 |
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.
|
|
Early Education in Pennsylvania
Message from Suzann Morris, Deputy Secretary
Summer may be around the corner, but I suspect it will be a busy one for all of us. We are moving into the heart of budget season, when our legislators decide their priorities for funding for the coming year. The Secretaries of Human Services and Education have shared their deep concerns on the budget proposal passed by the House (HB 218) which would deny thousands of children access to quality early education. You can read their letters below. Now is the time when legislators need to hear the stories from their constituents about what quality early education means to them, and what it would mean if they lost access. The deadline to pass a state budget on time is June 30, so there is no time to lose.
I also encourage you to participate in one of the three webinars this month where we released the new Keystone STARS standards and supports. Please remember: this is a learning year for all of us. I believe the Think Tank has made excellent suggestions to focus on what can really improve the quality of early learning for young children while reducing burden on providers. But it's new, and we are building the plane as we fly it. We want to hear your feedback - we are as committed to continuous quality improvement as you are!
Thank you for your continued support for Pennsylvania's children and families.
 House Republican budget proposal would have serious impact on the Department of Human Services
Department of Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas released the following statement on the adverse impacts of the House Republican Caucus' bill (HB 218, PN 1236) on the services provided by the department and, more importantly, on the people served. "I am concerned about the impacts this proposed budget will have on the vulnerable population we serve. The proposed budget would cut programs that help our children, seniors, people with disabilities, and our working parents."
The proposed $62.9 million in cuts to the Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance appropriations would eliminate services for more than 10,000 children and increase the waiting list for these services to 19,000 - the highest level in the state's history.
This funding supports child care subsidies for low-income working families, which allow parents to work while their children are in safe and stable child care. These cuts include:
- a $10 million reduction that will negate the proposed expanded enrollment of 1,800 children on the child care waiting list;
- the further reduction of $40.2 million in state funds that would mean the elimination of 6,885 children from the current program; and
- a $12.7 million cut to the Child Care Assistance line item that provides for child care subsidies for families receiving TANF and SNAP and will potentially impact 2,018 low-income children receiving subsidies through this line item.
The elimination of children currently receiving subsidies from the program would be unprecedented in department history and result in parents having to make tough choices between working and placing their child in a potentially unstable and/or unsafe environments.
Additionally, thousands of Pennsylvania families could be impacted by the elimination of $9 million from Community-Based Family Centers. This cut appears to correlate with the governor's proposed expansion of evidence-based home visiting, which would benefit 1,700 at-risk pregnant women, infants, and toddlers.
The House Republican's proposed budget also cuts $1.83 million from the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) programs. These cuts include:
- a cut of the governor's proposal to shift $235,000 from the Community-Based Family Centers into NFP. This shift will ensure that funds pay for evidenced-based services like NFP and will provide a cost-of-living adjustment to Nurse Family Partnership programs that have been level-funded for several years; and
- a reduction of NFP by $1.6 million. This cut will eliminate approximately 300 children from the program.
Keystone STARS Re-visioning Update: June
For more than a year, OCDEL has worked with the Keystone STARS Think Tank and stakeholders to revise the Keystone STARS system to support quality improvement in early care and education programs while reducing administrative burden. In anticipation of the July 1, 2017 launch, OCDEL hosted Keystone STARS public webinars where attendees previewed the new Performance Standards, new coaching and financial supports, and the process for moving up the Keystone STARS ladder. There is still time to participate in the webinar! Sign up for the date which works best for you.
Can't make the webinar? Visit the
PA Key website
to see the recorded webinar and find more information about Keystone STARS Revisioning.
Administrators Invited to Attend Training to Prevent Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion
Administrators of early learning program are invited to participate in a half-day session to provide a hands-on experience in identifying characteristics of their program that potentially increase the risk for early childhood suspension or expulsion and planning systemic changes to minimize this risk. Participants will start with a program self-assessment, which will then guide exploration and use of the online toolkit, Preventing Suspensions and Expulsions in Early Childhood Settings, and planning strategies addressing the needs of individual programs. This is not and in-depth behavior training intended for practitioners, it is an orientation for administrators to a free online tool kit. No registration fee will be charged for this event. Morning and afternoon sessions will be held the following dates and locations:
- July 25: PaTTAN Pittsburgh
- July 26: PaTTAN Harrisburg
- July 27: PaTTAN East
Graduation and Year Two for OCDEL Policy Fellowship
In June, the pilot class of the OCDEL Policy Fellowship will complete the program. Fellow projects to support OCDEL range from a strategic plan for moving the MIECHV home visiting programs from the Bureau of Early Learning Services to the Bureau of Early Intervention Services and analyzing the early childhood component of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The 2016-2017 Fellows will have the opportunity to continue their learning as members of an alumni cohort through the support of funding from the Heinz Endowments. Funding from the Grable Foundation will support a second year of the OCDEL Policy Fellowship. Applications for the 2017-2018 Fellowship will be available online this summer. Watch future issues of the PA Early Ed News for more information.
Deadline drawing near for T.E.A.C.H Scholarship! Eligible providers must select T.E.A.C.H. effective July 1, 2017
In order to maximize financial assistance resources for early childhood education professionals, effective July 1, 2017, any child care professional who is eligible to receive a T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood ® Pennsylvania Scholarship must select that option.
Download a
side-by-side chart of eligibility
and what's covered for the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship and Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program.
Child Care Providers: Complete your free Health & Safety online training this summer to meet September 30 deadline
Take time from your summer schedule to sign up for the free online training for nine of the 10 required topics for child care staff to help meet the new health and safety training requirements. The requirement includes taking a free, six-hour "Health & Safety Basics: Requirements for Certification" course online through Better Kid Care or in person through their Regional Key or Provide transcript of courses you've taken that meet the requirements This is one of the new requirements of the federal Child Care Development Block Grant that all child care directors and staff are to complete training on 10 health and safety topics by September 30, 2017. Please see OCDEL's Announcement for more information.
Child care certification representatives are checking professional development records for these topics as part of inspections and new providers must complete pre-service training on the 10 topics before submitting an application. Visit the PA Key website or contact your Regional Certification Office for more details.
Quick Tips for ERS Online Courses
The Professional Development (PD) Registry houses multiple online courses for the Environment Rating Scales (ERS). To prevent issues with the online courses, try these tips:
- Make sure you are on a laptop or desktop computer. Currently, ERS courses are not mobile friendly and cannot be taken via smartphone or tablet.
- Use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome for your browser. It's recommended to use one of these browsers anytime you are on the PD Registry, but these are the two browsers that work best for online courses. Both are free to download.
- If you have completed the course but it keeps sending you back to previous sections, please try clearing your browser history.
If you try these, but still experience issues, please contact the PA Key by phone 1-800-284-6031 or e-mail [email protected].
Nominate a colleague for PACCA's 2017 Annual Awards
Deadline July 15
Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) is accepting nominations for the 2017 Educator of the Year and the Award of Excellence. The awards recognize contributions made by PACCA members to the early care and education profession. Members and non-members may make nominations. Nominations must be received online by July 15, 2017.
Click here to submit a nomination.
|
|
Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge
Partnership provides early learning resources for supporting Dual Language Learners
With more than 47,000 Dual Language Learners (DLLs) speaking 229 different language in Pennsylvania, OCDEL has seen a large number of children entering early childhood programs who are limited in English proficiency. To provide supports to classroom staff through training and the use of Early English Language Development standards that directly align to all PA Learning Standards for Early Childhood, OCDEL has expanded their K-12 partnership with WIDA Early Years to include supports around early learning DLL.
This partnership will foster collaboration between early learning programs and school districts. PA's Department of Education currently works with WIDA to provide resources, standards, and assessments to school districts serving DLLs. The use of WIDA Early Years' materials will engage providers across the P3 continuum and provide consistent supports from preschool to grade 3. Teachers will have a common language to share information and help support children who are dual language learners as they transition from early learning programs to formal schooling. All WIDA Early Years materials and supports are funded through the Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Grant.
OCDEL and WIDA are offering no-cost resources to support practitioners working directly with children who are DLL. While there are no requirements to use the resources, they are another tool to help support DLL within the classroom. Check out the following resources:
|
This initiative is a part of Pennsylvania's Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge grant. For more information on other initiatives funded by this grant, visit the
|
|
Of Interest
Your feedback requested: Preview the new and improved Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
The Office of Head Start invites you to explore the beta version of the revamped Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website, and provide your feedback. The goal is to provide visitors an easier way to learn about how to implement Head Start programs and the services provided to our children, families, and staff. Special Features include
- new, clear-cut navigation;
- easy to locate related materials;
- keywords at the bottom of each page readily link to similar content in one step;
- large search fields display prominently on each page and
- topic introduction pages announce featured resources and allow users to locate useful information instantly.
Submit your workshop proposal for the 2017 ECE Summit
Deadline June 13
The 2017 Early Childhood Education Summit Planning Committee is now accepting workshop proposals for the 10th Early Childhood Education Summit which is being held on October 16-18, 2017. The online RFP is available at the ECE Summit website through June 13, 2017. Each year the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA), the Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) and the Office of Child Development Early Learning (OCDEL) partner to deliver the three-day conference and provide families and staff from various birth to age five programs with the opportunity to network and experience relevant training.
Take the Farm to ECE Survey
Deadline June 26
The Food Trust is conducting a survey of early childhood providers in Pennsylvania about farm to early care and education (farm to ECE) practices. Farm to ECE is a group of activities and strategies that offer increased access to healthy, local foods, gardening opportunities and food-based learning activities to enhance the quality of the educational experience. Click here to take the survey. All licensed early childhood programs serving children ages 0-5 and operating within Pennsylvania are eligible to participate in this survey. In appreciation of your time, you may select to be entered into a drawing for one of three $50 gift cards.
Mindful Practice for ECE professionals on demand training module
Penn State Extension's Better Kid Care is offering an on-demand child care training module, Mindful Practice for ECE Professionals: Begin the Journey, that focuses on guiding children as they learn, management of the environment, and management of daily stress. The development of mindful practice strategies offers a pathway for early childhood education professionals to maintain a healthy sense of personal well-being and balance, while also nurturing children's development, relationships, cooperation, creative thinking, and problem solving. The module is available in English and Spanish. Content for this and 200+ other On Demand professional development modules is available at no cost. If a certificate of completion is needed or required, a $5.00 fee is charged.
Cavity Free Kids Workshop
Cavity Free Kids curriculum has been given a makeover and invites early learning staff to see the transformation. The new three hour train-the-trainer workshop is designed to be simpler to implement in the classroom and beyond, and offers new print resources, as well as the ability to utilize online resources through the Cavity Free Kids website. Those who provide oral health literacy education for families and have the capacity to train others through community outreach are invited to attend the workshops to be held:
- July 18 in Philipsburg
- July 28 in Philadelphia
- August 1 in Pittsburgh
The registration fee for this special workshop is waived and course material will be included at no cost. Sign into the PD Registry to register for the workshop.
Library summer reading program: Build a Better World
Spread the word! Registration for the 2017 Summer Reading Program at local libraries begins in June. Build a Better World is the state-wide theme. Educational studies have shown that the summer reading program has positive effects on students in that voluntary reading correlates with high levels of reading achievement, increased comprehension, and prevents a student's academic 'summer slide'. Story times and activities happening throughout the summer for children birth through teens will reflect this theme and encourage children to keep reading over the summer months. Going on vacation? No worries--participants can join at any time. Get more info at local libraries.
Lock Haven University of PA offers upcoming graduate class in ECE
In Fall 2017, Lock Haven University of PA will offer the online graduate class, Diversity in Development from Infancy through 4th Grade. This course can be taken separately or as elective coursework for the Master's of Education in Teaching and Learning. The course can also be used toward the Pennsylvania Director Credential. Click here for additional details.
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance launches Agenda Initiative
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Agenda Initiative is a new program highlighting the impact of arts and culture on various civic issues. The inaugural Agenda issue brief, called Agenda: Pre-K, will focus on the benefits of art integration in early childhood education, a topic especially important as the City of Philadelphia expands quality Pre-K through funding from the Philadelphia Beverage Tax. The Agenda Initiative has two parts: a report summarizing findings related to a particular issue and an awards program honoring excellence in the field focus for the current year. Read more.
New American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendation on Juice
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised policy on juice recommends children less than 1 year of age should not have fruit juice. The rationale for this policy is that fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit to children less than 1 year of age. In addition, the evidence is clear that over-consumption of juice can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Click here for the recommendations.
|
|
Trends and Reports
Child Care Funding and Finance in Pennsylvania: Budgeting for Survival or Paying for the True Cost of Quality?
Despite the consensus that high-quality early childhood education is an important investment in long-term student outcomes, a lack of reliable data makes it difficult to fully analyze how child care provider finance practices in Pennsylvania compare to industry best practices, and to determine which policy solutions could best address lingering challenges.
As a first step towards filling in these knowledge gaps, RFA identified six providers of different shapes, sizes, and community contexts from across the Commonwealth, conducted in-person interviews with leaders and staff, and reviewed their internal financial documents.
Best practices in early care and education for young children experiencing homelessness
The Building Early Links for Learning project (BELL) has produced a new landscape analysis discussing the intersection between early childhood education and child homelessness.
The landscape analysis: (1) provides an overview of federal legislation and regulation and their implications for the provision of early childhood education to young children experiencing homelessness; (2) explores best practices from other states, comparing and contrasting them with current approaches in Pennsylvania; and (3) draws on smaller systems strategies (i.e., municipal and organizational) to help identify where and how Philadelphia can improve the short- and long-term outcomes of young children experiencing homelessness.
Cutting Pennsylvania Prison Costs and Boosting School Success
What's a better investment, funding preschool or prison? A new report from Fight Crime, Invest in Kids, Council for a Strong America, Pre-K Key to Cutting Pennsylvania Prison Costs and Boosting School Success, demonstrates that investing in preschool is cost effective by providing a solid education foundation for those who may risk later incarceration. Pennsylvania spends almost $3.2 billion a year on incarcerating adults, and over $42,500 per state prison inmate, which is more than three times what is spent on public school students annually ($13,500), and almost 13 times what is spent on preschool students ($5,600). The report also highlights successes from around the country and gives insight in a very unique way into inmates' experiences as it relates to their parental experience and school experiences.
Looking before they leap: How ESSA can help students transition
The Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes (CEELO) is proud to partner with New America on a blog series highlighting early learning opportunities and challenges under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The leap from pre-K to kindergarten can be both exciting and stressful, as children face new classrooms, new classmates, new rules, and new teachers. Moving from the familiar to the unknown can also intimidate parents learning new routines and meeting new families. Even teachers may feel anxious about what to expect from an incoming class of students with different learning styles, abilities, and home lives. The federal Every Student Succeeds Act recognizes these challenges and encourages schools to address them.
Supporting children and families' access to early care and education
The resiliency of low-income parents
A new report, Strong at the Broken Places: The Resiliency of Low-Income Parents, from the National Center for Children in Policy shares that despite the multitude of obstacles that low-income parents face, many of them succeed in helping their children flourish. They raise children who possess the social-emotional competence needed to develop and keep friendships; establish good relationships with parents, teachers, and other adults; and experience a range of achievements that contribute to their self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. The report includes that while research has shown that better outcomes for low-income children can be achieved by focusing on early intervention and implementing two-generation approaches, significantly more funds must be channeled into sustained, high-quality implementation of both evidence-based and promising programs for their replication to produce long-lasting and widespread impact.
Working with dual language learners
The National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning has released a set of briefs around working with dual language learners (DLLs). The briefs offer an overview of the latest science on bilingual language development. These resources also provide research-based tips on how to encourage and support children who are DLLs in educational settings, including supporting their English language development. These briefs will benefit Head Start program administrators, teachers, caregivers, home visitors, and family services staff, and others who work with DLLs.
Professionalizing ECE: Roles and compensation
The latest Policy [M]atters video chat from the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership begins with a reflection on where higher education faculty fit within NAEYC's Power to the Profession initiative. Is a member of the early childhood education faculty a part of the profession? Or is she an allied professional? Discussion explores why it is important to create boundaries for the professional role of an Early Childhood Educator and consideration of compensation policy.
Watch the video.
|
|
Resources
Six tips for summer safety
Summer time is a fun time, but there are also safety concerns that may not be present during other seasons. The one-page printable from PA's Promise for Children has six tips for keeping children safe this summer. Print and post or share with families via social media, in your newsletters or on your website.
May edition of Baby Talk
The May 2017 issue of Camille Catlett's Baby Talk is now available. Get information on why daily touchscreen use in infants and toddlers is associated with reduced sleep and delayed sleep onset, how cities embrace their infants and toddlers, how the sooner you expose a baby to a second language the smarter they'll be, and more.
Farm to early care & education recorded webinar
An increasing number of early child care and education providers are becoming involved in farm to school activities which can help to establish healthy eating habits in early childhood. The recorded webinar from Project PA provided an overview and examples of farm to early care and education, and presented a mini-grant opportunity. Presenters included representatives from the Food Trust and STEP Head Start of Lycoming-Clinton County.
New childcare.gov resource page
As required under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, the Administration for Children and Families is currently developing a national child care website, childcare.gov. Childcare.gov will disseminate family-friendly, publicly available child care consumer education information for parents, providers, and the general public to help families access safe, high-quality child care services in their communities.
Find Summer Meals in Your Community
Children who receive meals at school may go hungry during the summer. Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout Pennsylvania throughout the summer while school is out of session. Use the mapping tool at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to find a site near you and share with families.
Teacher toolkit from PNC Grow Up Great Lesson Center
The PNC Grow Up Great Lesson Center website contains engaging science and art activities to make classrooms more engaging. Free, high quality lesson plans designed and tested by nationally known science and arts organizations can be easily adapted to existing curricula. The Teacher's Toolkit, the newest feature, contains effective instructional strategies and tips for early childhood educators. Explore the free resources!
What's in season?
Spring is here and produce is on its way! Check out SNAP-Ed's Seasonal Produce Guide from the USDA to help child care staff learn more about in season fruits and vegetables. Also available are recipes, tips, and teaching tools to serve up seasonal produce this spring.
The GREEN Tool Research brief
The Tisch Food Center just released the
GREEN (Garden Resources, Education, and Environment Nexus) Tool, an evidence-based tool created to provide practical and flexible resources to help gardens grow deep roots in schools. Although targeted towards schools, this tool can help early learning programs, advocates, educators, and policymakers identify strategies and resources to sustain school or early learning gardens over the long term.
|
Did you receive this from a friend?
Click here to subscribe and get the PA Early Ed News directly to your email.
|
|
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.
Please feel free to forward this email to friends, family, and colleagues.
You may access archived copies at
the
PA Key website
.
|
|
|
|
|
