Welcome to the ECE Recap where you can find the
most recent and important information from the
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
Work Force Support Grant Opportunity

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is offering Work Force Support Grants to Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care providers through the Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC). Get information here about the grant, grant funding, eligibility, how to apply, and the application.
Updated Appendix A – Health and Safety Training Certification Requirements: FAQs and OCDEL Guidance Chart

Appendix A – Health and Safety Training Certification Requirements: FAQs and OCDEL Guidance Chart has been updated to answer additional questions around CPR / First Aid Training Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) requirements, and emergency preparedness and response planning. The updated document can be found on the Certification Announcement C-22-02 page.
Announcement ELRC 22-04: 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development has released the Announcement ELRC 22-04, 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual. The Announcement provides the 2022 updated Keystone STARS Performance Standards, Program Manual, and corresponding resource documents.
Enter to Win the 2022 PA One Book

PA’s Promise for Children is sharing an opportunity to win a copy of the 2022 PA One Book, Saturday, by Oge Mora. Share with families and friends this opportunity to enter to win a copy of the book. Click here to enter.
EPA/HHS Joint Training on Lead Testing
and Remediation

The U.S. EPA (Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water) and U.S. HHS (Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care) are providing a Joint Training series directly to early childhood education programs to increase and improve participation of these facilities in testing and reducing lead in drinking water. The training will teach how to use the interactive tools and products that were specifically designed to ease implementation of a lead testing and reduction program and to share information on the increased federal funding available towards these efforts.
 
You are invited to register for the 3-part training series which builds on each other and is designed to provide all the resources you will need to complete a 3Ts (Training, Testing and Taking Action) plan to conduct lead testing and reduce exposure to children. The EPA and HHS will take you through presentations, interactive tools, and case studies to build your 3Ts plan and share information on the increased funding opportunities (from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November 2021 by President Biden) available to child care/early childhood facilities.
 
Target Audience:
  • Early Head Start and Head Start programs
  • Pre-school/Early education programs
  • Center-based and Family child care homes
  • Train-the-Trainer: State child care TA providers 

Please register for the 3-part series:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
 
  1. May 31, 2022 (1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET): PART 1 -- Training: Implementing a 3Ts program for Lead Testing in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities.

SURVEY: Please take 5 minutes to complete the voluntary survey. Click here!
 
  1. June 14, 2022 (1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET): PART 2 -- Testing: Implementing a 3Ts program for Collecting Lead Samples in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities.

  • REGISTER: Go to your confirmation email for link!
 
  1. June 23, 2022 (1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET): PART 3 -- Taking Action: Implementing a 3Ts program for Reducing Lead Exposure in Drinking Water in Child Care and Early Childhood Facilities.

  • REGISTER: Go to your confirmation email for link!

Share with families and friends this opportunity to enter to win a copy of the book. Click here to enter.