November 18, 2025 PA Head Start Report Finds Children Experiencing Homelessness on the Rise The Pennsylvania Head Start Collaboration Office has released a new report that found a 4% increase in homelessness for children from birth through kindergarten over a period of a year. Learn More According to the report, nearly 11,000 Pennsylvania children – from birth to kindergarten age – were identified to be experiencing homelessness during the 2023-24 school year. This represents a 4% increase over one year and a 13% increase over five years. The largest increase in the report was for pre-school-aged children, with a 3% increase in children identified over one year, and a 32% increase over five years. Although infants and toddlers accounted for 34% of the 10,601 children identified in 2023-24, this represented a negligible difference over the past year but a 6% decrease over five years. However, in a section of the report titled “The Good News,” it mentioned that the number of children identified as experiencing homelessness increased in part because the education system has become more effective in identifying children experiencing homelessness since 2016 due to improved coordination with multiple human service systems at the county level and an infusion of resources from the American Rescue Plan that were not available prior to 2021. Additionally, statewide collaboration expanded through the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) McKinney-Vento Advisory Group, which likely contributed to the 32% increase in the identification of pre-schoolers and a 15% increase in their enrollment in prekindergarten programs over this five-year period.w The report is the first installment in a series designed to inform state and local practitioners and policymakers about young children identified as experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania. The entire report is available on The Pennsylvania Key’s website.
October 7, 2025 Treasurer Announces Short-Term Funding Relief for Pre-K Counts Programs, Head Start Providers The Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s Budget Bridge Loan program will now accept applications from Pre-K Counts programs and organizations that provide rape prevention and response services as well as domestic violence prevention and support services for survivors, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced this week. Learn More Eligible organizations must use the Budget Bridge Loan for immediate operating expenses as indicated by the loan agreement. Funds will be received shortly after an application is approved. In late September, Garrity announced $500 million in Budget Bridge Loans for Head Start providers and county governments to help support vital human services. Treasury expects to be able to expand the program to Pre-K Counts and rape and domestic violence prevention programs without increasing the original program amount. The Treasury Department will reach out directly to Head Start programs and county governments. Those who enter into a loan agreement will be required to pay back the initial investment along with a 4.5% annual interest rate within 15 days of state funds being released following the enactment of a state budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26. Providers eligible to apply for the loans will receive communication directly from the Treasurer’s Office with instructions on how to apply. “The response to Treasury’s short-term funding solution has been positive, and I’m pleased to be able to expand this program to include organizations that provide critical services to more children and also to survivors of rape and assault,” Garrity said. “I’m using the tools available as state treasurer to make sure critical services can continue without interruption. These loans are a lifeline.” For more information, read the Treasury Department’s announcement on the loan program. While we continue to advocate for a final budget with early childhood investments, this is welcome relief for Pre-K Counts and Head Start programs.
September 29, 2025 Resources for October Observances Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them. Here is a list of resources for October observances. Week-Long Observances Anti-Poverty Week (Oct. 12 to Oct. 18) Baby Loss Awareness Week (Oct. 9 to Oct. 15) Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5 to Oct. 11) Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 5 to Oct. 11) National Friends of Libraries Week (Oct. 19 to Oct. 25) National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 20 to Oct. 24) Month-Long Observances HEAD START AWARENESS MONTH Head Start Awareness Month October 2024, National Today October is Head Start Awareness Month, Trying Together October is Head Start Awareness Month, Sunrise Children’s Foundation Head Start Awareness Month, National Head Start Association DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, International Dyslexia Association Understanding Dyslexia, Nemours KidsHealth Understanding Dyslexia, Child Mind Institute NATIONAL BOOK MONTH Why Is It Important to Read to Your Child?, Child Mind Institute Kids & Teens Booklists, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Supporting Early Literacy Development, Buzzword PBS Kids for Parents Releases List of Books for Children About Friendship, Buzzword Days of Recognition • OCTOBER 3: KIDS MUSIC DAY • OCTOBER 4: NATIONAL PLAY OUTSIDE DAY Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Outdoor Play Trends, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative The Benefits of Outdoor Play: Why It Matters, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia • OCTOBER 5: WORLD TEACHER’S DAY • OCTOBER 6: NATIONAL CHILD HEALTH DAY Childhood Physical Health, Trying Together Childhood Physical Health: Resources, Trying Together Supporting Childhood Physical Health: A Guide for Families, Trying Together Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health, Trying Together • OCTOBER 8: NATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL DAY National Walk & Bike to School Day – October 1, 2025, National Today Celebrate Walk to School Day, Action for Healthy Kids • OCTOBER 10: WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY Childhood Mental Health, Trying Together Caring for the Caregiver, Trying Together Mental Health Resources for Child Care Providers in Allegheny County, Early Learning Resource Center Grandfamily Tip Sheets Provide Information on Self-Care and Youth Mental Health, Trying Together Parental Mental Health Impacts on Children, Trying Together • OCTOBER 11: NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY Gender, Gender Identity, and LGBTQ+ Inclusion, Trying Together Family Guide: Gender and Gender Identity, Trying Together Non-Gendered Play in Early Childhood, Trying Together How Are Sex, Gender, and Gender Identity Defined?, Trying Together Resource List: Books to Celebrate Gender Expression, Inclusion, and Pride, Trying Together • OCTOBER 13: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY 11 Ways to Observe Indigenous People’s Day with Children, Rebekah Gienapp What is Indigenous People’s Day? Here’s a Look at Its History, Associated Press • OCTOBER 19: NATIONAL NEW FRIENDS DAY • OCTOBER 20: NATIONAL YOUTH CONFIDENCE DAY • OCTOBER 28: NATIONAL IMMIGRANTS DAY • OCTOBER 29 : INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CARE AND SUPPORT
July 29, 2025 Former PA Governors Tout Importance of Pre-K in Op Ed Five former Pennsylvania governors wrote an op ed that was published this week on Penn Live that extols the virtues of pre-k. Learn More Former governors Tom Ridge, Mark Schweiker, Ed Rendell, Tom Corbett, and Tom Wolf wrote the editorial, which was published on Penn Live on July 29. In the editorial, the governors wrote that for years meaningful steps have been taken to grow access to Head Start and Pre-K Counts, and that votes to do so typically crossed party lines. The editorial notes that to let that progress slip away would be a major mistake. “Research has long shown the importance of investing in high-quality pre-k education for young children to improve short- and long-term outcomes in academic achievement and even lifelong success,” the governors wrote. “This is especially true for children in low-income families, children of color, and others facing barriers to achieving academic success throughout their school years.” The governors cite a poll that found that 98% of Pennsylvanians believe that early childhood education is important to help children lead healthy and productive lives. An additional 73% support increasing state funding, so more children can have access to pre-k. “Pennsylvanians should be proud of how far our commonwealth has come in providing pre-k to our youngest learners with more than 66,000 three- and four-year-olds having access,” the governors wrote. “However, this represents only 44% of eligible children, leaving almost 85,000 children on the sidelines each year.” The entire editorial can be read on Penn Live’s website.
July 14, 2025 Head Start Community of Practice: Fiscal Friends The Pennsylvania Head Start Association will host Community of Practice: Fiscal Friends on Wednesday, July 23. Learn More The Community of Practice event is designed for fiscal staff to connect, share experiences, and work together on challenges unique to their roles. The virtual space provides an opportunity for open dialogue, problem-solving, and collaboration in a supportive and welcoming environment. Discussion during the event will include: Collaborative networking Actionable insights Continuous reflection and growth The virtual event will run from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on July 23. Registration is open.
April 30, 2025 Federal Actions and Proposals Threaten Head Start Programs The federal administration recently announced a proposal to eliminate Head Start, a 60-year-old federally funded program that provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to low-income children, ages 3-5, and their families as well as pregnant women and infants/toddlers under age 3. Head Start serves nearly 30,000 Pennsylvania children at 806 centers and employs nearly 10,000 staff members. In total, Head Start serves 750,000 children across all 50 states. Head Start is a critical program within the early care and education infrastructure and a high-quality child care option for families living in poverty. “We have decades of data showing early childhood education drives economic mobility, strengthens communities, and reduces the need for costly interventions later,” said Cara Ciminillo, executive director for Trying Together. “Gutting a program that serves nearly a million children and families each year would set us back generations — and cost us far more in the long run.” In recent months, a number of actions by the current administration have led to disruption and confusion for families and educators, delays in payments to local Head Start grantees, and loss of employment for Head Start and Office of Child Care staff at the federal level. Additionally, five Head Start Regional Offices were closed, representing half of all regional offices across the country, including 22 states, six territories, and 467 Tribal governments. This has resulted in diminished capacity for federal grant awards, monitoring, and technical assistance as well as a major loss of content knowledge expertise for early childhood. In response to these actions, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) has joined with a coalition of several state Head Start associations as well as two Parent Voices of Oakland, Family Forward Oregon, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Ted Waters to file a complaint to prevent the dismantling of Head Start. “The administration is taking Head Start apart piece by piece by slow walking grants, making it harder to access rigorously approved funding, and executive orders that cut at the heart of serving children and families in our communities,” PHSA said in an April 28 email to supporters. “These actions will result in the widespread termination of services for children and families that rely on Head Start for their childcare needs and are contrary to the Head Start Act, violates constitutional separation of powers, spending clause, due process (vagueness), First Amendment and the APA and is arbitrary and capricious. The President can’t thwart statutory directives by defunding the program.” Read more. Take Action Trying Together is deeply concerned with the proposed elimination of Head Start and urges federal policymakers to prevent the dismantling of this critical service. Make your voice and take action in one of the following ways: Sign the Pre-K for PA petition to Tell Congress to Protect Head Start and/or one of the other petitions listed on Pennsylvania’s Head Start Association website Contact your legislators by phone, email, or letter Tell your story: Share what Head Start means to you Visit the Pennsylvania Head Start Association action page. We recommend taking every action you possibly can Invite others on social media to take action. Don’t forget to tag your policymaker!
February 18, 2025 Presenters and Proposals Sought for Early Childhood Conferences Presenters and proposals are being sought for several upcoming conferences relating to early childhood education in Pennsylvania. OCDEL Conference The state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is seeking experienced presenters to share expertise during the upcoming 2024-25 PA Pre-K Counts & Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program Grantee Meeting on April 30 and May 1. Each session at the conference – which will take place at Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Summit – will be an hour-and-a-half and focus on data-informed practices, strategies, and lessons learned. OCDEL is also seeking Pre-K Counts and Head Start program leaders who have demonstrated success in administrative areas to lead or co-present on program-based content. Those interested in leading a session should complete an online form. Breaking Barriers: Empowering Voices for the Future Another upcoming conference, Early Childhood Education: Breaking Barriers, Empowering Voices for the Future, is seeking presenters. Participants can share their knowledge and skills with educators and community leaders at the conference. Presentations should address challenges in early childhood education, how to amplify diverse voices, and how to shape the future of education. The event will take place June 14 in Philadelphia. It will include speakers, workshops, networking, and a vendor marketplace. Seminars will run from one to two hours. Each session should include at least 10 to 15 minutes of interactive or discussion-based activities to engage participants. To learn how to submit to be a presenter at the conference, visit its website. Division for Early Childhood The Division for Early Childhood is accepting proposals for the 41st Annual International Conference on Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families. The conference will take place on October 7 in Portland, Oregon. Proposals are due by Tuesday, February 18. Information on how to submit to the conference is available online.
February 11, 2025 Spots Available for Free Early Education Programs in Allegheny County Parents have the opportunity to enroll their children in free early education programs in Allegheny County. Head Start and Pre-K Counts Families who reside in Allegheny County and meet program guidelines can enroll their children in Head Start and Pre-K Counts programs. The programs provide preschool children, ages three to five, with quality, flexible programming that is designed to reinforce and respond to the strengths and needs of each individual child. Early Head Start services are available to pregnant women and families with children from birth to age three. There are available spots for three- to four-year-old children at the following locations: PPS Bethel Park – George Washington Elementary, 515 Clifton Road, Bethel Park, 15102 PPS Duquesne – Duquesne School, 300 Kennedy Avenue, Duquesne, PA 15110 PPS South Allegheny – South Allegheny Elementary School, 1707 Washington Boulevard, Port Vue, PA 15133 COTRAIC Churchview – 3198 Scheick Street Pgh, PA 15227 Learning to Learn Childcare Center- 119 Pennoak Drive Pgh, PA 15235 COTRAIC Dorseyville – 120 Charles Street Pgh, PA 15238 COTRAIC Hazelwood – 4900 2nd Avenue Pgh, PA 15207 To enroll in PPS programs, call Jeanette Casciato at 412-394-4594. For more information, check out this flyer. To enroll in COTRAIC programs, call Louna Ibrahim at 412-488-2750 or visit www.cotraic.org Pittsburgh Public Schools Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Early Childhood Program offers extended-day – and, in some cases, extended year – programming in community early childhood programs. The programs are similar to school-based early childhood classroom models. There are openings in the following locations: Arsenal (Lawrenceville) Chartiers (West End) Conroy (North Side) Crescent (Homewood) Langley (West End) Linden (Point Breeze) Miller (Hill District) Minadeo (Sq. Hill) Pittsburgh Classical Academy (West End) Peabody/Obama (East Liberty) Spring Garden (North Side) Weil (Hill District) Students who attend the programs receive individualized attention, social-emotional learning, and a free breakfast and lunch. Parents can also receive individualized support as well as opportunities to participate in a variety of training and become involved in the school community and Policy Council. For more information, contact the Early Childhood Department at 412-529-4291. For more information, check out this flyer.
November 18, 2024 OCDEL Calls for Early Childhood Education Professionals to Take Survey Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is calling on early childhood education professionals to take a survey regarding staffing, retention, and professional development resources. Learn More The survey is being conducted by the Institute of State and Regional Affairs (ISRA) at Penn State Harrisburg on behalf of OCDEL and The Pennsylvania Key. The purpose is to learn about and identify solutions relating to staffing, retention, and professional development resources in the state. The survey is open to all Pennsylvania early childhood education professionals at any child care facility, including Head Start and Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts. Those who should take the survey include teachers, assistant teachers, classroom aids, directors, owner-operators, administrative staff, and all other staff. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. Those who participate can enter an optional drawing for the chance to win a $50 Amazon e-gift card. The survey is available in English or Spanish. It will close in January. For more information, email ChildCareResearch@psu.edu.
October 28, 2024 OCDEL Offers Scholarship Through Pitt’s Infant Mental Health Certificate Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is offering a scholarship for professionals serving children and families in prenatal, infant, toddler, and preschool programs. Learn More The scholarship enables participants to take part at no cost in a pilot program through the University of Pittsburgh’s Infant Mental Health Professional Development certificate. It is aimed at the state’s licensed child care providers, Head Start/Early Head Start and PA Pre-K Counts programs. Traditionally, the course has been provided to Infant/Toddler Early Intervention, OCDEL-funded home visitors, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health, and Rapid Response team members. The course is being extended to providers as a result of ongoing discussions and evaluation of requests for professional development from the field. Its extension is due to the challenges faced by providers across the state who support the mental health and well-being of young children and families. The scholarship seeks to enable early learning professionals to partner with others and better support families in Pennsylvania. Those interested can apply through The Pennsylvania Key on behalf of OCDEL’s Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development. The application for the 2025 Infant Mental Health (IMH) Certificate & Learning Circle – Scholarship closes on Nov. 15. Information on applicant criteria, the approval and evaluation process for candidates, course consideration, registration information, the course structure, and FAQs can be found on The Pennsylvania Key’s website.
