Governor Tom Wolf has announced effective March 1, 2021, rates supporting the Child Care Works (CCW) program will be regionalized and increased. This increase is a step towards allowing providers participating in CCW a sustained equitable foundation to provide a high-quality learning environment for children and to recruit and retain high-quality staff and teachers. 

To regionalize, counties are grouped according to their ELRC region and rates are set within each region by matching the highest base rate for that provider type and care level. After regionalization, Center, Group and Family providers rates were increased to meet a 40th percentile floor based on the 2019 Market Rate Survey. Percentile is the measurement of the established Maximum Child Care Allowance (MCCA) base rate when compared to reported private pay rates in each area. In addition, all Relative provider rates will also be regionalized and increased by $2.

The new base rates are effective March 1, 2021. Payments will reflect the increased base rates beginning in April 2021, after March invoices are submitted on April 5, 2021. 

For additional details, please view the document, Department of Human Services: Maximum Daily Child Care Allowances (MCCA)-effective 3/1/21, on the DHS website.

Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller announced the release of DHS’ first Racial Equity Report. The report details ongoing efforts underway by DHS and its partners to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through this work in order to be a partner in correcting systemic racism and inequities.

The report covers work in health equity, economic justice, early childhood education, child welfare, and juvenile justice. DHS is also looking to promote this work within the organization, where leadership and staff have participated in training and educational opportunities as an organization to broaden a collective understanding of topics like equity, racism, privilege, trauma, and intersectionality as it relates to the agency’s work. The report details an overview of Pennsylvania’s work in this space and relevant data where available, opportunities for growth identified, ongoing work, and next steps to help bring this work to fruition. The report is meant to establish a starting point for DHS and its partners to guide efforts moving forward. Access the report and summary.

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning has announced Shante’ A. Brown as the new Director of the Bureau of Certification. Ms. Brown is a dedicated early childhood education leader with over a decade of experience in leading child care programs. She believes in connecting people to resources and building strong community relationships. Prior to this role, she served as the director of the PHLpreK program, Philadelphia’s locally funded pre-K initiative. A 2019, Drexel University School of Lebow “Leading for Change” fellow, Ms. Brown holds a B.S.Ed in Early Childhood - Elementary Education, M.S. in Reading Education and an EdS in Teacher Leadership. She is a genuine advocate for the field, and committed to positive outcomes for children, families and providers in the state of Pennsylvania.

Please join a special webinar, Pre-K is Working in PA, presenting results from a new research study conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the impacts of the PA Pre-K Counts Program. Presenters will review data showing the impact on children’s early learning and kindergarten readiness as well as local variations in how providers implemented the PA Pre-K Counts program and potential areas for improvement. 

Click here to register.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), in collaboration with Self-Determination Housing of Pennsylvania, is now providing Home Visitors, Family Support program staff, and Early intervention staff with resources to support families with young children to secure affordable and/or accessible housing. 

Navigating Income-Based Housing Options is a 40-minute recorded webinar that can be watched at any time. The webinar and accompanying handouts are designed to help home visitors and providers in Family Support and Early Intervention programs to: 

Regional Prepared Renter Education Program (PREP) webinars were held in Oct. and Nov. 2020. The webinars introduced the PREP Train the Trainer curriculum for staff who are assisting families to secure affordable and/or accessible housing. The PREP materials include: 

Now available is the updated version of the 2020 Family Support Needs Assessment (FSNA). Based on early feedback of the content and accessibility of these files, updates were made to ensure the data are accurate, clear and more easily downloadable. The new documents also contain corrected minor print errors.

The following Family Support Needs Assessment Documents have been updated on the DHS website:

To help various stakeholders digest all this report has to offer and think about how these data could meet their specific needs, CHOP PolicyLab has written this blog post on the utility of the FSNA for program administrators, community members, advocates and policymakers.

If you have any questions or comments about the Needs Assessment in general or the contents of the report please email: RA-PWPAHOMEVISITING@pa.gov.

Pennsylvania’s Professional Development Organizations (PDOs) are establishing plans to help develop their staff and partners’ ability to increase a sense of belonging and inclusion. These methods will help reduce bias, build on critical partnerships, and end assumptions that are dangerous and exclusionary. In addition to working on the ground to increase awareness of the barriers facing the early childhood workforce, PDOs are tasked with building more cohesive, inclusive career pathways that are accessible to all early childhood educators. This includes system-wide changes to exclusionary practices impacting the early childhood workforce. Learn how early childhood education PDOs focus on equity and access.

Get more resources and information.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is seeking research proposals that explore policies and programming to help improve families' access to the social safety net system. Grants, up to $200,000 each, are available to study the ways that access to early child care education, income supports, and nutrition supports interact and potentially reinforce one another to promote families' well-being. Academic institutions, public entities and private nonprofit organizations, state and local government agencies, and for-profit organizations from a variety of fields are encouraged to apply. Proposal deadline is Feb. 16, 2021. Get additional information.

View the fellowship application here. Download a PDF of the fellowship application here. For questions, please contact Sherri Killins Stewart, Ed. D. at skillins@buildinitiative.org.

The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSADYN) invites anyone who works with or on behalf of youth in out-of-school time to take five minutes to address the landscape of Out-of-School-Time Workforce before the effects of the Covid virus. Capturing responses from the breadth of professionals that make afterschool work will uncover trends and opportunities to inform new strategies, identify potential career pathways, and inform advocacy for the profession.

Currently, there is limited information and demographic data about the afterschool workforce. PSAYDN wants to better understand the afterschool workforce to support professional growth, improve representation for all in advocacy efforts, and help to advance equity within the field.

This survey is a research endeavor to deliver a robust profile of the afterschool workforce, its experiences, and perspectives over the last five years before the pandemic. Participation in the survey helps uncover trends and identify opportunities and gaps in the field that will inform new strategies.

Click here to take the survey. Please contact Winnie Black at wblack@cscs.csiu.org for additional questions regarding the survey.

Division for Early Childhood has announced the Call for Proposals for DEC's 37th Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families being held Sept. 21 - 24, 2021, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The DEC Conference brings together families, students, professionals, higher education faculty, researchers, and others to celebrate the field of early childhood special education. Deadline to submit proposals is March 1, 2021. Download the Call for Proposals here. Submit a Proposal here. Please Note: You will need to create a new account for the 2021 New Orleans conference cycle.

ZERO TO THREE’s Virtual Annual Conference is the premier event for professionals across the multidisciplinary early childhood field to learn about current research, promising practices, policy strategies, and more, with an explicit focus on advancing equity for black and brown children and families.

Proposals will be considered for presentations relevant to professionals working with children under 5 years old (including those in the prenatal period) and their families and grounded in the domains from the ZERO TO THREE Competencies for Prenatal to Age 5 Professionals. Find out more about submission guidelines. The deadline to submit a proposal is March 2, 2021, at 11:59 pm PST.

The Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council is seeking feedback on the draft 2022-2026, 5-Year State Plan Goals and Objectives. Based on results from the October 2020 survey, the 2019 listening tour and research, the Pennsylvania Council has developed draft goals and objectives. Under the State Plan, the Council makes funds available in a variety of areas for efforts to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities in Pennsylvania.

The draft is open for public comment through March 15, 2021. Review the draft plan which includes the link for online responses and other ways to provide input.

Research for Action is asking early childhood lead teachers, program administrators, parents/guardians of children age eight and younger, policymakers, and early childhood education (ECE) program directors/deans at universities to take an online national survey. The survey will collect opinions about creating a certification for individuals to demonstrate competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) needed to effectively teach and care for young children and serve as a lead teacher.

The researchers want to hear from people with experience in ECE classrooms and care settings, whether they are accredited or licensed. Programs could be in a public or private school, child care center, or a home.

The study by Research for Action and the Council for Professional Recognition is funded by the Early Educator Investment Collaborative and runs through March 2021. Data is kept confidential. Sixty random participants who enter their email address in the survey will receive a $25 e-gift card. Click here to take the survey in English and here to take it in Spanish.

Due to recent events, the Council is extending the deadline for the Child Development Associate (CDA) Renewal Amnesty Program to June 1, 2021. This extension will allow early childhood education professionals the additional time to take advantage of this opportunity.

This year the Council is celebrating 45 years of the CDA®! As part of the celebration, the Council is offering a limited-time CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program. This program allows anyone with a CDA® credential expiration date as far back as Jan. 1, 2010, an opportunity to complete the renewal process and make their credential active again. Read more.

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation has prepared new poverty guidelines. Many programs across the federal government, as well as state governments and nonprofit organizations, rely on these guidelines to determine family eligibility for systems and services. The 2021 poverty guidelines are calculated by taking the 2019 Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds and adjusting them for price changes between 2019 and 2020 using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).

Center for Schools and Communities invites family members are invited to participate with the Family Leadership Community to support family leaders to feel confident as an advocate for their own children and family as well as other families. Participants may expect to attend Pennsylvania’s prenatal-to-age-three collaborative subgroup meetings as part of the experience and may be offered the opportunity to continue involvement.

Topics to be discussed include: Advocacy and asking questions; Characteristics of strong families; Uncovering strengths in communities; Service and educational systems; Cultural awareness, social justice and equity; and Leadership skills. Get more information.

New research from Child Trends and the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families—based on analysis of newly released Census Household Pulse Survey data—finds that 29 percent of Latino and 31 percent of Black families with children are facing three or more economic and health-related hardships during the pandemic. This means that Latino and Black families with children are experiencing three or more hardships at nearly twice the rate of their White and Asian counterparts (13 percent and 16 percent, respectively). 

The homelessness response system in the United States is dominated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD’s definition of homelessness, program models, metrics, data, approaches, and goals have overshadowed those of other federal agencies. This policy brief, Reimagining Homelessness Assistance for Children and Families, published in the Journal of Children and Poverty, argues that children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness have been poorly served by HUD’s dominance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It proposes that other federal agencies, specifically the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education, are better suited to provide comprehensive homeless assistance for children, youth, and families. The author draws from research, policy analyses, and testimonies of parents, service providers, and educators to make the case for a reimagined homelessness response that is child-centered and oriented toward long-term goals of economic independence, health, and wellness.

NIEER researchers used a nationwide survey of 1,000 parents of preschoolers, along with other strategies, to explore the overwhelming impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on early childhood education. Findings suggest the pandemic has highlighted already existing problems in the fragmented early childhood education system. Pandemic-related problems may give rise to greater support for better integrated systems and consolidation in the public sector but might also lead to support for an expanded private sector role. Read the report, Corona pandemic in the United States shapes new normal for young children and their families.

The study, Every Summer Counts: A Longitudinal Analysis of Outcomes from the National Summer Learning Project, conducted by the RAND Corporation, followed nearly 6,000 students in five urban school districts from the end of 3rd grade through the spring of 7th grade, comparing students selected to attend the summer programs prior to 4th and 5th grade to those who applied but were not selected. The districts—Boston; Dallas; Duval County, Fla.; Pittsburgh; and Rochester, N.Y.—joined with local out-of-school time intermediaries and community partners to participate in Wallace’s National Summer Learning Project (NSLP), which was launched in 2011 to understand the implementation and effectiveness of voluntary summer learning programs.

Sadia Batool, founder of Pennsylvania Community Inclusion for All, interviews community members about Pennsylvania resources available to families, children and early childhood education partners to assist with including all children. Watch the videos to learn about TechOwl, Parent to Parent PA, Pennsylvania's Early Learning Resource Centers, PA's Promise for Children, and Early Intervention.

The cash grant is a one-time payment sent directly to the utility company/fuel provider to be credited on the bill. These grants range from $200 to $1,000 based on household size, income, and fuel type. This is a grant and does not have to be repaid. Share this information with families you serve and find out how families can apply.

COVID Alert PA is the official mobile app by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) that uses the Exposure Notification System (ENS) provided by Apple and Google. Users can opt-in to receive alerts if they have had a potential exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Getting timely alerts can help users get advice on how to help themselves and protect others as well as determine when to get testing. It can help reduce their risk of unknowingly spreading the virus to friends, family, and larger community. Get more information.

A new video highlights key insights and findings from the RAND Corporation's report on the first two years of the initiative, titled Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning, the most comprehensive study to date of a social and emotional learning implementation effort.

Whether a child has personally experienced trauma, has seen a traumatic event on television or has heard it discussed by adults, it is important for parents and caregivers to be informed and ready to help if children begin to experience reactions to stress. Use these resources from Child Care Aware of America to help talk to children in your care.

While staying cozy indoors this winter, there are many ways to reduce possible hazards. It is important to know how to prepare for and react to cold weather or a severe winter weather event. Things to consider include heating and lighting your home safely, using generators and appliances safely, ensuring family members stay warm, and keeping an adequate water supply. Discover more information on keeping your loved ones safe at home this winter. Check out the full list of tips and guidelines for indoor and outdoor winter safety from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In Dec. 2020, the Office of Child Care (OCC) announced its new initiative to further integrate social and emotional support strategies in child care’s mixed-delivery system. Through this work, OCC will support expanding access to research-based social and emotional and trauma-responsive practices in child care across the country. The first activity of this initiative is the publication of A Resource Guide for Developing Integrated Strategies To Support the Social and Emotional Wellness of Children, which highlights promising strategies and provides information about how some Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program grantees have already leveraged partnerships and funding to support implementation success.

A new Child Trends resource discusses four research- and practice-informed strategies that early care and education (ECE) providers and teachers can use to engage families virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. For example, modular and interactive self-guided lessons can be overlaid with audio to allow ECE providers to describe concepts, techniques, or behaviors families can try with their children at home.

The January editions of two resources from Camille Catlett are now available. The January 2021 edition of Natural Resources provides information about instructional modules available from I-LAMS, recognizing and addressing trauma in infants, young children, and their families, and more.

The January 2021 edition of Baby Talk share information about research-based mealtime ideas for picky eaters, working with military families, and more.