News

June 9, 2026

Application Process Open for Scholarships to Conference Focusing on Autism and Sensory Disabilities

Those interested in attending the Building Knowledge to Know How Conference can apply for a scholarship, which provides free registration and lodging.

The conference highlights best practices, research, and strategies with a special focus on autism, sensory disabilities, secondary transition, and complex instructional needs.

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Those interested in obtaining a scholarship to attend the conference should apply by Monday, June 15.

The scholarships are provided by the state’s Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, and PaTTAN. The conference runs from August 4 to 7 at the Lancaster County Convention Center.

This year’s theme is “Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners.” The conference will provide an opportunity to learn and engage with nationally recognized presenters as well as educators and families from across the state.

The conference also includes:

Youth experiences for young people, ages 4 to 21
Poster sessions on successful approaches, programs, and collaborations from state educational agencies
Exhibitors and vendors
Networking opportunities and evening activities

Family scholarships – full, partial, and virtual – are available to Pennsylvania residents who have children between the ages of 4 and 21. Applicants should:

Have a current IEP/IFSP
Receive supports and services through an infant toddler or preschool early intervention program
Be in the evaluation/assessment process for eligibility to receive support and services from a state public or approved private school

More information about the scholarships is available online.

News

May 7, 2026

Eligible Children With Scholarship from Keystone Scholars Can Receive $25 Bonus

Allegheny County residents who have claimed a scholarship from Keystone Scholars for eligible children can receive an additional $25 bonus.

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The $25 Power Their Future bonus, which is provided by Neighborhood Allies, is available for county residents who have a scholarship from Keystone Scholars for children born between 2019 and 2025.

To receive the bonus, caregivers must claim a Keystone Scholars account and enroll in Fund My Future PGH. Once enrolled, they can access their Keystone Scholars account and confirm their Fund My Future PGH raffle ticket number.

The bonus will go to anyone who is enrolled in Fund My Future PGH and claims the scholarship between May and July.

Keystone Scholars provides a $100 scholarship to all children born to Pennsylvania residents between 2019 and after. The scholarship can be used for a child’s post-high school training and education expenses. Those with eligible children can claim an account online.

Those with Keystone Scholars scholarships can claim the $25 bonus online.

News

March 9, 2026

Application Process Open for LEAF Scholarships

The application process for LEAF Scholarships – which provide services to individuals with disabilities and their family members – is now open.

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The program provides scholarships of up to $750 per person – per year – to assist individuals with disabilities and their families in attending conferences, training sessions, and comparable activities directly related to skill development and self-advocacy, leadership, and education.

The application should be for attendance at activities that are scheduled through March 31. Those interested can apply for the scholarship online.

No more than 10 scholarships will be awarded per event and the total scholarship amount awarded for any single event will not exceed $7,500. Scholarships will be awarded until the allotted funds are used.

The scholarship’s eligibility instructions, pre-event questions, and LEAF application can all be found on the scholarship’s website.

News

April 22, 2025

ECE Professionals Must Submit T.E.A.C.H. Application for Fall Semester by July 11

Early childhood education professionals interested in attending college for the upcoming fall semester should apply to T.E.A.C.H. by the July deadline.

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T.E.A.C.H. applications must be completed and submitted with all required documentation and information by Friday, July 11 to be considered for the fall semester that will begin in mid-August.

PACCA will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis. However, incomplete applications and those received after the July deadline will not receive priority for consideration.

New scholarship awards for the fall semester will depend on funding availability. Applicants should begin the college admissions process now and contact an ECE advisor at their intended college or university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants are admitted and can register for courses if they receive a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. can provide contact information for ECE advisors at partnering institutions.

Information on availability and program requirements are available on PACCA’s website, where scholarship applications can also be downloaded. Applicants can contact T.E.A.C.H. counselors on the website.

Any questions about scholarship eligibility or requirements can be sent to a T.E.A.C.H. counselor at teachinfo@pacca.org.

News

April 15, 2025

Early Childhood Educators Can Gain Voice in Policy Decisions Through Teach Plus Fellowship

Early childhood educators can deepen their understanding of education policy and gain a voice in decisions that affect their students and profession by applying for the Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellowship.

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This summer, Teach Plus will launch its fifth cohort of teaching policy fellows. The leadership opportunity is for 30 teachers, who will receive a $1,500 stipend for taking part in the fellowship.

Guided work for the fellowship includes:

Two in-person training sessions, monthly virtual meetings, and issues-focused working groups
Expert-led training modules on such topics as storytelling for impact, policy 101, advocacy and organizing, evidence-based policymaking, testifying and meeting with decision makers, op-ed writing, and media relations
Direct engagement with stakeholders and policymakers
Pursuit of a policy research or advocacy project that addresses a pressing state-level policy issue

Some of the 2025-26 policy areas of focus include early childhood education, equitable funding, teacher preparation, advancing the science of reading, expanding and diversifying the teacher pipeline.

Qualifications and Applications Process

To qualify, applicants must be a current educator (early childhood to 12th grade) in a state public, charter, or early childhood setting with at least two years of teaching experience by June. Applicants must have a track record of success teaching students in Pennsylvania.

To apply, candidates must submit a written application prior to May 5. There will be a virtual session on applying on April 15 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Registration is open.

Candidates will then participate in an individual phone interview and a group activity via Zoom between May 19 and 22. All candidates will receive notification of their status by May 30.

For more information, visit the Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellowship website.

News

April 8, 2024

Family Scholarships Offered for National Autism Conference

The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is offering family scholarships to attend the 2024 National Autism Conference in Harrisburg. The conference, which runs from Aug. 5-8, provides comprehensive, evidence-based information to assist educators, other professionals, and families in developing effective educational programming for all students with autism spectrum disorders.

Who Should Apply

The Parent/Caregiver Scholarship is available to parents or caregivers of a child with an individualized education program (IEP). It is also available for caregivers of a child who receives early intervention (EI) services and meets certain qualifications.

Other qualifying factors include:

Parents or caregivers who have never previously received the scholarship or who received it previously, but not more than two years in a row
Parents or caregivers who receive early intervention services, regardless of whether they have attended in the past
Parents who are employed in a professional capacity as educators by any of the following: school, school district, charter school, intermediate unit, parent training and information center, community parent resource center, or other federally-funded educational or advocacy organization are not eligible for a scholarship and should seek funding through their employer.

The scholarships offered include full (covers conference registration, lodging, and travel expenses), partial (registration, but not lodging), and lodging for full scholarship applicants traveling for more than 50 miles, one way.

More Details

The registration window for the scholarship is open through May 30. Scholarships will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. However, priority will be given to parent or caregiver scholarship recipients for the Children’s Institute.

Eligible recipients are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Notifications on whether a recipient is accepted for the scholarships will be sent out by June 20.

More scholarship details are available on the PaTTAN website.