Regional Collaborative Meetings For Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Prior to Full Rebid in 2023 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) have announced opportunities to participate in regional meetings to prepare for and collaborate prior to the full rebid for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) program. Regional meetings are a means to coordinate and collaborate on required Requests for Application (RFA) items, such as community needs assessments and partnerships, which will be highly prioritized during the RFA process. Participation in at least one regional meeting is highly encouraged for any eligible applicant applying for a grant. Get more information about the Regional Meetings, including dates and how to attend.

In addition to the regional meetings, informational webinars to fully understand the PA PKC program regulations and expectations are available. All eligible applicants applying for a grant are strongly encouraged to attend the full series of offered webinars to fully understand the PA PKC program regulations and expectations. Get information on the upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

Submit Your Application to the 2023 PA’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award

The Pennsylvania Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Awards bring awareness to and highlight the equity work being done within Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and afterschool settings, by child care, evidence-based home visiting and early intervention professionals, and organizations which support Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Education programs and individuals.

Submissions can be an application (apply on your own or a program/organization’s behalf), or nomination (submit another individual or program/organization) to be acknowledged for their work around equity. Self-applications are accepted. Applications should be submitted electronically by the Feb. 1, 2023, deadline and can be submitted in English or Spanish.

Visit the Pennsylvania Key website for more information and how to apply.

Take a Few Minutes to Share Your Feedback in the Early Childhood Credentials Survey

Please take a few minutes to share your feedback in the Early Childhood Credential Project Team survey to discover how they access opportunities or, if this is a challenge, what may work better for their busy lives.

The voluntary survey, sent via email to all licensed Pennsylvania child care facilities (center, group, and family child care), can be completed by a program director or lead teacher by January 10, 2023. OCDEL encourages all providers to complete the survey. Those who respond to this survey will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a $250 Amazon Gift Card.

In addition to the email announcing the survey, which will come from First Start Partnerships, this link can also be used to complete the survey.

Reminders

Announcement ELRC 22-06, Required Professional Development Training for DHS Certified Child Care Providers Participating in Child Care Works (CCW)  

• All Director/Owner/Operator and all staff who have a role in processing CCW payments have taken the professional development training titled, CCW Program Integrity and Accountability Training for DHS Certified Providers by November 30, 2022, or within 90 days of hire, if hired after November 30, 2022. 
• Owner/operator must complete the “Appendix I - Attestation of Professional Development” and return it to the ELRC by December 30, 2022.
• If the attestation is not signed and returned to the ELRC by December 30, 2022, the Provider Agreement will be terminated effective January 1, 2023.

Announcement C-22-06 Updated Health and Safety Pre-Service and One-Hour Training

• The New pre-service trainings are:
• Get Started with Center-Based Care-Revised 2022; or
• Versión en español: Comience con Cuidado Infantil Basado en Un Centro - Revisión 2022; or
• Get Started with Home-Based Care-Revised 2022; or
• Versión en español: Comience Con Cuidado Infantil Basado En Un Hogar - Revisión 2022
• All new child care staff hired after October 4, 2022, will need to complete the updated versions within 90 days of hire.
• Additionally, OCDEL and BKC created a new one-hour course to provide updated information on required health and safety topics for current staff: “Pennsylvania Health and Safety Update 2022 or Versión en español: Actualización de Salud y Seguridad de Pennsylvania 2022”
• All staff hired before October 4, 2022, are required to complete this updated health and safety training by December 30, 2022