One of the primary outcomes of The Career Pathway (CP) initiative is to engage institutions, organizations and community partners to address the challenges of recruitment for and retention of the early childhood care and education (ECCE) workforce and to build awareness of and support for Kansas’ workforce. The CP team is pleased to announce mini-grant awards of up to $10,000 for institutions, organizations and community partners that propose innovative strategies for recruitment, retention of ECCE professionals and promotion of the Career Pathway. All successfully funded projects will be designed for replication by others. This mini-grant is made possible by Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF).
Take a moment to view the comprehensive report.
Check out some innovative strategies from early childhood agencies, organizations, and, secondary and higher education are implementing to recruit and retain the ECCE workforce by clicking below.
Secondary and Higher Education
Starting Early – Kansas City, KS
Target: School Counselors, FACS, and Secondary students in CTE
Project Lead: Asiya Foster | Allencc.edu
Purpose: To develop a social media campaign and infographic about EC Pathways; specifically educating school counselors and FACS teachers in Eastern KS and outlining careers in EC; materials will crosswalk high school and higher ed programs.
Outcome: Social media campaign ads. See TikTok post and static social media posts that can be modified for use by other programs. Ads in English and Spanish.
Cowley College – Arkansas City, KS
Target: ECCE Professionals – Retention
Project Lead: Janet Clasen | Cowley.edu
Purpose: To create in-person professional development for approximately 50 rural ECCE professionals offering opportunities for networking; marketing materials, speakers, facility, etc.
Outcome: Cowley CARES Conference for local area Childcare Providers/Teachers
Cowley College Child Development Program hosted a Cowley CARES Conference for area Childcare Providers/Teachers within our area. This event was huge success. With fifty-two early childhood educators in attendance, the event provided a valuable opportunity for professionals to come together, learn, and share their experiences. The theme of “Together We Build” seemed fitting for an event focused on teamwork and enhancing the quality of early childhood education.
Emporia State University – Emporia, KS
Target: Higher Education – Supervision
Project Lead: Sandra Bequette | Emporia.edu
Purpose: To create training modules available to adapt and use for all IHE programs; designed for University Supervisors and Field Mentors as they guide ECCE candidates during fieldwork experiences.
Outcome: Enhancing Fieldwork Supervision Training Modules (see Emporia State University Modules)
Flint Hills Technical College – Emporia, KS
Target: ECCE Professionals – Recruitment & Retention
Project Lead: Nancy Robinson | FHTC.edu
Purpose: To host “Celebrating Child Care Providers: Filling Your Bucket” event that will include informative booths, workshops, networking opportunities; opportunities for businesses to showcase services and explore ways to align with child care providers and families they serve.
Outcome: Flint Hills Tech College hosted “Celebrating Child Care Providers: Filling your Bucket”. View photos from the event.
Community Partners
Health Bourbon County – Fort Scott, KS
Target: Child Care Owners – Recruitment & Retention
Project Lead: Rachel Carpenter
Purpose: To provide a mentorship program that supports the start-up and sustainment of child care businesses. It would also help participants create a sustainability plan and 3-year cash flow projections.
Outcome:
The KCCTO Mini Grant allowed us to create a mentorship program that helps guide individuals who are completing opening a daycare. After receiving grant funds, the Bourbon County Childcare Coalition created sub committees, one to focus on creating a Mentorship Program and the other to focus on the Childcare Professional Promotional Video.
The Mentorship Committee is comprised of HBCAT Executive Director, Childcare Aware Links to Quality, Bourbon County Licensing Specialist, and two coalition members. As a committee we developed an application process for the Childcare Professional Mentors.
We had six Childcare Professionals submit applications to be a mentor. As a committee we selected two mentors, the owner of Tiny Tots Daycare, and owner Leah Myers Daycare. Both have over 20 years of experience with little to no blemishes in their record. They are both trusted individuals in the community who will simultaneously act as recruiters.
2024 Childcare Promotional Video: View
Opening a Childcare Facility Video: View
KSRE Wabaunsee – Alma, KS
Target: Child Care Providers – Recruitment and Retention
Project Lead: Bernadette Trieb
Purpose: To offer a 2-day free boot camp for Wabaunsee and surrounding rural counties; presenters from KCCTO, Child Care Aware, CPR, Fire Marshall, and KDHE; access to resources and opportunities to network and engage with state agency representatives.
Outcome:
Kansas Head Start Association – Lawrence, KS
Target: Recruit high school students into Early Childhood
Project Lead: Heather Schrotberger
Purpose: To collaborate with Johnson and Wyandotte County program directors/HR, and high school programs to create engaging video series to recruit high school students into the EC field.
Outcome: KHSA’s intent with this project was to create resources and share strategies with our Head Start program partners across the state to supplement their existing partnerships and/or to spark new opportunities for partnership. Our mini-grant project focused on the Head Start programs and potential partnerships in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties. Engaging the interested Wyandotte and Johnson County Head Start programs first maximized the initial reach of the effort, since several programs and districts are located in these two counties. Five Head Start grantees offer programming in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties. Three of them are actively engaged in this effort.
High School Recruitment Project Video and Career Template document
Southeast KS Ed Service Center / Greenbush – Girard, KS
Target: Early Childhood Professionals – Recruitment
Project Lead: Cris Seidel
Purpose: To create a two month public awareness campaign including billboard and social media promoting early childhood jobs through Educate Kansas (job-search) website.
Outcome: When comparing the campaign dates to the exact same date range from last year, traffic on the website increased by 97.3% to a total of 21,000 users.
 | Children who experience high-quality early childhood learning have positive effects that last a lifetime:-Higher Graduation Rates-Better Educational & Health Outcomes-Earn Higher LIfetime Salaries (source:kschildrenscabinet.org) Want to help? Learn how to become a teacher here 👉 https://educatekansas.org/get-the-education-early-childhood/ #earlylearning #earlychildhoodeducation #educatekansas #KCCTO #DCF |
Marketing Campaign Webpage
Social Media templates also used for billboard ads
Child Care Centers
Angel Wings Learning Center – Wichita, KS
Target: ECCE Professionals’ Wellbeing – Retention
Project Lead: Jerrica French
Purpose: To address the wellbeing of ECCE providers in community facing homelessness, abusive relationships, generational poverty, and lack of healthcare. PD, coaching sessions, and mentorship opportunities.
Outcome: Angel Wings Learning Center partnered with The Thread: Women’s Leadership Collective to create workshops based on personal development for each of the attendees. The majority of the workshop attendees were employees of Angel Wings Learning Center, however we did open the opportunity to other early care providers in our area by sending emails through our local Early Childhood Professionals Organization and Early Childhood Director’s Organization.
The workshops aimed to help early childhood professionals develop their strengths and foster team unity, resulting in a positive cultural shift. Testimonials and videos highlight the personal and professional growth achieved. Though the workshops were approved for KDHE professional development hours, no additional community members participated. The grant project also included a mentor teacher program, where selected teachers supported new staff, helping them integrate into the team more quickly. This initiative was highly beneficial and is intended to continue. The project’s success suggests that offering these workshops as a conference could have a significant impact.
Cradle at Creche – Manhattan, KS
Target: Early Childhood Professionals – Recruitment
Project Lead: Chelsea Swoyer
Purpose: The objective of this project was to create a promotional video to address the challenges of recruitment for and retention of the early childhood care and education (ECCE) workforce.
Outcome: The completed video will be prominently featured on the Creche careers page, as well as on hiring platforms and social media channels. By offering viewers an authentic glimpse into the ECE profession, we aim to provide valuable insights to potential candidates, particularly millennials and Gen Z, thereby expanding our recruitment reach.
More Awarded Mini-Grants
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| Allen County Community College Project Lead: Elizabeth Toland | Kansas Head Start Association Project Lead: Heather Schrotberger |
| Angel Wings Learning Center Project Lead: Jerrica French | Kiowa District Healthcare Child Care Center Project Lead: Gayle McNett |
| Butler Community College Project Lead: Cathy Gray | KSRE Wabaunsee Project Lead: Bernadette Trieb |
| Child Care Aware of Eastern KS Project Lead: Michelle Gilbert and Sarah Elsen | Kansas State University – Early Childhood Program Project Lead: Jennifer Francois |
| Community Children’s Child Care, INC Project Lead: Jennifer McAferty | Raising JoCo Project Lead: Eldonna Chestnut |
| Cowley County Community College Project Lead: Janet Clasen | Shawnee Mission Early Childhood Education Center Project Lead: Carla Heintz |
| Emporia State Project Lead: Sandra Bequette | Educate Kansas Project Lead: Cris Seidel |
| Flint Hills Tech Project Lead: Nancy Robinson | Starting Early & Allen County Community College Project Lead: Asiya Foster & Beth Toland |
| Greater Wichita YMCA Child Care Project Lead: Debbie Ogle | The Cradle at Creche Project Lead: Chelsea Swoyer |
| Growing Futures – Head Start Project Lead: Evan Rosemann | The Family Conservancy Project Lead: Mary Williams |
| Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Project Lead: Rachel Carpenter | University of Kansas ECU Program Project Lead: Marie Kohart |
| Hilltop Child Development Center Project Lead: Jeremy Fite | Wichita State University Project Lead: Kim Wilson |
| Hutchinson County Community College Project Lead: Jennifer Forker |
