OCDEL
The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning supports families and their children, from prenatal through school age, by using data, research and stakeholder guidance to assure high quality services.
Share your thoughts on ESSA at public events, December - January
The PA Department of Education (PDE) is hosting a series of public meetings to get
 feedback on Pennsylvania's state plan for the Every Student Succeeds A ct (ESSA). A senior leader from PDE will provide background on the law  and discuss the ongoing development of Pennsylvania's State Plan for its implementation, which will be  submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in 2017. 

There are several areas in the law that reference or may have a direct impac on early learning such as Title I funding for preschools, Preschool Development Grants , P-3 alignment, professional development, and serving special populations. 

Public event schedule:

You do not need to register.

friFriday, December 2, 9:30 am
Community College of Allegheny County
Main Campus in the Tom Forester Student Services Center Auditorium
808 Ridge Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Thursday, December 8, 2:30 pm
Tom Ridge Environmental Center (room TBA)
Erie, PA 

Friday, December 9, 1:00 pm
Lock Haven University (room TBA)
Lock Haven, PA

Time and locations TBA:
  • Friday, December 16- Philadelphia
  • Wednesday, January 4 - Quakertown
  • Tuesday, January 10 - Scranton
Visit the PDE website for updates on dates, times, locations.

Developed and passed with strong, bipartisan agreement, ESSA replaces the No Child Left Behind Act and provides significant flexibility around federal education policy by shifting authority back to states and communities. 
 
Early education representatives participated on each of the four PDE workgroups: Assessment, Accountability, Educator Certification, and Educator Evaluation.

The new framework under ESSA largely goes into effect in the 2017-18 school year, with 2016-17 serving as a transition year. Pennsylvania's existing state plan remains effective until August 1, 2016. Under ESSA, states are expected to continue interventions in priority and focus schools through the 2016-17 school year.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) provides families access to high quality services to prepare children for school and life success. 
  
Find more information about Quality Early Learning in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Early Childhood Education News is a project of the Pennsylvania Build Initiative and the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Human Services to inform early learning professionals, the early childhood community, policymakers, community leaders and the public on developments in early childhood education and care in Pennsylvania.

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