Erikson Institute, in partnership with Trying Together, is inviting Early Intervention professionals to participate in a voluntary and confidential conversation about their experiences delivering Early Intervention services in Allegheny County.

About

Early intervention professionals who currently deliver services to children 0-5 in Allegheny County can attend a 75-minute focus group in August to discuss experiences and perspectives about their work. Focus group participants will receive a $50 gift card for their time.

Conversations serve as insight for a project that is aimed at learning more about Early Intervention systems and services for children and families.

Interested professionals can sign up via this online form. EI professionals who are not available or interested in joining the focus group can still participate by completing a five-minute survey.

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development, released information about the 2024-25 Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Awards issued to eligible STAR 2, 3, and 4 child care programs.

The intent of the Awards is to improve, support, and recognize the quality of Pennsylvania’s early learning and school-age programs that are invested in the Keystone STARS Program.

About the CQI Awards

Beginning on September 3, 2024, eligible programs will receive a Keystone STARS CQI Award Eligibility and Acceptance Letter from their ELRC. The letter will include the maximum award amount a child care provider is eligible for and contact information for their ELRC.

Providers who believe they are eligible for the award but have not received a Keystone STARS CQI Award Eligibility and Acceptance Letter by November 29, 2024, should immediately contact the ELRC.

Eligible providers must return the Keystone STARS CQI Award Eligibility and Acceptance Letter to the ELRC electronically (through email or fax) or USPS on or before December 13, 2024.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Keystone STARS CQI Award, a provider must meet all the following requirements both as of August 1, 2024, and at the time of the award payment:

1. The provider holds a regular DHS Certificate of Compliance.

2. The provider is designated as a Keystone STAR 2, 3, or 4 program and is not in a Keystone STARS Suspension status.

   • NOTE: OCDEL is providing a policy exception for STAR 1 programs who successfully move up to a STAR 2, 3, or 4. Programs must be successful in moving up to a STAR 2, 3, or 4 as evidenced by a completed designation case in the PD Registry System and a confirmed designation in PELICAN Keys to Quality on or before October 31, 2024. In addition, these programs must meet all other eligibility criteria at time of payment by the ELRC.

   • NOTE: OCDEL is also providing a special consideration for STAR 2 and STAR 3 programs that meet all eligibility criteria on August 1, 2024, and move to a higher STAR designation. To receive a higher CQI Award amount, STAR 2 and 3 programs must be successful in moving up in STARS as evidenced by a completed designation case in the PD Registry System and a confirmed designation in PELICAN Keys to Quality on or before October 31, 2024. In addition, these programs must meet all other eligibility criteria at time of payment by the ELRC. STAR 2 and STAR 3 programs should contact their Quality Coach as soon as possible if they intend to successfully complete a higher STAR designation by October 31.

3. If applicable, the provider must have completed the reporting requirements for the 2023-24 CQI Awards and not have an open referral to the Office of Attorney General (OAG) or an ongoing repayment plan with an ELRC for fund recoupment associated with ARPA Stabilization Grants, Workforce Support Grants 1.0, and Workforce Support Grants 2.0.

4. The provider does not owe liens/liabilities to the Commonwealth.

Allowable Expenses

Eligible programs can use the Keystone STARS CQI Award funds for eligible expenses in the following categories:

• Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
• Early Childhood Education Program
• Partnerships with Families and Communities
• Leadership and Management
• Accreditation Costs (toward an OCDEL-approved Alternate Pathway)

These categories align with the Keystone STARS Performance Standards and represent the most closely associated areas with quality activity expenses for ECE programs. Award funds can be applied to eligible expenses incurred from July 1, 2024, to February 28, 2025.

More Information

For additional details, including eligibility requirements, policy exceptions, award amounts, allowable and ineligible expenses, award process and timelines, and FAQs, please see the the full announcement about the Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Award.

Refer to the following documents for additional information and clarifications:

• Keystone STARS CQI Award FAQ and Additional Information
• Best Practices in Keystone STARS Financial Award Spending

On Tuesday, November 5, voters across the United States will vote in the 2024 General Election. What does your election voting plan look like?

Be sure to dedicate time today to check your voter registration status, review what options you have to cast your vote, and create your personal voting timeline ahead of time.

Key Election Dates

• October 21, 2024 – Last day to register to vote before the November 5 election.

• October 29, 2024 – Last day to apply for Absentee or Mail in Ballot. Applications must be received by 5 p.m.

• November 5, 2024 – Last day to return Mail In or Absentee Ballots. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m.

Register to Vote

Pennsylvania residents can complete a voter registration application online or via mail. The deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 21. Registration applications must be received by 5 p.m. in order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming election.  If you are not registered, register now by completing the Voter Registration Application.

If you are uncertain of your registration status, check it using the Pennsylvania Department of State Voter Registration Status Tool.

Voter Registration Applications are also available in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Apply for a Mail-In or Absentee Ballot

If you plan to vote using an absentee or mail-in ballot in the 2024 General Election, a completed application must be received in the county office by 5 p.m. on October 29.

Mail-in and absentee ballot applications are available in English, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese.

Note that the deadline to return voted absentee or mail-in ballots is 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5.

First Time Voters

A first-time or newly registered voter will be noted as such in the poll book and will be asked to show an approved form of identification.

Visit the Pennsylvania Voter Services website for all of your voting information questions.

Find Your Polling Place

Not sure where to vote? Use the Pennsylvania Department of State Polling Place Search Tool to locate your polling place for election day.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Any person in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Contrary to some media reports, early voting does not start in Pennsylvania on Sept. 16. However, mail-in ballots will begin to be sent out in late September or early October, depending on the county in which you reside.

County Elections Offices

If have questions about your registration status, polling place, or the November 5 election, contact your county election office.

• Allegheny County Elections
• Armstrong County Elections
• Beaver County Elections
• Butler County Elections
• Fayette County Elections
• Greene County Elections
• Indiana County Elections
• Lawrence County Elections
• Washington County Elections
• Westmoreland County Elections

Ballot Return Sites and Satellite Offices

The Allegheny County Board of Elections has approved plans for ballot return sites and satellite offices for the election.

Ballot return sites are staffed locations where voters who received a ballot in the mail can return them in-person to a county employee. They will be open the seven days before Election Day, including the weekend of Nov. 2 and 3 and Monday, Nov. 4.

Satellite offices will offer a fuller range of services. Residents can register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, complete, and return it all on the spot. The deadline to register to vote is 5 p.m. on Oct. 21 and the deadline to request a mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. on Oct. 29.

Satellite offices include:

• Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall Auditorium (4141 Fifth Avenue) – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 15, 16, and 17
• Community College of Allegheny County – Homewood (701 N. Homewood Avenue) – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27
• North Park Ice Rink (1200 Pearce Mill Road, Wexford) – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27
• South Park Ice Rink (30 Corrigan Drive, Bethel Park) – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27
• County Office Building (542 Forbes Avenue) – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27

Ballot return sites will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 and 4, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 2 and 3. These include:

• Allegheny County Emergency Services Building (150 Hookstown Grade Road, Coraopolis)
• Boyce Park Four Seasons Lodge (901 Centerview Drive, Plum)
• Carnegie Public Library – Squirrel Hill (5801 Forbes Avenue)
• North Park Ice Rink (1200 Pearce Mill Road, Wexford)
• South Park Ice Rink (30 Corrigan Drive, Bethel Park)
• Dormont Pool (1801 Dormont Avenue)
• Community College of Allegheny County – Homewood (701 N. Homewood Avenue)
• Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank (1 N. Linden Street, Duquesne)
• Avalon Public Library (317 S. Home Avenue)

The County Office Building lobby will hold regular business hours – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday – as soon as ballots are available to voters for over-the-counter and return mail-in ballots. Voters will be able to return mail-in ballots in person at the County Office Building at the Ross Street entrance on weekdays starting on Oct. 29 through Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Other Resources

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has launched its own election web page.

The page cites challenges facing the early learning sector and calls for the importance of early childhood education and educators to be prioritized in the 2024 election. The website includes information on registering to vote, who is on the ballot, rules for voting in specific states, and checking registration status.

And the Children First Action Fund is operating a Child Care Voter page. This resource aims to ensure that quality child care for Pennsylvania families and children are emphasized in Harrisburg and Congress. The website lists attributes that would make someone a child care voter – such as dependence on child care to support a family, caring about access to high-quality pre-k, and a desire to invest in and expand access to infant and toddler care.

Trying Together has launched the Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways to support new and current early care and education professionals in Southwestern Pennsylvania by centralizing workforce recruitment, placement, retention, and ongoing professional development.

About the Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways

The Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways connects early educators to: professional learning partners; certification, credentialing, degree, mentoring, and workforce development programs; and a variety of other advancement opportunities as they work their way through Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Career Pathway.

The Institute is the place where:

• early educators can go to achieve their Early Childhood Education (ECE), School-Age Care (SAC), and Out-of-School-Time (OST) career objectives by meeting with a Career Advisor and building out a professional development plan; and
• early learning program directors can go to identify funding opportunities and navigate career paths for their staff to help meet Keystone STARS standards.

Within the Institute, educators have access to a variety of supports, courses, and services to meet their personal needs and professional goals. Individuals who are looking to enter the early childhood field can also work with a Career Advisor at Trying Together to get them started on the ECE Career Pathway.

Complete details are available in The Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways booklet (PDF) and on the Trying Together website.

The Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) is inviting child care providers to take the 2024 Pennsylvania Head Start Wages and Benefits Comparability Survey.

Learn More

This survey, which PHSA members participate in to meet their federal Head Start grant requirements, compares the wages and benefits of Head Start grantees to other organizations that employ similar types of staff.

The survey is open for the month of March. Organizations that complete the survey will receive a $100 gift card. Providers who are interested in taking the survey can fill out an interest form. to receive a link to the survey.

For more information about the survey, email phsawage@phmc.org.

Early childhood education professionals interested in attending college in the Summer 2024 semester can now submit applications to receive a T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) Scholarship and earn their teaching degree at little to no personal cost.

Interested applicants must complete and submit their T.E.A.C.H. applications with all required documentation/information by Friday, April 5, 2024.

About T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships

T.E.A.C.H. encompasses several different scholarship programs. These programs help child care professionals complete coursework toward a degree or credential in early childhood and increase their compensation.

Every T.E.A.C.H. scholarship has five key components:

1. Scholarship – The scholarship covers most of the cost for tuition and books. Additionally, recipients receive a travel stipend each semester they are enrolled in class. Also, T.E.A.C.H. requires that the sponsoring child care program offer paid release time for the student to attend class, study, or handle personal needs.

2. Education – In one scholarship year, each participant must successfully complete a required number of credit hours (usually 9-15) toward a degree in early childhood education.

3. Compensation – At the end of the scholarship year, if they complete their educational requirement, participants are eligible to receive either a stipend or a raise.

4. Commitment – Participants agree to continue working in their child care program for one year after each scholarship year.

5. Counseling – Each recipient gets assigned a counselor able to assist the student in securing a scholarship, navigating the college processes, setting goals, and monitoring progress and needs.

Eligibility

The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a variety of T.E.A.C.H. scholarships to meet the needs of the early care and education workforce in center and home-based settings. Eligible applicants must:

• work a minimum of 25-30 hours per week directly with children in a DHS-certified child care program;
• make $21.63 or less an hour ($25 or less per hour for directors); and
• remain interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward a degree or credential in early childhood.

Apply

To apply, download a scholarship application on the PACCA website and submit your completed application by Friday, April 5 through one of the following methods:

• Email: teachinfo@pacca.org
• Fax: 717.657.0959
• Mail: 20 Erford Road, Suite 302, Lemoyne, PA 17043

Additionally, begin the college admissions process and contact an early childhood education (ECE) advisor at your intended college/university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants get admitted to their college/university and can register for courses if/when they receive a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. can provide contact information for early childhood education advisors at partnering institutions if needed.

Learn More

For questions about scholarship eligibility or requirements, contact a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor at teachinfo@pacca.org.

Information is now available about kindergarten registration in southwestern Pennsylvania districts for the 2024-2025 school year.

Learn More

When a child is five, it’s time to register them for kindergarten.

View details about Kindergarten registration in the region:

• Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2024-25 School Year: Allegheny County

• Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2024-25 School Year: Westmoreland, Fayette, Armstrong, Greene, and Butler counties

Hi5! is a kindergarten readiness and registration campaign coordinated by The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, and Trying Together.

Early and on-time registration allows schools and districts to plan for classroom materials, resources, and staff as they prepare to welcome a new group of students. It also enables families to establish relationships with teachers and administrators that are so important for easing the stress and anxiety of children (and their families) as they begin elementary school.

More Information

For more information about the Hi5! project, transition teams, and activities, please email hi5@tryingtogether.org, or view the Hi5! overview (PDF) and the Kindergarten Transition Whitepaper (PDF).

For more information about helping your child make the move to Kindergarten, view the Kindergarten Transition: A Guide for Families and Top 10 Kindergarten Readiness Checklist resources.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released an updated listing of approved curricula and developmental assessment tools for use by early childhood programs.

Learn More

Keystone STAR 3 and STAR 4 providers who wish to continue to meet EC 3.4.1 and EC 3.4.2 need to confirm that the curriculum and developmental assessment tool they are using are OCDEL-approved and that the tools they are using will not be sunset at the beginning of the following fiscal year (ELRC Policy Announcement 22 #07 OCDEL-Approved Curricula and Developmental Assessment Tools in Keystone STARS).

Providers should make this review a regular part of their annual Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities and CQI plan update.

Providers will need to choose a new tool before their next full Keystone STARS designation if they wish to meet the relevant STARS Quality Indicators. In addition, by the time of their next full designation, these providers would need to have all onsite leadership team members and teaching staff take appropriate professional development (PD) in the new vendor-related tool if they wish to meet the relevant STAR PD Quality Indicators (SQ 3.4.6 and SQ 3.4.8)

The curricula and developmental assessments that will be inactive beginning July 1, 2024 are shown in red in this document.

Pittsburgh City Council approved legislation last week to amend the City of Pittsburgh’s Zoning Code to allow for child care facilities within single-family residentially zoned neighborhoods and accessory structures and to eliminate parking requirements for such facilities.

Learn More

The legislation allows facilities that will care for up to six children to be permitted by-right within R1D (single-unit detached residential) and R1A (single-unit attached residential) zoning districts without getting a special exemption. It also removed off-street parking requirements.

Council first introduced the legislation in October 2023. Trying Together applauds Pittsburgh City Council’s efforts to make these crucial changes to the Zoning Code — allowing more home-based providers to open and operate and increasing families’ access to quality child care.

Read the Pittsburgh Tribune Review for more details.