Getting Started

There are many sources of information and assistance to help you take the next step! Whether you are looking for information or an advisor to help you sort through your choices, you will find a variety of resources are available.

Educator and Provider Support (EPS)

In Massachusetts, each region of the state has an agency charged with providing support for early educators through funding known as Educator and Provider Support or "EPS". 

MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care has many helpful resources posted on its website. EEC is responsible for early education and care professional certifications and provides information about qualifications as well as application packets. EEC also oversees the Quality Rating and Improvement System which includes standards for early educator professional development and a statewide system for Educator and Provider Supports (EPS) to help educators meet higher standrds for professional development and competencies.

Career Road Map

The Bessie Tart Wilson Initiative for Children (BTWIC) has created a career Road Map especially designed to help early educators navigate the steps to increasing their credentials and earning a college degree.

Financial Aid

If you have identified your next career step as going to college and pursuing a degree, then you will likely be looking for financial aid to help you pay for college. Financial Aid may be available from federal, state, community, or individual college sources.