News

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is providing opportunities to participate in informational webinars and regional meetings to learn about the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) program prior to the rebid process.

About Pre-K Counts

FY 2022-2023 is the last program year for the current five-year grant cycle of the PA PKC program. In the Spring of 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Education will announce a full, competitive rebid. During the rebid, all eligible providers interested in receiving a grant must apply.

It is important during the application process that eligible applicants fully understand the program regulations and expectations so that informed decisions can be made regarding whether to apply. Informational webinar sessions will be offered November 2022 through January 2023.

All eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the full series of offered webinars to fully understand the PA PKC program regulations and expectations:

• Program Requirements and Grant Basics: November 3, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Community Needs Assessment & Partnerships: November 10, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Eligibility, Enrollment, and Attendance: `November 17, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Personnel Qualifications and Professional Development: December 1, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Health and Safety: December 8, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Classroom Instructional Support: December 15, 2022 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Family Engagement: January 5, 2023 | 12 – 1 p.m.

• Fiscal Responsibilities: January 12, 2023 | 12 – 1 p.m.

Regional opportunities will occur in February 2023 before the official Request for Applications (RFA) is released.

Eligible Applicants

Pennsylvania is committed to a mixed delivery system. As such, eligible applicants include existing Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts grantees and new applicants from these five eligible entity categories:

• School districts;

• PDE licensed nursery schools;

• Head Start grantees;

• Child care centers and group child care homes designated at Keystone STAR 3 or STAR 4; and

• A third-party entity applying for Pennsylvania Pre‐K Counts funding to administer the lead agency responsibilities for entities that are eligible to provide the classroom services under the categories listed above.

Eligible applicants must provide assurance that they operate in full compliance with Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance.