What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Member of SDAEYC?

Updated

The San Diego Association for the Education of Young Children (SDAEYC) is a local affiliate of the California AEYC, and its own site lists four main membership benefits: connecting with other early childhood professionals, professional development through workshops and events, access to research-based publications, and members-only discounts on events and materials. The same page also states that the SDAEYC website was scheduled to transition to the California AEYC regional page on February 1, 2017 and to close permanently on April 30, 2017 — so if you are evaluating membership today, treat the CAEYC regional page as the current source of truth rather than the SDAEYC site itself.

What SDAEYC Says Membership Includes

The homepage organizes the pitch around four verbs, each tied to a concrete benefit:

  • Get Connected — join San Diego's early childhood professional community, described as "other early childhood professionals and all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children."
  • Get Educated — professional development, workshops, special events, award-winning research-based publications, and advocacy opportunities.
  • Get Inspired — resources intended to support personal and professional growth.
  • Join — members-only benefits, specifically "discounts on events, materials and access to publications."

The page also notes that "volunteers are the spirit of our community," with an open call to become one — useful if you want a role beyond paying dues.

Who It's For

The stated audience is broad: early childhood professionals plus anyone who cares for, educates, or advocates for young children in the San Diego area. The site addresses both "SDAEYC Members and Non-Members" in its application section, which suggests non-members could apply for at least some programs (such as the Diversity in Action Grant described below) without joining first.

How to Apply

The homepage points to an "Information, Application and Diversity in Action Grant Checklist" and states a submission deadline of April 30, 2017. It does not describe the application steps, fees, or membership tiers, so those details would need to come from the linked application materials or from CAEYC. Note that the April 30, 2017 date is the deadline printed on the page — it is not a current deadline.

A Key Caveat Before You Join

The most important practical detail on the page is the transition notice:

"Our website will be transitioning to our regional page on the California AEYC website officially February 1, 2017 and closing permanently April 30, 2017. Updated calendars, event registration and other information will be maintained on the CAEYC website."

This means the SDAEYC site is an archived snapshot (copyright 2013–2016). For current membership options, event calendars, and registration, check the California AEYC regional page instead. The benefits described above are what SDAEYC advertised at the time of that snapshot; whether they still apply, and at what cost, is not stated in the available material.

Quick Decision Guide

If you want to… The page supports…
Network with San Diego early childhood professionals Yes — "Get Connected" is the first listed benefit
Attend workshops and special events Yes — listed under professional development
Get discounts on events and materials Yes — described as members-only
Access publications Yes — members-only access plus research-based publications
Know the current fee or application steps Not stated — check CAEYC
Confirm benefits are still active today Not stated — the site closed April 30, 2017

If networking, professional development, and member discounts are what you're after, the benefits are clearly described — but verify current terms through California AEYC before applying, since the SDAEYC site itself is no longer the live source.