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County approves redistributed funding for Chemeketa early childhood program after staff outline retention challenges
Summary
The Board approved an amendment to a contract with Chemeketa Community College to redistribute funding so the college can recruit and retain a planned cohort of early childhood education trainees; commissioners asked for follow-up data on graduate outcomes.
The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners on March 27 approved Amendment 1 to the contract with Chemeketa Community College’s early childhood education program to modify funding distribution and support future cohorts through Dec. 31, 2026.
Carla Hale, dean of education and early childhood education at Chemeketa Community College, told the board the pilot cohort enrolled 12 participants and 10 completed the intensive program. "We were able to recruit, retain, and complete 10 participants in the first summer," she said.
Hale said the program is a compressed, 14-week course that carries the equivalent of a one-year certificate. "This is an intensive, 14 week, program... they really have to go 40 hours per week," she said, which made participation difficult for students who could not give up employment. Chemeketa cited two main obstacles to meeting the original target of 25 participants: timing and insufficient stipends that did not replace lost wages for full-time summer students.
To address those issues, Chemeketa and county staff proposed redistributing funding to improve recruiting and retention, increase stipends, and provide free childcare on campus for participants during the next two summers, Hale said. She added that the coursework can count toward an associate of applied science in early childhood and that Chemeketa has an articulation agreement with Western Oregon University for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree.
Commissioners asked for follow-up reporting on outcomes for the 10 completers, including whether graduates obtained raises or positions that moved them into lead-teacher roles. Hale said the college did not have placement or wage-change data available at the meeting but that it could provide that information to the county.
The board voted to approve the amendment; the motion passed unanimously.
The board discussion included procedural confirmation that staff would monitor recruitment efforts, stipend levels and childcare supports and report back with outcome data so the county can assess how funds affect completion and employment pathways.
