CARES Plus

CARES Plus is an incentive program designed to help early care educators and providers continue college education and/or attend professional growth training opportunities. Participants may be eligible to year-end stipends based on their achievements in the program. Participants can not receive an AB 212 stipend and a CARES Plus stipend.

The San Bernardino County CARES Plus Program is based on the Core set of required elements for all participants plus Components A, B, and C as follows:

• Core
  • Meet with a CARES Plus Advisor and submit a Professional Development Plan
  • Introduction to CLASS
  • Looking at CLASSrooms (LAC)
  • CLASS Observation tool
  • Self-directed training on second-hand smoke
• Component A
  • Minimum Requirement - 21 hours per year
  • CDE sponsored training on research based resources such as: Foundations, Preschool Curriculum Framework, Learning and Development System, Competencies, English Learner’s Guide (PEL), Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP 2010), Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) and Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (CSEFEL).
  • CDE sponsored or local training in our local priority zones of serving children with disabilities or special needs as well as English language learners.
• Component B
  • Minimum Requirement - 6 units/year with a grade of “C” or better
  • Units must be applicable to obtaining a degree/child development permit or help a participant gain the necessary skills needed to obtain a degree or permit. This includes:
    • English as a Second Language (ESL), linked, study skills classes, or unit-based ECE and General Education (GE) classes;
    • Courses that allow for participants to build skills needed to take degree/permit applicable courses;
    • Non-unit based ESL courses taken through adult education programs that are based on comparable hours. (Example: 54 hours in a non-unit based course would be equivalent to a 3-unit-based course);
    • Degree needs to be related to ECE/Child Development and can have a focus on ECE special needs; and
    • Credential must be Early Education credential (as available) or Multiple Subject elementary school credential.
  • Courses must be taken in the following priority order:
    • Lower Division 8, Core Classes.
    • Courses covering content related to improving children’s outcomes or of key interest to First 5 California and areas highlighted by research as key to children’s later academic and life success: Infant/Toddler, Language and Literacy, Dual Language, Numeracy, and Social/Emotional Development.
    • Other courses that contain content that covers areas as designated for improvement on participants’ CLASS scores, subsequent conversations and plan development with CARES Plus Advisors.
    • Other courses as required to achieve an AA or AS degree.
    • Other courses as required to achieve a BA or BS degree.
• Component C
  • Provide advising to CARES Plus Core participants and help them develop their Professional Development Plans.
  • Participants in Component C are required to complete the Core Components and have the option to complete component A or B if they so choose.
  • Participants will have a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development or a related field.

Participants will meet with a CARES Plus Advisor and submit a completed Professional Development Plan. This plan will include a section on how they will improve a minimum of two dimensions on the CLASS Observation Tool. The identified areas of potential improvement based on the CLASS observation tool will be part of the focus for early care educators participating in Components A or B.

Upon completion of the CORE Requirements, as well as the requirements of the Program Component(s) early educators choose to participate in, they will receive a stipend.

For additional information, please contact: Michelle Masner by e-mail or by calling (909) 890-0018