AB 212: Supporting a high quality, well-educated ECE Workforce through SaMCARES
Beginning in 2001, AB 212 Child Care Retention and training funds were awarded to San Mateo County to be administered by the local child care planning council, the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council. The Council chose the Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County (4Cs) to be the subcontractor. The Council had worked closely with 4Cs on the development of SaMCARES (San Mateo Compensation and Retention Ensures Stability), a child care and early childhood education teacher retention and training stipend program. The Council determined that the new AB 212 funds should be used within SaMCARES to provide stipends for teachers working in Title 5 and Head Start programs serving low income children and for teachers working in licensed afterschool programs. This partnership with 4Cs has proven to be very successful in dramatically improving the retention of early childhood education teachers and increasing their level of education and certification. See the most recent evaluation of SaMCARES Round 9 Evaluation or visit the Child Care Coordinating Council's Web site. See also AB 212 Plan.