Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) Bureau of Policy and Professional Development has released an announcement regarding requirements for programs using an OCDEL-approved Alternate Pathways in Keystone STARS.
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The announcement includes guidance on:
- Changes to the requirements for OCDEL-approved Keystone STARS – Alternate Pathways programs
- Addition of Cognia as an OCDEL-approved Keystone STARS – Alternate Pathway
- Initial steps for programs using an OCDEL-approved Keystone STARS – Alternate Pathway
- Designation requirements for OCDEL-approved Keystone STAR Alternate Pathway programs
- Reminders for OCDEL-approved Keystone STARS-Alternate Pathway programs
- Next steps
Keystone STARS, the state’s quality rating and improvement system, promotes quality in early childhood education programs for children and families. OCDEL recognizes that there are state and national accrediting organizations that similarly serve to ensure early childhood education programs provide high quality and enriching programming to children and families.
To give credence to these organizations and their accreditation standards of quality, OCDEL offers several approved Keystone STARS – Alternate Pathways. Programs that are accredited through an OCDEL-approved Alternate Pathway and wish to use the pathway for a Keystone STARS designation must apply for an initial Alternate Pathway designation in the Professional Development (PD) Registry system.
Additionally, these programs are required to complete annual renewals of their Alternate Pathway designation in the registry system. Failure to do so will result in the program dropping to a STAR 1.
The full announcement is available on The Pennsylvania Key.
