A recorded webinar on the 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards has been developed and is now available for early childhood education professionals.

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The 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards take effect on July 1, 2022. The webinar, which is on the Pennsylvania Keys YouTube page, provides information on the updates and edits that have been made to the 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards.

The Standards and accompanying resource documents can be found on the PA Keys’ Keystone STARS webpage.

On May 27, 2022, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) release updated information on COVID-19 operational guidance for Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs.

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The updated Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning contains information on:

• Strategies for Everyday Operations;
• COVID-19 Community Levels and Associated Prevention Strategies; and
• Considerations for Prioritizing Strategies.

This guidance can help ECE program administrators support safe, in-person learning and keep programs open, while managing the spread of COVID-19.

Based on the COVID-19 Community Levels, this guidance provides flexibility so schools and ECE programs can adapt to changing local situations, including periods of increased community health impacts from COVID-19.

The quick guide, Isolation and Quarantine in Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs, also was updated on May 20, 2022.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released two resources to support the efforts of Pennsylvania early childhood program leaders to eliminate suspension and expulsion for young children.

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Within the document, Preventing Suspension & Expulsion in Pennsylvania Early Childhood Programs, An Early Childhood Program Leader’s Guide, child care providers can find resources addressing program policies, procedures, and practices that promote the positive social emotional development of young children, and create a climate of support for early childhood personnel and stronger partnerships with families.

The document, Behavioral Help for Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania to Prevent Suspension & Expulsion, provides definitions and program descriptions, as well as information for families and more.

Allegheny County Rapid Response Team

Trying Together’s quality partner ELRC Region 5 has joined forces with early childhood community partners in Allegheny County to create a Rapid Response Team that provides immediate support in the event that a child is in danger of suspension or expulsion.

Child care providers and families caring for children ages zero to five can submit a request for support to the Rapid Response Team’s Collaborations and Support Strategist, who will collect information to determine next steps of support. Learn more.

Parents and caregivers should be aware of several child-related product recalls.

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Here is a list of May recalls collected from the major federal agencies: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• Select Jif peanut butter products sold in the U.S. were recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination. Other companies and stores also have recalled items with peanut butter.
• BabyRescue Rapid Evacuation Devices sold by Safety International recalled due to fall risk
• Copper Pearl recalls Children’s Sleepwear due to violation of Federal Flammability Standards and Burn Hazard
• Asweets recalls Wonder & Wise Activity Tables due to choking hazard
• Free Birdees recalls Children’s Pajamas due to burn hazard
• BIBS Baby Bottles recalled due to burn hazard
• Winter Water Factory recalls Infant French Terry Jumpsuits, Rompers, Snap Suits, Baby Dresses and Bibs due to choking and laceration hazards
• Children’s Robes recalled due to burn hazard
• Linum Home Textiles recalls Children’s Robes due to violation of Federal Flammability Standards and Burn Hazard
• Amazon Recalls AmazonBasics School Classroom Stack Chairs

More Information

For recall details, visit the links above or review the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration websites.

Readers of all ages can earn free ice cream this summer! Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), and White Whale Bookstore are partnering to offer the 2022 Millie’s Sweet Reads Program.

About the Reading Program

The reading program is open to people of all ages and readers can earn a free scoop of ice cream.

Participants must obtain a bookmark at any Millie’s location, White Whale Bookstore in Bloomfield, select libraries across Allegheny County, or online; read five books; and have a librarian validate their bookmark before taking it to Millie’s for their free scoop. The bookmark also doubles as a 10% off coupon at White Whale Bookstore.

Bookmarks can be redeemed through Labor Day, Monday, September 5, 2022, when the program expires.

For more information, visit the Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream website.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards, which will go into effect on July 1, 2022.

(This article was updated on June 6, 2022, to include a webinar link).

2022 Keystone Stars Performance Standards

The most recent version of the Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual became effective August 1, 2020. Since that time, several events and updates have taken place which has necessitated an updated version of the Keystone STARS Performance Standards to be released, along with an updated Keystone STARS Program Manual. The 2022 Keystone STARS Program Manual is coming soon.

The updated Keystone STARS Performance Standards will become effective July 1, 2022. Programs who began submitting evidence to their Quality Coach to renew their current STAR level or move up in STAR levels using the 2020 Keystone STARS Performance Standards prior to July 1, 2022, must complete their designation by July 31, 2022.

After July 31, 2022, all programs, including those that began but did not complete the designation process will be required to use the 2022 Performance Standards for designation purposes moving forward.

Details

Detailed information about the new standards and program manual can be found in OCDEL’s full announcement and in the following documents:

• 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards
• Crosswalk of 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards to Previous Version

A provider-facing recorded webinar that offers an overview of the updated 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards is available on the Pennsylvania Keys YouTube page.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is creating a strategic roadmap for embedding equity, inclusion, and belonging into educators’ everyday work — and child care providers have the opportunity to share their efforts.

(This article was updated on May 23 to reflect a new deadline and rubric information).

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The PDE is inviting early childhood education (ECE) programs to consider submitting a promising practice describing an innovative way they are creating spaces for Equity-Inclusion-Belonging (EIB) and/or embedding EIB into their ECE program.

Educators can submit their practices online. The PDE team will review the submissions via a rubric and will accept as many practices as possible. Submission deadline is Friday, June 3, 2022.

The PDE has created a resource with definitions of equity, inclusion and belonging to support EIB efforts.