Teacher effectiveness is among the most important factors impacting the quality of early care and education. When teachers pursue a higher education degree in early childhood education, they are better equipped to support children’s development and school readiness.  In Florida, the minimum educational requirement for lead teachers is a 45-hour course from the Department of Children and Families. The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to individuals who agree to teach for four years at a school or program that serves students from low-income families. Through this federal grant, four of our teacher assistants (Meyvis Gutierrez, Maria Chea, Yamilka Santana and Yutsimi Valdivia) are pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education at Miami-Dade College.