Stipend Information

In addition to participating in high-quality computer science professional learning activties at no cost, California educators may opt-in to receive a stipend for fully and actively participating in the Seasons of CS.  Stipends are funded by the 2023 Educator Workforce Investment Grant for Computer Science.  The amount of the stipends vary, based on the duration and intensity of the professional learning experience.

For the 3-hour Orientation Workshops, a participant can earn more than one stipend by fully and actively participating in more than one 3-hour Orientation Workshop.

About the 2021 and 2023 Educator Workforce Investment Grants for Computer Science

Funded by the California Department of Education (CDE), the 2021 and 2023 Educator Workforce Investment Grants for Computer Science (AKA the "Seasons of CS") provide professional learning opportunities on the topic of computer science to California educators.

Eligibility Considerations for Seasons of CS Stipend

By opting in to receive a Seasons of CS stipend, you confirm you are eligible for one. 

Generally speaking, California public school educators participating in professional learning outside their normal work hours are eligible to receive a stipend. You should confirm this assumption with a school/district administrator.

Reasons you might not be eligible to receive a stipend (and do not need to opt-in to receive a stipend):

• You are not employed by a public school or local education agency in California.

• You are participating in professional learning while receiving a salary with your organization/district/school at the time of the professional learning.

• Your organization/district/school has a policy that prevents you from receiving stipends/gifts in addition to your salary

• You did not participate in the live/synchronous portion of the workshop.

It is your responsibility to confirm your eligibility to receive a stipend.

It should be noted that the receipt of a stipend constitutes a taxable event under the prevailing tax regulations. Parties involved must consider the implications on their individual tax obligations.

Questions about the Seasons of CS workshops and stipends? Visit https://www.seasonsofcs.org/faq and/or email seasonsofcs@cdefoundation.org.  

The Seasons of CS workshops are designed to provide you with a quality professional learning experience that features an equity-minded focus on the California K-12 CS Standards, which include seven core practices “in which students actively engage…” while learning the standards:

1. Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture 

2. Collaborating Around Computing 

3. Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems 

4. Developing and Using Abstractions 

5. Creating Computational Artifacts 

6. Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts 

7. Communicating About Computing

Whether you choose to participate in person or virtually, our Seasons of CS workshops wholeheartedly integrate these practices into all aspects of our sessions. We value and respect your unique perspectives and contributions, and we're committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming space where everyone's voice is heard. Coordinators, providers, and facilitators of the Seasons of Workshop take great pride in designing collaborative experiences that are only made possible through the full and active participation of all workshop participants. Full participation includes but is not limited to being present for the time allotted for a given workshop, as well as attending to any applicable asynchronous activities that are assigned by the facilitator.  Active participation includes but is not limited to engaging with other participants and acknowledging the facilitators and hosts of your workshop.

In order to receive a Seasons of CS stipend, your full and active participation is required.

Stipend payments of $125/workshop are processed after you complete the 3 hours of synchronous and asynchronous work associated with your Orientation Workshop.

• July 1, 2023 - September 30, 2023 Workshop Completion Date: Payment will occur by December 31, 2023.

• October 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023 Workshop Completion Date: Payment will occur by March 31, 2024.

• January 1, 2024 - March 31, 2024 Workshop Completion Date: Payment will occur by June 30, 2024.

• April 1, 2024 - May 30, 2024 Workshop Completion Date: Payment will occur by August 31, 2024.

All synchronous and asynchronous work must be completed and verified for a stipend to be paid. No partial payments will be processed. For the 3-hour Orientation Workshops, a participant can earn more than one stipend by fully and actively participating in more than one 3-hour Orientation Workshop.

All stipends will be paid upon completion of the ongoing Academic Year Workshops (occurring August 1, 2023 - Mar 2024). We anticipate the distribution of stipend payments to occur by April 30, 2024.

At our virtual computer science professional learning workshops, we prioritize fostering an interactive and collaborative environment. These workshops are designed not only to impart standards-based knowledge and skills but also to provide California K-12 educators with the invaluable opportunity to connect with their peers who share a passion for computer science and educational technology.

Considering this, we have chosen not to admit AI companions, like Otter AI, into virtual Seasons of CS workshops. Our decision aligns with the expectations set by the California Department of Education, the funder of the Seasons of CS professional learning program.

Seasons of CS workshops - whether in-person or virtual - require full, live, and active participation to qualify for the stipend. We recognize that unique learning preferences differ. If you are interested in professional learning in CS, we encourage you to visit www.seasonsofcs.org, where a plethora of other learning opportunities await you.