Teacher Promise Stipend

Preschool Promise recognizes the important role our teachers play in ensuring children receive a high-quality Preschool education.

Preschool Promise is asking teachers to Promise to implement Preschool Promise values and programs in the classroom, and to Promise to stay in the same classroom the full school year. Preschool Promise is offering a Promise Stipend for Lead and Assistant Preschool Teachers who fulfill the following Promises at Preschool Promise programs.

This is a voluntary program and teachers must apply by October 13, 2023 to be eligible. Registration is now closed.

Participants Promise to:

Values Promise

Be committed to improving cultural relevancy in teaching to ensure equitable outcomes for our children
Be committed to improving social emotional practices in the classroom (through things like Conscious Discipline) to ensure all children have a healthy place to grow and learn
Be committed to improving implementation of curriculum so all children have high-quality learning experiences

Accountability Process: MOU/Application signed by the teacher at the beginning of the year.

Employment Promise

Teach every day in the same Preschool Promise classroom from September 5, 2023 through May 31, 2024 (or the last day of school, whichever comes first) at a Preschool Promise site.
Serve as a Lead or Assistant Preschool Teacher working exclusively in the same Preschool Promise Classroom all year long. Floater or substitute teachers are not eligible. If the director or owner of a Preschool Promise site also serves as the Lead Preschool teacher, they may apply.

Accountability Process: Employer will communicate to Preschool Promise if the teacher has met the commitment.

Attendance Promise

Maintain a cumulative attendance rate of 90% of your Preschool program’s service/school days for yourself from September 5 to May 31. Exceptions will not be made for excused or unexcused absences, including maternity and FMLA leave.

Accountability Process: Employer will communicate to Preschool Promise if the teacher has met the commitment.

Program Promise

Read the Preschool Promise Book-of-the Month in the classroom at least once a week
Promote reading the Book-of-the-Month at home with families

Accountability Process: Teachers will fill out a brief survey every two months reporting how they are fulfilling this promise.

Employer Awareness

Preschool Promise will send a notice to the teacher’s employer stating the teacher has enrolled in the program and that the employer will need to give Preschool Promise data to confirm completion of requirements.

Payment Schedule

$400 for Public School Lead and Assistant Teachers
$750 for MVCDC Lead and Assistant Teachers
$1,000 for Childcare and Family Childcare Lead and Assistant Teachers

The stipend will be dispensed in one payment at the end of the school year. The check will be mailed by July 15, 2024 to the teacher’s home address as listed on the application. It is the teacher’s responsibility to update the address with Preschool Promise if there is a change during the school year.

As part of the Promise Stipend Application the teacher must acknowledge that Preschool Promise will send a 1099-MISC at the end of the year if more than $600 is paid to the individual, and it is the individual's responsibility to claim this as income on taxes.

Legal Agreement

By joining this program, you agree that your employer may release information to Preschool Promise, such as but not limited to attendance records and employment status. Preschool Promise will keep this information confidential, and it will be used for determining status for the stipend and for research to improve Preschool Promise in the future.

Enrollment

The 2023-2024 Teacher Promise Stipend program registration is now closed.

Once the Preschool teacher completes the Memorandum of Understanding, Preschool Promise must verify employment and the teacher must provide a W-9 if one is not currently on file. After those two things are done, the Preschool teacher will receive confirmation of registration and acceptance into the Teacher Promise Stipend program.

If you have questions, please contact Catherine Rauch.