EEC launches loan‑repayment program offering up to $7,500 to early educators

The Department of Early Education and Care on a recent information session detailed a new Early Childhood Educator Loan Repayment Program that will pay up to $7,500 per recipient per year toward outstanding federal or state school loans for qualifying early educators.

Sarah Cen, a workforce development specialist at EEC, said the program is intended for people currently employed at EEC‑licensed programs — including center‑based programs, family child care, afterschool/out‑of‑school programs and licensed residential programs — and is not a tuition scholarship. "This is going to be our first time having it," Cen said, adding that the award applies only to existing loan balances and that funds will go directly to loan processors, not to individuals.

The program covers undergraduate degrees (associate or bachelor’s) completed after July 1, 2013, and excludes master’s degrees. Cen said qualifying fields of study include early childhood education, education, social work, psychology and human services; degrees in unrelated fields such as English, math or business do not qualify. She also said degrees must come from eligible Massachusetts public or private institutions and encouraged…