Financial Assistance

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) supports the professional development efforts of early childhood and school-age practitioners in many ways:

Low cost professional development opportunities

Click here to log in, and go to the professional development calendar to view opportunities available to you.

PA Keys to Professional Development Refund Voucher Program

The professional development refund voucher program provides the opportunity for reimbursement for courses that earn college credits and payment for the CDA Assessment Fee for early childhood practitioners. 

College Tuition Reimbursement Voucher

The voucher program for college courses is a two-step process. The first step is to apply for a voucher. The application can be found below. Applications are then reviewed and it is determined whether they will be approved or denied based on the guidelines for approval and the availability of funds. Applicants will be notified by mail whether they have been approved or denied. If they are approved they will receive a voucher in the mail. At the end of the class the vouchers should be returned with a copy of the final grade for the course. More information and guidelines for each type of voucher can be found in the applications.

To apply for reimbursement for courses use this application - Deadline to apply is before the last day of class. Download the College Tuition Voucher Application

Policy Change Please Note: Effective January 1, 2012, courses taken towards a Doctoral Degree will no longer be eligible for reimbursement through the College Tuition Reimbursement Voucher Program.

CDA Assessment Fee Voucher

The voucher program for the CDA Assessment Fee is a two-step process. The first step is to apply for a voucher. The application can be found below. Applications are then reviewed and it is determined whether they will be approved or denied based on the guidelines for approval and the availability of funds. Applicants will be notified by mail whether they have been approved or denied. If they are approved they will receive a voucher in the mail which they must send to the Council for Professional Recognition along with their Application For Direct Assessment.  The council is then paid directly by the PA Keys to Quality.

To apply for CDA Assessment fee voucher - Download the CDA Assessment Fee Voucher Application