March 5, 2025 Community of Practice for Home-Based Educators ELRC Region 5 is hosting Communities of Practice for home-based early learning educators to discuss topics of interest, ask questions, and offer insight and inspiration to one another. Learn More Meetings occur virtually every other Tuesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The sessions include: March 25: Certification and Announcements April 8: Handbooks and Policies April 22: Health and Safety/Emergency Plans/Fire and Emergency Drills May 13: Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity May 27: Lesson Plans and Daily Schedules June 10: Outdoor Spaces June 24: Professional Development Training and Resources July 8: Keystone STARS – Star 2 Designation July 22: Keystone STARS – Star 3 and Star 4 Designations/National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation Each of the sessions will be held on Zoom. For more information, contact Kathy Wolfe by email at Kathy.elrc@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-224-0416.
Community of Practice for Home-Based Educators ELRC Region 5 is hosting Communities of Practice for home-based early learning educators to discuss topics of interest, ask questions, and offer insight and inspiration to one another. Learn More Meetings occur virtually every other Tuesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The sessions include: March 25: Certification and Announcements April 8: Handbooks and Policies April 22: Health and Safety/Emergency Plans/Fire and Emergency Drills May 13: Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity May 27: Lesson Plans and Daily Schedules June 10: Outdoor Spaces June 24: Professional Development Training and Resources July 8: Keystone STARS – Star 2 Designation July 22: Keystone STARS – Star 3 and Star 4 Designations/National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation Each of the sessions will be held on Zoom. For more information, contact Kathy Wolfe by email at Kathy.elrc@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-224-0416.
September 9, 2024 Licensed Child Care Providers Can Apply for PA NAP SACC Wellness Grant Licensed child care providers in Pennsylvania are encouraged to apply for the 2024-25 PA NAP SACC Wellness Grant. To apply, providers must serve a minimum of four children, ages birth to five years. Past participants are also eligible to apply. Learn More The grant provides an opportunity to engage in a continuous quality improvement process focused on obesity prevention practices and policies in early care and education settings. The program utilizes Go NAPSACC, an online, evidence-based tool, to guide self-assessment, action planning, implementation, policy development, re-self-assessment, and reflection. The process empowers program leadership and includes individualized technical assistance to increase knowledge and improve the quality of practice and policy. Programs will be linked with a child care health consultant at no cost to the site. The consultant will review nutrition and physical activity practices and policies, assist with developing sustainable policies, and offer guidance for quality improvement. Those who participate and complete grant requirements will receive up to $500 in grant funding. The funding can support staff time or any necessary materials and resources. More Details For STAR 3 and 4 programs, participation in all components of the PA NAP SACC Wellness Grant satisfies Keystone STARS performance standards for utilizing a healthcare consultant to establish and maintain health policies above those required by certification. It also satisfies bonus points area Partnerships with Families and Communities for participating in an organized effort to promote nutritional health for children. Following the application period, applicants will be invited to participate in an Oct. 23 webinar from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. The webinar will be recorded and shared with all eligible applicants. After the webinar, program enrollment will be based on the first 50 programs to complete enrollment tasks outlined in the webinar. How to Apply Those interested in participating should complete and submit an online application or visit the Keystone Kids Go website. For questions or additional information, call Cindy Wilson at Tuscarora Intermediate Unit at 717-248-4942, ext. 143, or email cjwilson@tiu11.org. The application deadline is Oct. 4.
July 22, 2024 Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program Covers Most Costs and Fees for Early Learning Professionals Eligible early learning professionals can get most of their tuition costs and fees for courses covered by applying to the Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program. Learn More The program pays 95% of tuition costs and fees for eligible college coursework taken by early learning professionals. There’s a maximum benefit of $8,000 per individual each fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. Tuition costs and fees obtained through other funding sources – such as scholarships, stipends, discounts, or grants, with the exception of the Pell Grant – are used to determine the amount of assistance. Those interested in applying are recommended to do so at least four weeks prior to the start of the course, or prior to the tuition due date – whichever comes first. Eligibility To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet the following requirements: They must be a Pennsylvania resident. They must work a minimum of 20 hours weekly in a classroom setting or as a director, assistant director, or education coordinator. They must work in a child care facility that holds a current Child Care License under the Department of Human Services (DHS) and demonstrate continuous employment for at least 12 months. They must agree to continue to work in a Keystone STARS facility for two months for every credit supported by the Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program with two months beginning at the conclusion of the course for which funding was received. Total time due will not exceed 24 months following the conclusion of the most recent course completed. If they are child care center directors, assistant directors, family or group child care home owners/operators, they must earn less than $25 per hour or $52,000 annually. If they are aides, assistant teachers, or teachers, they must earn less than $21.63 per hour or $45,000 annually. They must be enrolled in credit-bearing courses at an in-state accredited institution toward an approved credential. They must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the credit-bearing coursework toward a credential in which the student is enrolled. For more information, including the required documents for applying, visit Keystone STARS’ Rising STARS Tuition Assistance Program website.
July 1, 2024 Updated Keystone STARS Bonus Points Tip Sheets Now Available The Keystone STARS policy team has recently worked with partner agencies to update its Bonus Points Tip Sheets. Learn More The updated tip sheets are now LIVE on the Pennsylvania Key’s Keystone STARS Resources webpage where there are links to the Bonus Point quality initiatives. Significant updates were made to the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) tip sheets. PBIS is a framework for supporting social emotional development and addressing challenging behaviors in early childhood. It supports administrative teams to use implementation science and practical strategies to support staff and families. Minor updates were made to the other tip sheets including: PA Eco Healthy Child Care; Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC Program); Farm to Early Care and Education; Child and Adult Care Food Program; and After School Quality. Those with questions about the updates to the tip sheets should contact their ELRC quality coach.
June 11, 2024 OCDEL Names Director of Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has named Luisa Olivo-Wolf as its director of the Bureau of Earning Learning Policy and Professional Development. Learn More Olivo-Wolf is an executive leader in early childhood education and the nonprofit sector. She has a master’s degree in community leadership from Alvernia University, a bachelor’s degree in social work from Millersville University, and a nonprofit management certificate from Temple University. Previously, she served as the assistant chief program officer at the Community Progress Council. There, she oversaw early childhood programs, including PA Pre-K Counts, Early Head Start, and Head Start. She helped to ensure quality services for children and families, and fostered holistic professional development and community engagement. Olivo-Wolf was also previously the director of strategic initiatives, family, and community engagement manager and family advocate at the Community Progress Council. She held director roles at the College Hill Children’s Center and Hildebrandt Learning Centers at Masonic Village and Gap. She also served as the community school director at Washington Elementary School, where she coordinated on-site health, academic, and social service programs for children and families. Through Keystone STARS, the state’s quality rating improvement system, the bureau develops and implements standards for early learning programs and professionals to improve the quality of early learning for young children. It also provides financial support and technical assistance for programs and professionals. The bureau is responsible for establishing and maintaining the rules, regulations, and procedures for Child Care Works (CCW), the state Department of Education’s subsidized child care program. Both programs are managed at the regional level through the grantees known as Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs).
April 15, 2024 School-Age Mental Health Consultation Accepting Appointments The Pennsylvania Key Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program is now offering a new service to help school-age children as well as their teachers and families with mental health counseling. Learn More School Age Child Care (SACC) Mental Health Consultation is aimed at assisting Keystone STARS programs looking for support with children who are struggling with behavior, attachment, peer relationships, or emotion regulation. It also assists teachers and families of students with self-care, stress, and coping. SACC Mental Health Consultation is now accepting consultation appointments across the state. Mental health consultants are available by telephone or video conference appointments. The consultation is a problem-solving and collaborative approach to develop goals and strategies for: Child social-emotional concerns Child behavioral or developmental concerns Emotional well-being of teachers and caregivers Partnering with families Services are available to child care professionals – such as teachers, directors, and staff in center, group-based child care programs – participating in Keystone STARS school-age child care programs. How to Request an Appointment Appointments are conducted on Tuesdays with the option to schedule follow-up appointments based on individual needs. Those interested in scheduling an appointment with a SACC mental health consultant can register online. Those who register will receive an email confirmation with appointment information and a Zoom link invitation for the video appointment if they chose a virtual option. Registration will be accepted until the day before a consultation date.
May 13, 2022 UPDATED: Streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System to Launch July 1 The Keystone STARS designation system will be live in the PA PD Registry beginning July 1, 2022. The new designation system will feature the updated 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards. As such, all designations initiated after July 1, 2022, will use the 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and the new Streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System. (This page was updated on May 13, 2022 to reflect new information from OCDEL). About The new designation system in the PA PD Registry is replacing SMART Designation Software, the Keystone STARS Document Uploader, and portions of Provider Self Service (PSS). The new system features a Document Vault that will replace the current STARS Document Uploader, which will no longer be available after May 31, 2022. Providers can begin using the Document Vault feature, which is currently live in the PA PD Registry. Programs currently using the Document Uploader to complete a designation must ensure that all evidence is uploaded by May 31, 2022. From June 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022, there will be a black out period for any new Request for Keystone STAR Designations (RFSD) to be completed. During this time, programs will be unable to complete any new RFSDs either via Provider Self Service (PSS) from the Keystone STARS home page or via a paper RFSD. Details For complete details about the new designation system, read the Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s full announcement (UPDATED). Programs who require help in uploading documents to their Document Vault and/or attaching documents to quality indicators should reach out to the ELRC Region 5 at elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or the PD Registry team at registry@pakeys.org. Information about demonstrations and trainings , video tutorials, and tip sheets on the Keystone STARS Designation system will be housed on the PA Keys website.
February 3, 2022 Child Care Providers Needed for Keystone STARS Focus Groups Early childhood education providers working in Pennsylvania child care who have knowledge of, or experience with, the Keystone STARS system are invited to participate in an online focus group in February. About The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) wants to learn more about the experience of leaders of center-based, family child care, and group child care providers with the Keystone STARS quality rating and improvement system, what is working, what is not working and how the system could be improved. Register Focus groups will be held virtually through Zoom on the following days and times, and will last no more than two hours: For all providers: February 10, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. Register For family child care home providers: February 17, 2022 at 6 p.m. Register For all providers: February 19, 2022 at 1 p.m. Register Share this flyer with your networks..
November 23, 2021 Tip Sheet: Using the PD Registry Document Vault As part of the new process for Keystone STARS pre-designation and designation applications, an updated Tip Sheet for Using the Document Vault within the PD Registry has been developed. About Though the new process has been delayed until 2022, child care providers can begin using the Document Vault feature, which aims to help them store important designation information in a centralized location for future designation purposes. The tip sheet includes information on Vault functionality, naming documents, and instructions for uploading documents. The Document Vault can be seen as a centralized storage location where important documentation and evidence can be stored for use in future Keystone STARS Designation activities. It is important to note that documents that were previously uploaded into the Keystone STARS Document Uploader will not automatically transfer into a program’s Document Vault. View the Document Vault tip sheet on the PA Keys website. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will release additional guidance related to the rollout of the streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System in the upcoming months and will continue to offer training for both providers and ELRC staff until the go-live date in early 2022.
