In this recent video, OCDEL Deputy Secretary, Shante' Brown, introduces herself and shares her vision for Early Childhood Education in Pennsylvania.

Each year the Office of Child Development and Early Learning provides access and opportunity for interested parties, including families, EI providers, and other professionals, to review and make comments on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention program for Federal Fiscal Year 2023.

Anyone who would like to review the proposed grant application can find the document at: Early Intervention (pa.gov) or Early Intervention Services (pa.gov) on the right side menu of the webpages. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing ra-ocdintervention@pa.gov or by calling 717-346-9320.

Opportunities to provide public comment include:

If you need an accommodation or assistance to review the proposed grant application or to submit comments, please contact ra-ocdintervention@pa.gov or by calling 717-346-9320.

Comments will be accepted through April 28, 2023. All comments will be reviewed and considered by the Department before submitting the final grant application.

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) welcomes Netta Radzinski as Special Assistant for External Relationships for OCDEL. She was formerly the External Engagement Representative for OCDEL on the Certification Regulation Rewrite Project. In her new position, Ms. Radzinski will assist the Deputy Secretary in the coordination of OCDEL initiatives related to external engagement and community partner relationships.

Ms. Radzinski has worked in the human services public sector for over a decade with experience in mental health and substance abuse; both the adult and juvenile justice systems; and Early Intervention and behavioral health within the early education community. She has spent her personal life and professional career focusing on growth and finding ways to uplift the community. Ms. Radzinski is an avid hiker and loves the outdoors, was a Division I collegiate athlete, has back packed much of the U.S. and loves National and Pennsylvania State Parks.

Connect with Ms. Radzinski via email c-jradzins@pa.gov or phone 717.395.2260.

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the Announcements ELRC 23-02: Ending Option for Director Instructor- Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) and ELRC 23-03: Requirements for Instructors Applying for Professional Development Instructor Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) Approval.

Announcement ELRC 23-02: Ending Option for Director Instructor- Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) provides information regarding the end date for the option for individuals to apply for and become Director Instructor (DI)- Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) who offer training as a “Director Instructor.”

Directors may pursue a PQAS application and create their own content in alignment with competencies for which they are approved based on expertise and/or education. Visit PQAS APPLICATIONS for information on applying to become a Professional Development Instructor.

For additional details, please see ELRC 23-02: Ending Option for Director Instructor- Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS).

Announcement ELRC 23-03: Requirements for Instructors Applying for Professional Development Instructor Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) Approval provides clarification on the required Professional Development (PD) Registry trainings for those interested in becoming Professional Development Instructor Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) instructors, including the addition of a new required course “Submitting PQAS Courses in the PD Registry.” This does not apply to Standardized Professional Development Instructor PQAS instructors.

In response to the recent National context, Pennsylvania has adopted a new set of PA Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators (PA PSCECE). This set of standards and competencies replace the PA Core Knowledge Competencies (CKCs) and have been adopted from the national Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. The PA PSCECE are the general knowledge and skills that educators need to know and be able to demonstrate.

On July 1, 2023, the PD Registry self-paced course “Submitting PQAS Courses in the PD Registry,” will be added to the list of required PD Registry Self-Paced courses as part of the PQAS application requirements for all new PD Instructor PQAS instructors. This PD Registry self-paced course is currently available as an optional resource for new instructors wishing to fulfill this requirement before July 1, 2023.

For additional information, please see ELRC 23-03: Requirements for Instructors Applying for Professional Development Instructor Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) Approval.

Pennsylvania early childhood education leader, Sadia Batool, has been named as a 2023 Prenatal-to-3 Leader Fellow cohort in partnership at the Rockwood Leadership Institute with the Pritzker Children’s Initiative. Sadia was the only Pennsylvania representative selected to serve in the fellowship.

Leaders working in the prenatal to age three field play an integral role in maintaining the overall health and wellness of our young children, families and communities. The work these public and private sector leaders do at the national, state and local level on issues related to childcare, family support services, healthcare and economic security, is moving all toward a healthier, more equitable future. Rockwood offers this transformative fellowship to build a strong, supportive national network of emergent and established leaders across sectors.

Sadia is also the Early Childhood Family Lead for Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) with the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). Pennsylvania’s ECCS Project builds the commonwealth's capacity and infrastructure to integrate and strengthen maternal and early childhood systems. Its particular focus on the prenatal-to-age-3 period maximizes the opportunity to reach and support families during the earliest stages of parenting.

During April, let’s celebrate Month of the Young Child (MOYC)! Month of the Young Child focuses public attention on the needs of young children and their families and recognizes the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

How can you become involved in MOYC?

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is currently evaluating devices that can eliminate viruses, bacteria, mold and other pathogens from air and surfaces, simultaneously. The devices could be stand alone or wall mounted, utilize a standard outlet for power, and would come with two years of supplies that may be needed to run the device. If funding is approved, DOH would purchase and distribute the devices free of charge to small businesses, non-profit entities, child care and other facilities throughout the Commonwealth to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, flu, and other diseases. If you are interested in receiving a device that could greatly reduce viruses, bacteria, mold and other pathogens in your facility, please complete this application. 

If you are interested in getting a device for your facility, please complete this application to be considered.

Mel Fell by author Corey R. Tabor is the 2023 PA One Book Early Literacy selection! Mel Fell is a triumphant tale of a young bird learning to fly, emphasizing the importance of self-confidence and encouraging children to feel brave.

Libraries and early learning programs throughout Pennsylvania have received copies to share with young children. Visit your local library to access a copy and check out the PA One Book website for early learning activities, crafts and resources around the book.

The Pennsylvania One Book program is entering its eighteenth year promoting the importance of early literacy development in preschoolers and the significance of reading early and often to children, as well as engaging them in conversation and other activities around books. The program has remained successful in part due to the partnership of collaborating agencies that all support early childhood literacy efforts. Each year, a different children’s picture book, is chosen by the committee to be highlighted.

Pennsylvania State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) invites families of children currently receiving Early Intervention (EI) services and parent co-chairs of the Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICC) to join the SICC Family Meet and Greet on April 6, 2023, from 11:30 am -12:15 pm. This event takes place through Zoom. Please note the meet and greet is designed exclusively for families by families.

Register at State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Family Meet & Greet registration form (google.com). Those with questions can contact Sadia Batool at c-sabatool@pa.gov.

Submit your proposal for presentations that address the important issues facing Pennsylvania's early childhood education programs and professionals in 2023 and align with the theme –“From Surviving to Thriving: Tools to Support Early Learning.” Submit your proposal here.

The online proposal submission system is now open! For more detailed information and to submit a proposal, please visit the Summit website at earlychildhoodsummit.org and click "Presenters" under the banner. QUESTIONS? Please contact info@earlychildhoodsummit.org

Act 158 of 2018 (Act 158), signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf on October 24, 2018, provides alternatives to Pennsylvania’s statewide requirement of attaining proficiency on the three end-of-course Keystone Exams for a student to achieve statewide graduation requirements. One of the evidence-based options is a student service-learning project.

In partnership with National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), PSAYDN is offering an introduction to service-learning and the service-learning process to Pennsylvania out-of-school-time (OST) staff, educators, faculty, administrators and other interested individuals in youth development fields.

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Family Committee is recruiting professional and family members. Family members are invited to take this opportunity to become an engaged and active leader within DEC. Members representative of the diversity of DEC’s membership, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability, are encouraged to apply.

The DEC Family Committee functions as a necessary and significant arm of the DEC Executive Office, formed to highlight and promote family engagement within the organization, field, and practice.

The Committee meets monthly on the 4th Thursday of the month from 5:00 - 6:30 PM Eastern Time. Membership to the Family Committee offers the opportunity to bring your experiences and expertise to DEC and network with DEC members across the country who are dedicated to the role of families at all levels of participation. Apply by Friday, April 7, 2023, for consideration. Learn more.

The Dr. Myrna B. Shure Award is named in honor of Dr. Shure, program developer of I Can Problem Solve (ICPS). The Shure Award recognizes professionals who demonstrate passion, application and commitment representative of the ICPS vision. The winner will receive a complimentary registration to 2023 National Social and Emotional Learning Conference, and be recognized on May 16, noon–1:30 p.m.

Award recipients demonstrate passion, practice and commitment in areas which reflect the I Can Problem Solve Program’s vision for developing youth interpersonal skills to become socially and emotionally competent problem solvers. Awardees show exemplary aptitude:

Nomination deadline is April 24, 2023. Learn more.

Khari Garvin recently started as the director of the Office of Head Start (OHS). He brings to this position 20 years of national, state, and local experience designing and leading systems serving children and families in low-income communities.

Before joining the Biden-Harris administration, Mr. Garvin served as the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Greensboro in North Carolina, leading the mission to end generational poverty in the Greensboro metro area.

Read about Mr. Garvin and other Administration for Children and Families leaders.

During NIIW, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) encourages child care providers to talk to families about the importance of on-time immunization. Share information on this topic via newsletters, websites and social media channels, and use the hashtag #ivax2protect. The NIIW website has social media content, website badges, key messages, and more. In addition, CDC has a slide deck child care directors can use to train their staff about ways to support immunization.

Finally, if your families are concerned about paying for vaccines, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides free vaccines to children who qualify.

A quarter of all providers surveyed from March 2021 to December 2022 reported difficulty affording housing expenses, whether they rent or own their home, according to a recent release, Child Care Providers Face Housing Challenges from RAPID. The rate of housing hardship was even greater among Latinx (36%) and Black (35%) providers, as compared to white providers (21%).

The fact sheet explores the well-being not just of families with small children, but also of the child care workforce that supports American society and its economy. This fact sheet outlines findings about child care providers, their goals for homeownership, and barriers to affordable housing.

There is no doubt that high-quality early childhood education (ECE) is a win for everyone – children, parents, employers, and our economy. Yet this critical sector is on the brink of a breakdown. To understand the depth of the stress on the child care sector, Children First secured the support of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Department of Labor and Industry to gather data from approximately 30,000 early childhood educators in Pennsylvania. The report, The High Cost of Working in Early Childhood Education, shares low wages are only one aspect of the hardship educators face, according to a survey of 3,429 early childhood educators who live in every county.

More than 9 in 10 program providers responding to an Afterschool Alliance survey reported they are open, with majorities providing their students with opportunities for academic enrichment, collaboration and connection with their peers, building foundational skills, and leadership opportunities. However, while providers are increasingly reporting that they have been able to return to pre-COVID capacity limits, there are still nearly 1 in 4 providers (23 percent) who say that they have not been able to return to their regular operational capacity.

Based on responses from 1,016 afterschool program providers representing more than 7,400 sites, the brief, Afterschool Programs Open, but Still Recovering Post-Pandemic, from Afterschool Alliance, identifies three primary issues contributing to programs’ reduced capacity:

In 2019, the center-based child care and early education workforce faced unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This snapshot from the National Survey of Early Care and Education describes important aspects of the employment experiences of this workforce during the early months of the pandemic and to explore how these experiences varied by race and ethnicity. The percentages of 2019 early childhood center (not including public schools) teachers and assistants who were still teaching in these centers fell sharply from February 2020 to October 2020 and most of this workforce experienced work disruptions.

Aligning with the 2023 Pennsylvania One Book selection, Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor, Lindsey Brown, owner of Brown’s Family Child Care in Venango County, shared several nature-based activities. The activities are perfect for early learning programs, or to do in the home, and are part of a homemade nature-based curriculum approved through Department of Education and aligns with the PA Early Learning Standards. Check out the Bird Watching Area Activity, Circle Cereal Bird Feeder, Collaborative Bird Feeder, and the Homemade Bird Feeder activities.

Early learning or afterschool programs who would like the share child-friendly activities can contact Mary at marhal@pakeys.org.

Trying Together has released a new resource about positive racial identity development through its Parenting Together Pathway video series. In the new video, Parenting for Positive Racial Identity Development,” Dr. Denisha Jones provides an overview for families about racial identity development, why it matters, and how caregivers can support positive racial identity development in young children of color and young white children.

Learn the basics of infant safe sleep. Read the Updated 2022 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment and see How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained to learn more about these and other actions. 

Address Safe Sleep and Breastfeeding Myths and Facts with families and caregivers. Now available in a variety of languages!

It's important to teach children how to identify healthy foods, which is why it's important to serve nutritious meals and snacks. Download the USDA's posters (available in English and Spanish) on serving tasty and healthy foods, and for some added education, check out the Go, Slow, Whoa resource.

The March resources from Camille Catlett are now available. The March 2023 edition of Natural Resources explores What Is Evidence-Based Practice; A guide to teaching practices; and more. The March edition of Baby Talk contains information about Dual Language Learning Among Infants and Toddlers: Addressing Misconceptions About Babies’ Brains; Pediatricians Share Questions They Wish More Parents Would Ask at Well-Child Visits; and more.