August 27, 2025 Trying Together Asks Caregivers and Educators to Write Letters Advocating for the Importance of Play In recognition of the upcoming National Day of Play championed by the USA Affiliate (IPA USA) of the International Play Association on Sept. 20, Trying Together is asking caregivers and educators to take part in a letter-writing campaign to advocate for the importance of play for children in early childhood settings. Be an Advocate for Playful Learning Play-based learning and adequate recess time have been shown to support children’s health and holistic well being, aid in the development of executive function skills, improve behaviors, and increase academic knowledge acquisition. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the World Health Organization recommend one to three hours of vigorous activity for children each day and play-based learning as the primary instructional model for all of early childhood, birth to age 9, yet no state in the United States requires recess and most children in U.S. schools receive 40 minutes or less of recess per day. How Can You Help? Trying Together’s Advocacy Team recommends sending a letter to school principals, school board members, or other district leaders and mobilizing other members of the community to do the same. The Advocacy Team has put together a toolkit of sample letters to get started. Writers should be sure to include their own story and discuss why play matters to them. Letters can be sent by mail or email. Sample letters include ones for caregivers or teachers to administrators, ECE providers to school districts, formal memos to districts or birth to age 5 programs, and students. Another resource is a list of recommendations on physical activity by age. “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood“ -Mr. Rogers
July 1, 2025 OCDEL Releases Announcement on NAEYC Accreditation Standards, Keystone STARS Alternate Pathways The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released an announcement regarding changes to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation standards and system and implications for Keystone STARS Alternate Pathways. Learn More The announcement shares information on how changes to NAEYC will affect early care and education providers using NAEYC accreditation as a Keystone STARS, OCDEL-approved, Alternate Pathway to a STAR 4 designation. As of March 3, NAEYC began using a new tiered system of accreditation. The three tiers included: Recognition: NAEYC defined this as the first step to high quality. It requires a documentation review, and a one-year term is renewed annually. Accreditation: Requires a documentation review and there is potential for a random site visit. It has a five-year term with annual reporting required. Accreditation +: This requires a documentation review and site visit, and there’s potential for a random site visit. This has a five-year term with annual reporting required. Impact of Accreditation Changes on STARTS Designation Following an internal review of NAEYC’s new accreditation standards and tiers, OCDEL established that the Accreditation + tier will be acknowledged as an approved Alternate Pathway to a STAR 4 designation. The NAEYC tiers of Recognition or Accreditation will not serve as OCDEL-approved Alternate Pathways to higher STARS designations. Programs that are currently NAEYC accredited will transition to the Accreditation + tier and will not see any impact on their STAR 4 Alternate Pathway designation. If these programs experienced a drop in their NAEYC accreditation status to one of the lower tiers, they would also be designated as a STAR 1. Programs that want to move up in STAR levels can do so by using the Keystone STARS Performance Standards or achieving the highest NAEYC accreditation tier of Accreditation +. Programs using an OCDEL-approved Alternate Pathway to a higher STAR level must complete all requirements for Keystone STARS as explained in the ELRC Policy Announcement 21 #08. Next Steps All programs currently using or planning to use NAEYC as an Alternate Pathway to a STAR 4 designation should: Review the information contained in the OCDEL announcement. Complete any upcoming Keystone STARS designation renewals as required. Review their current Accreditation VUD to determine their NAEYC renewal status. For questions regarding NAEYC standards, assessments or processes, email accreditation.information@naeyc.org or call 1-800-424-2460. Programs are encouraged to discuss their Keystone STARS designation with their quality coach. ELRCs should review the information in the OCDEL announcement and direct any questions to their program representative.
March 17, 2025 Week of the Young Child Kickoff in Indiana County Indiana County will kick off the Week of the Young Child in April with an event that includes a movie screening and other activities. Learn More The Early Childhood and Education Committee of the Children’s Advisory Commission of Indiana County’s Week of the Young Child kickoff will take place on Saturday, April 5 and will begin with a proclamation at the Indiana County Courthouse. This will be followed by a march to the Indiana Theater for Family Day. Participants will be able to take part in free crafts and a screening of the film “The Wild Robot” for $3. Concessions will be available. The proclamation will be read at 9:30 a.m. at the courthouse, while crafts will commence at the theater at 10 a.m. Movie screenings will be at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and there will be an additional craft activity at 12:30 p.m.
April is the Month of the Young Child April has been designated as the Month of the Young Child. Trying Together is taking part in and hosting events and opportunities to tout the importance of early child care and celebrate organizations that provide vital services. History The Week of the Young Child was first established in 1971 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Its aim was to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and recognize early childhood programs and services that are centered around those needs. Over time, increased interest led Trying Together to designate the entire month of April as the Month of the Young Child (MOYC). We celebrate MOYC to elevate the important work of families and early care and education professionals, who strive to meet the needs of the young children in their care. Events There are a number of great events to celebrate the Month of the Young Child. These include: Week of the Young Child Events at the Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center – The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center will have special programming to celebrate young children and their caregivers the week of April 7. Learn more. 2025 Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner – Trying Together will join early care and education colleagues from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10 at Acrisure Stadium for dinner, a photo booth, and prizes. There is currently a wait-list for this event. Annual Early Childhood Education Affiliate Dinner – On Tuesday, April 8, this event at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will feature a dinner and lecture with Dr. Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher, a leading authority on educational organization and leadership. The event kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at the university’s gymnasium in Chambers Hall and the lecture will follow at 6:45 p.m. More details are available online. Working Families and the Need for Childcare Workshop – During this workshop – which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16 – participants will learn how to search for and find child care options near their home and work. The workshop will also cover public funding options to pay for child care, resources to share with employees so they can easily find and navigate child care, the state of child care, and the impact on the workforce. Emily Neff, Trying Together’s director of public policy, will present during the workshop, which will be held at PAACC’s office at 850 Beaver Grade Road in Moon Township. Register online or by calling 412-264-6270. NAEYC Week of the Young Child – The NAEYC will celebrate daily themes as part of its Week of the Young Child from April 5 to 11. Visit the NAEYC’s website for more information on the daily themes and activity resources.
February 10, 2025 Request MOYC Materials for Your Early Learning Program Trying Together is offering child care programs the opportunity to receive Month of the Young Child (MOYC) materials. MOYC-in-a-Box Programs may request a mailed box of materials related to MOYC – observed each April – including: Posters to display at their program location or to give to local businesses to promote the importance of child care in the community Buttons for staff and families to wear during April Printed materials and resources from Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 Materials are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Programs can expect to receive their boxes before the beginning of April. Please note: We have reached our cap for requests and are no longer accepting submissions. About Month of the Young Child First established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in 1971, the Week of the Young Child is an opportunity to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. Over the years, with growing interest and focus, Trying Together designated the entire month of April as the Month of the Young Child (MOYC). In April 2025, Trying Together offers opportunities to elevate and celebrate early childhood by providing resources, hosting, co-hosting, and participating in child and caregiver -focused events, and working with early learning programs to share MOYC materials and experiences. Learn More To learn more about Month of the Young Child, visit Trying Together’s Month of the Young Child webpage.
December 30, 2024 Registration Open for NAEYC’s 2025 Public Policy Forum Registration is now open for the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) 2025 Public Policy Forum. Learn More The annual forum will be held in Washington, D.C. from Sunday, February 23 to Tuesday, February 25. The forum is expected to bring together hundreds of early childhood educators and stakeholders. The event aims to strengthen advocacy skills, expand policy knowledge, deepen relationships with congressional offices, and build a movement across states and communities. Each state will have a state team lead who will coordinate congressional meetings with state team members. After registering, keep an eye out for emails from state team leads with more information about meetings and opportunities to engage. The forum will begin at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23. Registration is now open. The registration fee for the forum is $150 per registrant, and the cutoff date to register is Friday, January 24. Any questions should be directed to naeycppfsupport@cmrus.com or 800-450-5185.
December 19, 2024 Registration Open for Trying Together’s Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner Trying Together will host its Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner on April 10. Registration is now open for the event. Learn More The dinner is held to celebrate early childhood educators during April’s Month of the Young Child. The event includes a dinner, photo booth, prizes, and more. This year’s dinner will run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10 at Acrisure Stadium, located at 100 Art Rooney Ave. in Pittsburgh. Individual tickets are $15 and groups of 10 may purchase tickets at a discounted rate of $135. Registrants are encouraged to consider the value of individual and group rate tickets – $140 and $1,400, respectively – and contribute more if they are willing and able to do so. This is a high-demand event, so seating will be based on a first-come, first-served basis that evening and reserved tables will not be available. Free parking will be available for guests. Registration will close when capacity is met or by March 28. Businesses, organizations, and individuals can recognize early childhood caregivers by purchasing full-color advertisements to appear in the 2025 Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner program book. The deadline to reserve an ad or name in the recognition list is Friday, January 17. Those interested in attending can register now. Any questions should be emailed to info@tryingtogether.org. Month of the Young Child First established in 1971 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the Week of the Young Child was an opportunity to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. Due to growing interest and focus, Trying Together later designated the entire month of April as the Month of the Young Child. It is recognized as a time during which the dedicated work of early educators is promoted for the essential role that it plays in society.
November 26, 2024 Applications Open for Equity in Early Childhood Champion Awards Applications are now open for Pennsylvania’s fourth annual Equity in Early Childhood Champion Awards. Learn More The award brings awareness to and highlights equity work within the state’s early childhood education settings, including child care, evidence-based home visiting, and early intervention programs. Nominees for the award are professionals and organizations that align with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education Position Statement. Pennsylvania recognizes achievements in advancing equity by individuals and early childhood education and afterschool programs. The process is open to nominate individuals or programs that have demonstrated support to children and their families by embracing diversity and full inclusion as strengths, upholding fundamental principles of fairness and justice, or working to eliminate structural inequities that limit equitable learning opportunities. Applicants must demonstrate how the individual, early childhood, or afterschool program has supported children and their families in these specific areas. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. For more information or to apply, visit The Pennsylvania Key website.
August 26, 2024 NAEYC Releases Advocacy Toolkit Ahead of November Election The National Association for the Education of Young Children has released an Electoral Advocacy Toolkit that includes resources aimed at supporting and advancing nonpartisan advocacy efforts. Learn More The U.S. general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. On its website, NAEYC notes that early childhood educators play an important role in ensuring that child care and early learning are priorities for voters and candidates. The association has released a toolkit that includes resources to support and advance nonpartisan electoral advocacy efforts. These include everything from signs to take to candidate town halls to ideas to help “get out the vote” in support of early childhood education and educators. November Election The toolkit notes that 33 U.S. Senate seats, 11 gubernatorial elections, thousands of state and local elections, and 435 U.S. House of Representatives seats will be on the ballot in November. As a result, more than 40 million children will be impacted by the election’s results. On the toolkit’s web page, visitors can: Register to vote Discover what’s on the ballot Find information about voting in each state Check on voter registration status Pledge to vote To view the Electoral Advocacy Toolkit, visit NAEYC’s America for Early Ed website. Other Resources America for Early Education Nonpartisan Electoral Advocacy has also provided some resources to assist with Get Out the Vote efforts. These include: Nonpartisan Electoral Advocacy for ECE Programs and Organizations: Do’s and Don’ts GOTV Activities for ECE Programs and Organizations Hosting a Candidate Forum on Child Care and Early Learning: Sample Facilitator Questions Town Hall Signs and Questions Oct. 21 is the last day to register to vote before the election. You can register to vote, update registration and find information about voting on the state’s webpage. Applications for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by your county election office by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. County election offices must receive completed mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. A postmark by 8 p.m. on that date is not sufficient.
NAEYC Encourages Early Childhood Education Experts to Become Subject Matter Experts Early childhood education experts are encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise in the field by becoming a subject matter expert (SME) for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Learn More NAEYC is expanding its pool of SMEs to support creating professional development, training, and webinars for early education leaders and educators. It aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice by drawing on the insights of SMEs in regard to practical applications, best practices, and lessons learned in the field. A subject matter expert is defined as someone who has mastery of a particular early education topic, hands-on experience and the ability to translate both to support early education professionals. The SMEs should know how to implement realistic and practical strategies for creating culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate experiences for young children. To become an SME for NAEYC, the following criteria is required: Hold a master’s degree or doctorate in early childhood education, developmental psychology, child development and family studies, early childhood special education, elementary education, or other related degree Have experience as an early childhood professional, preferably as a direct service provider – program administrator, teacher, or family childcare provider – or ability to adapt a specific knowledge base to an early childhood audience Have knowledge of adult learning theory Applying and the Selection Process To apply, complete the NAEYC SME Pool Application and attach a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Candidates who meet the SME criteria will be added to the SME pool. When NAEYC seeks expertise, candidates will be selected and retained on a contractual basis. Applications will be active for two years; after that time, a new application will be required to maintain active status. NAEYC is seeking SMEs on the following topics: Advocacy/public policy Art Child Development Children with disabilities and/or early intervention Cognitive development Community partnerships Curriculum theories and approaches Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging Emergent bilingual/multilingual learners Family engagement Guidance or classroom management Health and safety Infant/toddlers Kindergarten Leadership Learning environments Language and literacy Mathematics Observation and assessment Physical development Play Professionalism and ethics Program administration Science Social and emotional development Social studies Teaching and instructional practices Technology For more information, visit NAEYC’s website.
