The Indigenous Early Childhood Educators (IECE) Professional Development Program

The Indigenous Early Childhood Educators (IECE) professional development program is for teachers of 3-4 year olds in Head Starts and other preschools serving primarily Indigenous children. It offers a long-term, cohort-model professional development opportunity for preschool teachers serving Native students.

Early childhood educators accepted into the IECE program will receive a certificate of completion indicating up to 55 hours of professional development, will complete a culturally sustaining and responsive curriculum unit to implement in their classrooms, and will receive a stipend to supplement costs not covered by the INE (i.e. travel/lodging/ meals).

Teachers who are IECE Fellows participate in an 7-month Fellowship that will increase their:

Knowledge of early childhood best practices
Curriculum-development skills
Capacity to deliver culturally responsive lessons
Leadership ability
Writing capacity

Educators in the IECE are motivated, intellectually curious teachers who want to improve their content knowledge and have high expectations for their students.

Applications due: Sunday, March 2, 2026

Click to complete the 2026 IECE application

IECE Seminar Schedule 2026*

Application process

Step 1: Get your supervisor’s support

You will need to confirm that your supervisor supports your application. Please discuss this with your supervisor before you apply.

Step 2: Confirm your eligibility

Please carefully read the “Eligibility criteria” and “Time Commitment” sections to confirm your eligibility. This includes ensuring that you can attend ALL in-person and virtual meetings.

Eligibility criteria

Please carefully review the Teacher Eligibility Criteria and Commitment for participation before applying:

Full-time teacher of 3-4 year olds
Employed by a Head Start or other preschool serving Indigenous children
Pair your educator experience and expertise with new content knowledge to develop and write a culturally sustaining and responsive curriculum unit to implement in the classroom
Ability to attend ALL in-person and online meetings (See 2026 IECE Program Calendar here)
*Garner support from your school administrator/principal to participate in the IECE program. Please provide your administrator/principal with a copy of the seminar description and schedule to ensure they understand the level of commitment asked of you to participate.
Educators must also commit to remaining in the classroom in their current district or school on the Native Nation for at least three years. Due to the workload, first-year teachers are not typically encouraged to apply for the IECE.

Time Commitment

You will earn 38.5 Seat Hours for Professional Development through the following activities:

1 online orientation session
9 online seminar sessions
1 in-person seminar session on NAU campus
Attend the American Indian/Indigenous Teacher Education Conference (AIITEC) *optional
1-day in-person Showcase in November at NAU’s Flagstaff campus
Scheduled time for reading/writing each week

Step 3: Submit your application

The application is completed via Google forms, which requires you to complete and submit the entire application at one time. Please be sure you allow sufficient time to do this; we recommend approximately one hour.

The application includes two questions that should be answered in 300-600 words. The questions are:

“Part of our mission is to work with teachers who are leaders in their schools/centers or communities. How do you demonstrate leadership in your role as a teacher?”
“Please explain why you are interested in participating in IECE, and describe a specific way you could integrate this seminar topic into your teaching.”

It may be helpful to draft your response in a Word/Google Document (or something similar) then copy and paste your response into the application when you are ready to submit.

Step 4: Notification of acceptance

The Institute for Native-serving Educators will inform you of your application status by

My Voice, My Wings: Non-Textual Bookmaking to Integrate Ancestral Language and Grow Children into Language Butterflies (Jennie DeGroat, Teaching Professor College of Education)

This seminar supports Indigenous early childhood educators in integrating ancestral language into bookmaking with young learners. Participants will explore practical ways to weave words, stories, and kinship traditions into simple, handmade books—such as accordion folds and sewn bindings—creating meaningful, intergenerational learning tools. Activities will help children value their home language and personal stories, strengthening their identity and self-esteem. The seminar concludes with developing a long-term curriculum plan that uses bookmaking to sustain and celebrate ancestral language throughout the year.