News

May 29, 2025

Growing Together | Utilizing Your ELRC Quality Coach: What is Their Role and How Can They Support You?

Join Trying Together virtually every third Wednesday of the month for professional development focused on frequently requested topics relevant to early childhood educators. The topic for March is Utilizing Your ELRC Quality Coach: What is Their Role and How Can They Support You?

Participants can choose to attend any or all of the mini-sessions and registration is highly recommended. However, participants can access any session using the Zoom link.

Click here to register

Upcoming sessions in the series include:

April 15, 2026 Aligning Curriculum With Daily Practice
May 20, 2026: The ELPES (Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists) Team: Who Are They and How Can They Support Providers?
June 17, 2026 Child Development: Expectations vs. Reality
July 15, 2026 Navigating Public Policy and Systems

Each session runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month.

News

Growing Together | Aligning Curriculum With Daily Practice

Participants can choose to attend any or all of the mini-sessions and registration is highly recommended. However, participants can access any session using the Zoom link.

Click here to register

Upcoming sessions in this series include:

May 20, 2026: The ELPES (Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists) Team: Who Are They and How Can They Support Providers?
June 17, 2026 Child Development: Expectations vs. Reality
July 15, 2026 Navigating Public Policy and Systems

Each session runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month.

News

Growing Together | The ELPES (Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists) Team: Who Are They and How Can They Support Providers?

Join Trying Together virtually every third Wednesday of the month for professional development focused on frequently requested topics relevant to early childhood educators. The topic for May is The ELPES (Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists) Team: Who Are They and How Can They Support Providers?

Participants can choose to attend any or all of the mini-sessions and registration is highly recommended. However, participants can access any session using the Zoom link.

Click here to register

Professional development sessions in the series include:

June 17, 2026 Child Development: Expectations vs. Reality
July 15, 2026 Navigating Public Policy and Systems

Each session runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month.

News

Growing Together | Child Development: Expectations vs. Reality

Join Trying Together virtually every third Wednesday of the month for professional development focused on frequently requested topics relevant to early childhood educators. The topic for June is Child Development: Expectations vs. Reality

Participants can choose to attend any or all of the mini-sessions and registration is highly recommended. However, participants can access any session using the Zoom link.

Click here to register

Upcoming sessions in the series include:

July 15, 2026 Navigating Public Policy and Systems

Each session runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month.

News

Growing Together: Navigating Public Policy and Systems

Participants can choose to attend any or all of the mini-sessions and registration is highly recommended. However, participants can access any session using the Zoom link.

Click here to register

Each session runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month.

News

April 9, 2025

OCDEL Releases Announcement on Curricula and Developmental Assessment Tools in Keystone STARS

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) Bureau of Policy and Professional Development has released an announcement to provide information on approved curricula and developmental assessments for use by Keystone STARS 3 and 4 programs.

The release of Announcement ELRC #25-02, OCDEL Approved Curricula and Developmental Assessment Tools in Keystone STARS makes obsolete the previous announcement, ELRC Announcement 22 #07, immediately.

The announcement is aimed at all Keystone STARS providers, Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC), and OCDEL’s early learning resource center program representatives.

Background

OCDEL has an established internal process for the approval of curricula and developmental assessment tools for use by Keystone STARS providers seeking to earn points toward their STAR 3 or 4 designation. A component of this approval process requires the completion of a crosswalk aligning the curriculum and developmental assessment tool with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards (PA ELS).

In December 2022, OCDEL released the ELRC Announcement 22 #07, which outlined that only currently OCDEL-approved curricula and developmental assessments would be valid for meeting the requirements of STARS EC 3.4.1 and EC 3.4.2 for STAR 3 and 4 designations.

Historically, OCDEL released and maintained an annual listing of approved curricula and developmental assessment tools. The annual listing provided details of newly approved tools and those that were set to be discontinued at the end of the fiscal year.

Since the release of ELRC Announcement 22 #7, OCDEL has evaluated the curricula and developmental assessment tool approval process to determine its impact on early childhood providers. Internal discussions, ongoing reviews of updated tools, and feedback from stakeholders concluded that discontinuing a tool simply due to the release of an updated version by the vendor seemed unnecessary and posed a potential financial burden for providers.

In many cases, updates to previously approved curricula and developmental assessment tools that preserved the essential content and structure had no impact on the integrity of the material and alignment to the PA ELS. As a result, curricula and developmental assessment tools that were previously approved based on their alignment with the PA ELS will remain available for use by providers.

Next Steps

Moving forward, OCDEL will only discontinue approved curricula and developmental assessment tools under the following conditions:

The vendor fails to respond to OCDEL’s annual request to confirm the tool’s information on file
The PA ELS are updated, causing the curricula and developmental assessment tools to no longer align with the standards
The curriculum or developmental assessment tool is updated and the tool no longer aligns with the PA ELS

Keystone STARS providers should review the announcement with staff. Providers should subscribe to the PA EEN to receive updates to the approved listings of curricula and developmental assessment tools, and should refer to the listings on the PDE Early Learning Standards website to ensure the tools they are using continue to be approved as part of their annual Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) plan update and activities. Any questions should be directed to the local ELRC.

ELRCs should review and share the announcement with staff and refer to the listings on the PDE Early Learning Standards website to become familiar with the current approved tools.

News

December 9, 2024

OCDEL Announces CCW Base Payment Rate Increase for DHS Certified Providers

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) Bureau of Policy and Professional Development has released an announcement on an increase to Child Care Works (CCW) base payment rates for Department of Human Services (DHS) certified providers.

Learn More

Effective January 1, the subsidy base rates – also known as the Maximum Child Care Allowance (MCCA) – will be increased to the 75th percentile. The base payment rate increase applies to:

All DHS certified child care providers
Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs)
OCDEL Early Learning Resource Center program representatives

The announcement replaces ELRC Announcement 23 #01 – Increase to Child Care Works Base Payment Rates.

Background

The CCDBG Act requires lead agencies to certify that rates are sufficient to ensure eligible children have equal access to child care services. The benchmark for equal access established by the Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Care (ACF OCC) is the 75th percentile of the current child care market. OCC considers payment rates set at the 75th percentile or higher as providing equal access.

Increasing the CCW base rate incentivizes additional provider participation in CCW. It also helps child care providers who participate in the program enhance services, invest in staff development, compensation, and promote overall quality in child care programs.

Next Steps

The next steps for DHS certified child care providers on updating pay rates include:

Updating and communicating private rate pay changes on family agreements or contracts, website, and handbooks as applicable
Completing Appendix C-1 ELRC Subsidized Child Care Provider Reported Rates
Sending the completed Appendix C-1 along with verification of the DHS certified child care provider’s published rates to your ELRC by January 31 to receive the update rate
Directing any questions to your ELRC

The next step for ELRCs include:

Reviewing and sharing this information with appropriate staff
For any DHS certified child care providers returning completed Appendix C-1 and their published rates, entering updated rates into PELICAN CCW and converting rates for all DHS certified child care providers with an effective date of January 1 if verification is received by January 31.
Generating and sending all DHS certified child care providers Appendix C-2 ELRC Subsidized Child Care Provider Payment Rates
Directing any questions to your program representative

More information on the increased rates can be found on The Pennsylvania Key website. Information on Pennsylvania’s Maximum Child Care Allowance daily rates are also available on that website.

News

October 8, 2024

Winter Coats Available for Pennsylvania Children

Beginning Oct. 7, families may visit Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) 5 to receive winter coats for children.

Learn More

The coats are available for families while supplies last as part of a partnership between ELRC 5 and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Children and their families can pick up their coats at:

The Early Learning Resource Center
304 Wood Street
Suite 400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. It will be closed on Monday, Oct. 14 for Columbus Day.

For more information, call the office at 412-350-3577.

News

September 23, 2024

Safety Tips for Keeping Children Safe on the School Bus

With school back in session, Early Learning Resource Centers 1 and 2 are offering some tips for school bus safety.

Learn More

Students, parents, teachers, administrators, transportation personnel, and drivers across the state all play a role in keeping children safe when they ride a school bus.

While preparing to ride the bus, children should:

Get to the bus stop five minutes early so you don’t have to run across the road to catch the bus
Stay away from traffic while waiting for the bus and line up at least five large steps away from the curb
Never run after the school bus if it has already left the stop
Always walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing, so the bus driver can see you
Cross with care; wait until the bus has stopped all traffic before stepping into the road

While on the school bus, children should:

Never push when getting on or off the bus
Stay in your seat while the bus is moving and never put your head, arms, or hands out of the window
Talk quietly so as not to distract the driver
Be calm and quiet when the bus is crossing railroad tracks, so the driver can listen for a train
Always obey the bus driver’s instructions, so they can make safe decisions
Never play with the emergency exits; backpacks, band instruments, or sports equipment should not block the aisle or emergency exits
Listen to the driver and follow instructions in the case of an emergency

When getting off the school bus, children should:

Make sure all drawstrings and other loose objects are secure, so they don’t get caught on the handrail or door
Never cross the street behind the school bus
Never go back for an item left on the bus or dropped outside of it; the driver may not see you and begin moving the bus
Never speak to strangers at the bus stop or get into a car with a stranger

News

July 11, 2024

Brown Clarifies Provider Agreements in Video Announcement

Shante’ A. Brown, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s deputy secretary, has released an announcement regarding updated provider agreements for certified child care providers.

Learn More

The video message, which can be viewed below, clarifies the agreements for all regulated child care providers as well as Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC), and OCDEL Early Learning Resource Center Program representatives.

In the video, Brown discusses guidance that aims to provide clarity about suspension and expulsion practices. The agreements require that providers contact ELRCs before suspending or expelling a child. This is aimed to ensure that families still have access to resources provided by ELRCs, which can also help families to find alternative care.

Another topic covered by Brown is providers charging the difference between private pay and subsidy rates. She said that OCDEL has received numerous questions about how Keystone STARS and nontraditional add-on rates impact charges. With the passage of new child care subsidy regulations, OCDEL wants to hear feedback from providers. This fall, it will ask providers and families to participate in discussions on the matter.

Deadlines

Certified child care providers will have to complete and sign new provider agreements, which will be effective August 1.

The provider agreement establishes the terms of participation and payment between the payer and a certified child care provider who provides care to children who participate in the state’s subsidized child care program, Child Care Works. To be in compliance with the Child Care Development Block Grant and 55 pa. Code Chapter 3042 Subsidized Child Care Eligibility, OCDEL must update the certified child care provider agreements.

ELRCs mailed the agreements and appendices to providers in June. Providers must read and sign the updated agreement indicating that they agree to follow all rules and return the signed agreement to the ELRC by July 31.