April 2025 Edition

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Review & Comment Period Now Open for Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Application for the Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program

Comment Period Open Through April 30, 2025

Each year the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) 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 2026.

Anyone who would like to review the proposed grant application can find the document at: Early Intervention Services (pa.gov) or Early Intervention (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:

• Visit Part C Grant Public Comment. This link will allow for online comment opportunities.
• Submitting written comments regarding the proposed grant application can be directed to the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, ATTN: Public Comments for Part C Grant Application, 607 South Drive, 4th Floor Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or at ra-ocdintervention@pa.gov

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 30, 2025. All comments will be reviewed and considered by the Department before submitting the final grant application.

Coming Soon! Updated Edition of the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will soon release an updated edition of the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood. The update includes changes to the Science Standards to ensure alignment to the newly adopted STEELS Standards. The Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) Standards were adopted by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in January 2022. Implementation of the STEELS standards in all Pennsylvania Schools begins in the 2025-2026 school year.

Revisions include updates to the Pennsylvania Early Childhood Learning Standards for:

• Infant/Toddler,
• Prekindergarten,
• Kindergarten,
• Grade 1,
• Grade 2 and the
• Early Learning Standards Continuum

‘Approaches to Learning Through Play’ and ‘Social/Emotional Development’ domains are listed first in the standards, as these foundational skills help children develop the competencies essential for success in school, life, and careers. The 2024 Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood no longer include the 'Partnerships for Learning' section. Starting in September 2025, Providers will be required to adopt The Pennsylvania Family Engagement Birth through College, Career, Community Ready Framework.

All licensed child care facilities, including PA Pre-K Counts, HSSAP, and Migrant Education programs, will receive one complimentary copy of the following:

• 2024 Infant, Toddler Learning Standards for Early Childhood
• 2024 Pre-Kindergarten Learning Standards for Early Childhood
• 2024 Early Learning Standards Continuum

Eligible providers should expect their complimentary copies to be delivered by mail between April and May 2025.

Early Intervention service agencies, Pennsylvania PQAS instructors, and PQAS organizations will receive an email with the opportunity to request a complimentary set of the standards. Responses will be due by May 31, 2025.

Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood will be available for viewing, download, and printing on the Pennsylvania Key website. Physical copies will also be available for purchase.

An asynchronous training on the transition to the new 2024 Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood will be accessible on the PD Registry later in April 2025, titled "2024 Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood Revisions Overview.”

Please direct all questions regarding the new 2024 Learning Standards for Early Childhood to ra-pwpaels@pa.gov. 

New Look: Updated PD Registry Home Page Coming Spring 2025

The PD Registry will have a fresh, new look on the home page in May! Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help Pennsylvania's early childhood educators and other users navigate the site and guide them through this transition. This is the same registry system--it just has a new look when users first log in. 

Will my PD Registry profile look different when I log in? The PD Registry’s Individual Profile will be sporting a new look! With a sleeker design and straightforward steps, this new version of the PD Registry will significantly help streamline the profile-building process for Pennsylvania's Early Childhood Education field.

Will my profile disappear with this new version of the PD Registry? Your current PD Registry profile will seamlessly transition into the new version of the website, and all your previous information will be saved. If something on your profile isn’t as it should be, please email registry@pakeys.org.

Will I need to update my email and password to access this new version of the PD Registry? The current email and password used for the PD Registry will be the same. If you experience any difficulties, please contact registry@pakeys.org.

Why will the homepage of the PD Registry look different, and everything else will look the same as before? The updates of the PD Registry only apply to the Individual Profile. However, other aspects of the system (e.g. Organization Profiles, Trainer Profiles, etc.) will undergo their own updates in the future.

How will I edit my personal information? You will be able to update your personal information at any time by clicking the Edit Personal Information button at the top of your PD Registry homepage. It is important to keep this information current.

Read this announcement on the Pennsylvania Key website at pakeys.org/pdr-newlook.

Share with Families: Lifting Family Voices: Using Your Story to Strengthen Programs and Spark Change

Are you a maternal or early childhood professional working with pregnant or parenting families of children ages birth to five in Pennsylvania? Are you a professional that supports other professionals who work with pregnant or parenting families of children ages birth to five in Pennsylvania?

If so, please support the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) in recruiting pregnant and parenting families of children birth to age in Pennsylvania for the Lifting Family Voices: Using your Story to Strengthen Programs and Spark Change workshop on June 12, 2025, 8:30am – 4pm in Harrisburg, PA. In this workshop, families will gain tools and tips to develop and share their family’s story and experiences to influence decisions and create a more supportive community for all.

Reimbursement for childcare and travel expenses such as lodging and mileage within guidelines will be provided.

Registration is due May 16, 2025. Seats are limited and will be provided on a first come first serve basis. See the flyer for more details. Registration link can be found here. For questions, please contact Sadia Batool at c-sabatool@pa.gov.

Register Now for the 2025 Pennsylvania One Book Virtual Event!

Register now to join the April 10, 2025, 10:30 am virtual live event with the author and illustrator of the PA One Book selection, Arlo Draws and Octopus. Space at the virtual live event is limited. Can’t make the virtual event? No worries! The event will be recorded, and the recording will be available afterward.

The 2025 PA One Book, Arlo Draws an Octopus, is written by Lori Mortensen and illustrated by Rob Sayegh Jr. When Arlo draws an octopus; he can’t help but think that maybe he’s not an octopus drawer. His drawing has a head that looks like a hill and eight squiggly arms that look like roads. It’s an octopus disaster-piece! But just as Arlo vows never to draw an octopus again, he makes a discovery that changes his perspective about his drawing . . . and much more.

Pennsylvania's libraries and certified early learning programs have received copies to share with young children. Check out the PA One Book website for early learning activities, crafts, and resources related to the book. Follow the PA One Book on Facebook for family-friendly fun posts!

PACCA Is Accepting TEACH Scholarship Applications for the Summer & Fall 2025 Semesters

ECE Professionals interested in attending college for the upcoming summer or fall semesters should apply to TEACH now! TEACH applications must be completed and submitted with all required documentation/information by the following deadlines.

• Summer 2025 - Friday, April 11th (Summer semesters begin in late May through early July)
• Fall 2025 - Friday, July 11th (Fall semester begins in mid-August)

PACCA will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis. However, incomplete applications and applications received after the semester deadlines will not be prioritized. NOTE: New scholarship awards for the Summer and Fall 2025 semester(s) will depend upon funding availability. 

Interested applicants should also begin the college admissions process now and contact an ECE advisor at their intended college/university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants are admitted to their college/university and can register for courses if/when they receive a TEACH scholarship. TEACH can provide contact information for ECE advisors at partnering institutions if needed.  

Need more information? Click here for eligibility and program requirements, and download a scholarship application. Questions? Click here to contact a TEACH Counselor. 

TEACH Early Childhood® Pennsylvania is supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) and Pennsylvania’s Department of Education (PDE). For more information, visit dhs.pa.gov and education.pa.gov. 

TEACH Early Childhood® Pennsylvania is a licensed Early Years program administered by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA). 

Teach Plus Pennsylvania 2025-26 Teaching Policy Fellowship

Application deadline May 5, 2025

Impact policy in Harrisburg and classrooms across Pennsylvania without leaving the classroom through the Teach Plus Pennsylvania 2025-26 Teaching Policy Fellowship. The Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellowship is a highly selective leadership opportunity for outstanding Pennsylvania teachers and early childhood educators to deepen their knowledge of education policy and gain a voice in decisions that affect their students and the teaching profession. Learn more.

Join a highly selective cohort of excellent, experienced, and diverse educators working towards equity. Accepting applications from ECE to 12th-grade teachers. $1,500 stipend. Apply by May 5, 2025, via the application form.

Health Trends in Early Childhood:

Child Well-Being

The Pennsylvania Key kicks off the monthly resource, Health Trends in Early Childhood, focused on trending health issues related to children from birth to age five and their families and caregivers. 

With this month celebrating the Month of the Young Child and bringing awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month, April's release is about Child Well-Being. Health Trends focuses on what we can do to keep children healthy.

Each month, find information about a recent health trend in early childhood, learn why it is important, discover the impact it has on children, their families and caregivers, and the community, as well as actions we can take to ensure the health and well-being of children in our communities. You can also find reliable resources to learn more about the issue. 

Please feel free to print and share the one-page Health Trend and explore the resources. 

• April 4: Bucks Co. Chapter of PennAEYC Annual Advocacy Breakfast, Ivyland, PA
• April 8: Affordable Child Care Forum, Virtual
• April 14-18: 2025 National Child Nutrition Conference, Dallas
• April 21-25: National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior, Tampa, FL
• April 22-23: 2025 OCDEL Conference, Pittsburgh
• April 24-26: Association for Early Learning Leaders, Lake Buena Vista, FL
• April 25-26: 2025 First Up Conference, Beyond the Classroom: Inspiring Lifelong Learning and Development, Philadelphia
• April 29-30: Well-Being in Action, A Summit for Educators on SEL and Mental Health, Harrisburg
• April 29-30: 2025 Children’s Crisis Intervention Forum, Harrisburg
• May 7-10: Leadership Connections National Conference for Early Childhood Leaders, Schaumburg, IL
• May 13-15: International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, Chapel Hill, NC
• May 19-22: National Head Start Conference, Columbus
• June 14: Save the Date: Early Childhood Education: Breaking Barriers, Empowering Voices for the Future, Philadelphia
• July 8-11: 2025 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium, Hartford, CT
• Oct. 7-10: DEC's 41st Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families, Portland, OR
• October 8-9: ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference, Baltimore
• Oct. 19-21: Save the Date: Pennsylvania Early Childhood Education Summit
• Nov. 19-22: Save the Date: NAEYC Annual Conference, Orlando, FL

2026

• October 2-6: Save the Date: World Association for Infant Mental Health Interim World Congress, Toronto, Canada
• Dec. 5-8: Save the Date: NAEYC Annual Conference, Washington, DC

Celebrate the Month of the Young Child!

During April, come together to celebrate young children’s joy, wonder, and boundless potential! The Month of the Young Child (MOYC) is a time to recognize the critical role families, early childhood educators, and communities play in nurturing and shaping the future of our youngest learners.

How can your early learning program become involved in MOYC?

• Look for ways to celebrate in your early learning program or community.
• Create a display that shares why quality early learning is so important. Learn more!

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month; No-Cost Mandated Reporter Training

National Child Abuse Prevention Month is observed every April to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. This month serves to educate the public on the various forms of child abuse and the importance of early intervention. One method of the prevention of child abuse is the education and training of mandated reporters.

Early childhood educators and staff can meet state-required Mandated Reporter Training requirements at no cost using iLookOut’s online, interactive, story-based training, which can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

The iLookOut program has two parts:

1. Mandated Reporter Training: interactive video-based storyline (3 hours total)
2. Advanced Training: 5-12-minute animated micro-learning exercises (3 hours total)

By completing both iLookOut Trainings and the follow-up quiz, participants will:

• Satisfy Act 31 mandated reporter training requirements (as well as Act 126 requirements for Pennsylvania teachers)
• Receive 6 hours of early childhood Professional Development credit (free of charge)
• Receive a $15 gift card to thank you
• Learn more about supporting at-risk children and their families
• Help determine the most effective way to prepare mandated reporters

Unlike other mandated reporter trainings, iLookOut:

• Has been shown in published research to improve knowledge and change attitudes about child abuse and its reporting
• Uses a video-based storyline and gamification
• Is the mandated reporter training used by Head Start programs nationwide

To complete the training and participate, click on iLookOutPA.org. You can participate in this study even if you have previously completed iLookOut or another mandated reporter training.

Share this training opportunity with other early childhood providers. Click here to print and share the flyer. Questions? Contact the iLookOut team at 717-531-4552 or ilookout@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

This opportunity is provided by the Penn State College of Medicine and the iLookOut research team. It is part of a study to understand better how to prepare adults to protect at-risk children and support them and their families. To learn more about this research, visit iLookOutProject.org.

Work In Progress: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2024 

​The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) has released Work In Progress: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2024, highlighting significant strides made by various states during their 2024 legislative sessions to enhance child care and early education. Key initiatives include increased funding for child care assistance, improved compensation for early educators through wage supplements, efforts to expand the availability of child care services, and new or enhanced child care tax credits.  

The report includes Pennsylvania's work, highlighting funding increases for child care and early education programs and child care tax credits for Pennsylvania employers for contributions made during the year toward employees' eligible child care costs.

Costs of child care now outpace college tuition in 38 states, analysis finds

According to a new analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, the cost of child care now exceeds the price of college tuition in 38 states and the District of Columbia. The Washington, D.C., think tank used 2023 federal and nonprofit data to compare the monthly cost of infant child care to that of tuition at public colleges.

The release includes state-specific information, which includes Pennsylvania. According to the report, the average annual cost of infant care in Pennsylvania is $13,354—$1,113 per month. Child care is one of the biggest expenses families face. Infant care in Pennsylvania costs just $3,142 (19.00%) less than in-state tuition for a four-year public college. In Pennsylvania, infant care costs just 8.2% less than average rent. Read more.

Are babies secret lip readers? Study uncovers surprising early language skills

Babies are like little detectives, constantly piecing together clues about the world around them. If you’ve ever noticed your baby staring at you while you talk, it’s because they’re picking up on more than just sounds – they’re learning how those sounds are made.

A recent study, Phonological Feature Abstraction Before 6 Months: Amodal Recognition of Place of Articulation Across Multiple Consonants, published in Developmental Science, shows this amazing process starts as early as four months old, shaking up the old belief that babies learn these patterns only after tuning in to their native language between 6 and 12 months of age. It also gives us an earlier window to help children who might be at risk of speech or language delays.

The Early Care and Education Workforce: A National Snapshot from the NSECE Data 

​The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) has released a national snapshot of the early care and education (ECE) workforce, drawing on data from the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). This comprehensive report provides insights into early educators' demographics, educational backgrounds, and working conditions across the United States. The report highlights the low compensation in ECE and how it varies within the ECE sector.  

The April releases of family-friendly newsletters for families and providers of children, ages birth to kindergarten, are now available. The newsletters feature fun early learning activities that align with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, resources, and information to help families as their child's first and most important teacher.

Look and share it with families and friends, then subscribe to get the next release directly into your inbox.

• Learning is Everywhere
• Kindergarten Here I Come
• Kindergarten Here I Am

Throughout April, let’s celebrate the Month of the Young Child, a time that shines a spotlight on young children’s and their families’ needs. It’s also a moment to acknowledge the significant impact of early childhood programs and services, including yours, in meeting these needs.

As an early learning professional, your role is crucial in the Month of the Young Child. Check out the April Calendar of Activities designed specifically for you, with activities and information to help prepare children and their families for school success. Click here to print the April Calendar of Activities for Early Learning Professionals.

Fun Nature-Based Learning Activities

Celebrate spring with fun activities to encourage fine motor skills and creative thinking and inspire a love of nature with these nature-based activities by Lindsey Brown, owner of Brown’s Family Child Care in Venango County.

The activities are perfect to do in the home or within an early learning program. They are part of a homemade nature-based curriculum approved through the Department of Education and align with the PA Early Learning Standards. Check out the Bird Watching Area Activity, Circle Cereal Bird Feeder, Collaborative Bird Feeder, and Homemade Bird Feeder activities.

Protecting Babies from a Measles Outbreak: FAQs

Measles is wildly contagious. Nearly 1 out of every three children under the age of 5 who catch measles end up in the hospital. Are some young children at greater risk from the measles virus during an outbreak? What, if anything, can parents do to protect their little ones? Here are some of the American Academy of Pediatrics answers to share with families.

Movement for Healthy Bodies

Physical skills and healthy bodies can be built through everyday activities and movement. As a caring grown-up in a child’s life, you can facilitate movement and learning, and our partners at Sesame Street are here to help. Their worksheet provides fun ideas to get kids moving. 

The March resources from Camille Catlett are now available. The March release of Baby Talk includes information about how many words a 2-year-old should know, essentials for parenting toddlers and preschoolers, and more. The March release of Natural Resources features information on play-based learning, the power of playful learning in the early childhood setting, and more.

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