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).
Today is Final Opportunity to Submit for Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award

5:00 pm today is the deadline to submit an application or nomination for the Pennsylvania’s Equity in Early Childhood Education Champion Award. Submissions can be an application (apply on your own or a program/organization’s behalf), or nomination (submit on behalf of another individual or program/organization) to be acknowledged for work around equity in the early childhood education or afterschool setting. Self-applications are accepted. Submit an application/ nomination.
Department of Health Early Childhood Education COVID-19 Reporting Options

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has provided two (2) options for Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care facilities to report positive COVID-19 cases, either by email or phone. This resource provides an outline of the process that should be followed when reporting cases to DOH. There is reference in this document to emailing [email protected] if a facility has IT questions.

As a reminder, certified child care facilities must continue to use the Licensed Facility COVID Data Collection Tool and notify their designated certification representative of exposure and/or new positive cases of COVID-19. For instructions on how to access the tool click here. 

Certified child care facilities without access to the COVID Data Collection Tool will inform their DHS certification representative to ensure the information is entered into the COVID Data Collection Tool by DHS personnel. 

Comments and questions should be directed to the child care provider’s Regional Office of Child Development and Early Learning:
  • Central Region 800-222-2117
  • Northeast Region 800-222-2108
  • Southeast North and Southeast South Region 800-346-2929
  • Western Region 800-222-2149
Coming Soon: Opportunities for Child Care Provider Feedback with Keystone STARS

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will soon release opportunities for child care providers to share their experiences with Keystone STARS. Focus groups for February filled quickly and OCDEL is committed to providing the opportunity for all those interested in sharing their feedback. Look for additional details coming soon.
PDO Announcement 22 #01

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development, has released the PDO Announcement 22 #01, Career Pathway Level A-Plus Verification Change and Clarifying Procedures for Verifying Credits and Degrees from Nationally Accredited (Non-Regionally Accredited) Institutions. This Announcement provides clarification on the verification of credits and degrees from nationally accredited (non-regionally accredited) institutions and provides information on a procedural change in the verification of educational transcripts when designating an individual’s Career Pathway level. Read more.
Family Friendly Newsletters for February

The February editions of family-friendly early learning newsletters have info and resources for families and early childhood education partners.

Click here to subscribe.
Pennsylvania Early Ed News

An inside look at Pennsylvania's early childhood education system with important information for those invested in early childhood education is now available in the February edition of the PA Early Ed News. Click here to subscribe.
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