
This spring, the first group of eight staff members from our educational program began pursuing their Learning Behavior Specialist degrees, with tuition assistance provided by Little Friends.
“As a first-generation college graduate who grew up in foster care, I did not think I would have an opportunity like this,” said participant Victoria Jackson. “I am grateful to be a part of the cohort and cannot wait to see where it takes me in the future.”
This program, in partnership with Southern Illinois University, enables paraprofessionals and teacher assistants in our programs to pursue their degrees online, fulfilling all clinical requirements at Little Friends. As a result of this initiative, our staff will welcome one LBS1-certified teacher this fall and seven more in the summer of 2026.
To further our mission of serving more students with special needs in our educational programs, we aim to add a new group of staff members to the cohort each summer semester. Our agency is dedicated to providing an annual scholarship for each participant per academic year as we continue this investment in our staff.
“We are excited about our first tuition assistance program for future LBS1 professionals. This initiative underscores our deep commitment to our employees and their professional growth,” stated Little Friends Vice President of Human Resources Liz Johnson. “We are incredibly grateful for our dedicated team members who are passionate about supporting our students. Their hard work, commitment to professional development, and unwavering support for their peers make them truly exceptional.”