Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD)

Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD) is sponsored by California Department of Social Services (administered through various county agencies). This program offers financial incentives for early educators to complete professional development milestones.

Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD) - DEC Provider Portal The application period for the next round of SEEPD is June 1 - June 30, 2026. NEW for 2026: Stipends for up to 6 semester units of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses!

Pilot Program: Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD) The Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD) is a pilot* program of the Department of Early Childhood’s Workforce Initiative launched in Spring 2024 to support educators working at City-funded early care and education programs in meeting professional development and higher education milestones through financial incentives.

We are excited to announce that the Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD) will be offered again in June 2026 to support educators who completed the following milestones between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026: Obtained, upgraded, or renewed Child Development Permit Completed course-based specialization certificate programs in Infant-Toddler care, Special Education, or Dual Language Learning Completed college- and/or graduate-level coursework at a regionally accredited institution towards an Associate, Bachelor, or Master degree in early childhood education/child development or towards a Child Development Permit (see full list of Commission on Teacher Credentialing accepted bodies of accreditation) New for 2026: Includes up to 6 semester units of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses Please note: An educational plan is required to verify eligibility for the unit stipend Completed an Associate, Bachelor, or Master degree in early childhood education/child development at a regionally accredited institution of higher education (see full list of Commission on Teacher Credentialing accepted bodies of accreditation).

Received foreign transcript evaluation support (must include course by course evaluation) *A pilot program is a short-term test that helps an organization gather necessary data and insights before making long-term investments or commitments. The SEEPD pilot will help DEC better understand your professional development costs and needs so we can determine how best to support you going forward.

As such, professional development support programming is likely to evolve over time and future rounds of SEEPD are not guaranteed. If you missed our 2025 webinars, check out the recording and presentation linked below in your preferred language to get all the most up to date information on this year’s round of SEEPD.

In order to apply for SEEPD you must: Be employed at a DEC-funded Early Learning For All site; and Be a participant in Spring 2026 CARES 3. 0 or EESSG; and Have a California Workforce Registry ID associated with an up-to-date Registry profile The stipend matrix linked below, details the amounts we are offering for different professional development and coursework completed between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 .

To determine your stipend amount, add up the amounts for the activities you completed (or will complete by June 30th) under each column.

Here are a few examples to help you understand the matrix so you can determine your stipend amount: Teacher A got their Associate Teacher Permit for the first time in October 2025 ($1500), completed 9 semester units at an accredited college between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 ($4,000), and earned their Associate’s degree in May 2026 ($5,000).

They did not complete any Certificate programs or get any Foreign Transcript Evaluation Support ($0). Teacher A is eligible for a total stipend of $10,500. Teacher B is a Site Supervisor who renewed their existing Child Development Permit in February, 2026 ($2,000).

They did not complete any semester or semester equivalent units between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 ($0). They completed their bachelor’s degree in child development five years ago ($0 – because they completed their degree before the period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 it will not count towards their SEEPD stipend).

They did not complete any course-based specialization certificates or get any Foreign Transcript Evaluation Support ($0). Teacher B is eligible for a total stipend of $2,000. Teacher C does not have a CA Child Development Permit ($0).

They completed 3 semester units at an accredited college between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 ($2,000) but have not yet earned any degree ($0). However, they did complete a course-based specialization certificate in Infant-Toddler education ($1500). They also received foreign transcript evaluation support to help them transfer units from a school in Hong Kong to their current school in the United States ($600).

Teacher C is eligible for $4,100. Guide for Applying to SEEPD The guide linked below explains the step-by-step process to apply for SEEPD using the CA ECE Workforce Registry.

Please note: You will be required to upload the following documentation to your CA ECE Workforce Registry Account before the application deadline if you have not already done so: Child Development Permit history – verification of new or upgraded Permit status Transcript(s) from nationally accredited higher education institution(s) (Unofficial transcripts with applicant name and name of institution are acceptable).

If applying for Foreign Transcript Evaluation Support: evaluation and receipt with participant’s first and last name Your processing time may be delayed if your documents are blurry or if the registry has follow up questions.

Guide for Applying to SEEPD Stipend Process / Timeline Application Period: June 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026 Login to the CA ECE Workforce Registry and submit a SEEPD Application (Please take time to review the application guide for step-by-step instructions) After the application is submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to the applicant (if you do not receive this email, please reach out to the SEEPD team at ECEstipend@sfgov.

org) A SEEPD team member will review the application information including employment, verified documents on file, and program eligibility All required documentation must be uploaded to the CA Workforce Registry no later than June 30, 2026.

NOTE: Transcript/coursework verification takes up to 6 weeks Initial Review Period: July 1 – August 15, 2026 An approval or denial email with a projection of your stipend amount will be sent after the application period closes. If approved, we will verify that all W-9 information is on file and matches the registry information.

Appeals Submission Period: August 18, 2026 – August 25, 2026 Applicants will have an opportunity to appeal if they believe their stipend projection amount to be incorrect. Applicants will be notified by email with their projected stipend amount instructions to submit an appeal. The appeal will be an electronic submission.

Appeals Review and Determination Process: August 26, 2026 – September 5, 2026 DEC will review all appeals and notify applicants by email for final approval or denial by September 5, 2026. Stipend Disbursement: Fall, 2026 Stipends will be issued on or before October 31, 2026. Once the stipend check is printed and sent, we will send an email notifying the applicant that their check is on the way.

Frequently Asked Questions Have questions about SEEPD? Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions in the language of your preference using the links below. Questions about your eligibility?

Questions about your registry account? Contact the Help Desk at Children’s Council: support@childrenscouncil. org or 415.

343. 4669 Questions about your uploaded transcripts and documents? Contact the CA ECE Workforce Registry (323) 645-2631 – Los Angeles (855) 645-0826 – Toll Free or submit a request , and someone will get back to you shortly.