professional Recognition sends a hearty congratulations to the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Initiative for nearly 30 years of stellar work to help professionalize and better compensate early childhood educators.
In 1990, the first T.E.A.C.H. scholarships were awarded in North Carolina to help early childhood educators take college courses and pursue degrees. Since then, more than 150,000 educators have received financial help.
Programs, such as the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Initiative, are available in 22 states and the District of Columbia. The initiative is an evidence-based model that provides debt-free college education with comprehensive support for the early education workforce. According to its annual report, “It provides the structure for a comprehensive, sequenced program of early childhood higher education opportunities that recognizes the diverse educational backgrounds of early childhood teachers.” Executive Director Sue Russell runs the program.
“I’ve been admiring (the organization) from afar for many, many years, so it’s an honor for me to really be a partner with T.E.A.C.H.,” Dr. Valora Washington, Council CEO, said Tuesday. “I’ve been in the field for a very long time and there are a lot of initiatives that have come and gone, but T.E.A.C.H. endures.”
Indeed it does, as the numbers show. A sampling of T.E.A.C.H.’s success:
T.E.A.C.H. programs used $33.6 million to support 14,704 scholarship recipients in 22 states and the District.
“It’s been a great pleasure for me to see up close and personal the work that (T.E.A.C.H. is) doing,” Washington added.
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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