January 11, 2023 2023 Orientation Training Schedule for Prospective Operators of Child Care Facilities The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the updated 2023 Orientation Training Schedule for Prospective Operators of Child Care Facilities. Learn More The 2023 Orientation schedules are available for Central, Northeast, Southeast and Western regions of Pennsylvania. All orientation sessions are available virtually only. Those interested in participating must first complete within one year from the orientation, the Better Kid Care Department of Human Services’ training. For full details, please see the individual regional information.
November 2, 2022 Call for Presenters for 2023 Annual PA Pre-K Counts and Head Start Meeting The Pennsylvania Key in support of Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is calling for presenters for its annual Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Grantee Meeting. The meeting will be held March 8 – 9, 2023 at the Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Poconos, PA. This event is in-person; however, a web-based option will be offered should health/safety restrictions prohibit attendance at the in-person event. Those interested are asked to submit a proposal that aligns with the theme, Building Bridges that Support Growth, Development and Connections. Attendees will be able to earn professional development credits including Act 48 and PA ECE Registry hours. The deadline to submit your proposal is Friday, November 18, 2022. Presentation Topics Presentation topics should align with the following topics/areas of interest. Topics for Teachers: Project Approach MyTeachstone Peer Learning Circles Creative Curriculum LearnERS Authentic Assessment Trauma Informed Care Developmental Appropriateness Transitions and Parent Engagement Inclusive Practices Purposeful Play and Conversations Child Data, Outcomes and Implementation Topics for Administrators: Fiscal Responsibilities Homelessness Unique Collaborations/Community Partnerships Business Practices – What’s the Purple Cow? Inclusive Policies Recruitment, Retention and Teacher Support Developmental Appropriateness – What to look for in Pre-K classrooms Community Needs Assessment & Enrollment Practices Presenters will be notified of acceptance, including additional details about the event, by no later than Friday, December 16, 2022. For questions or more information, contact a team member at conferencehelp@pakeys.org. For more information and to access the online proposal submission form, visit the PA Key website.
August 17, 2022 Updates to Civil Rights Compliance Process The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced that effective August 22, 2022, there will be changes to the Civil Rights Compliance process for licensed child care providers. Learn More The following changes will be in effect: Providers will have to submit a new Civil Rights Compliance form when submitting a new licensing application and a new Civil Rights Compliance attestation form when submitting a licensing renewal application. The process of submitting the form has changed. New License Submissions Entities seeking a new license will utilize a Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) form (HS 2126). This form must be included in the packet submitted as part of any new license request. The new application, supporting documents and CRC form must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license (OCDEL Western Region for Allegheny County providers – RA-ocdelcertwpittsbu@pa.gov). Entities licensed by OCDEL or the Office of Development Programs (ODP) who use CLS or PELICAN to submit new applications must submit the form by email. The CRC forms are not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN new application process. The CRC form for new applications can be found on the Department of Human Services website. License Renewals For licensing renewals, a licensee will now submit a CRC Attestation form (HS 2125). The Attestation form must be submitted as part of a renewal licensing application. The renewal notice will still be sent out 130 days prior to expiration. The renewal application and Attestation must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license (OCDEL Western Region for Allegheny County providers – RA-ocdelcertwpittsbu@pa.gov). Entities licensed by OCDEL or ODP who use CLS or PELICAN to submit renewal applications must submit the attestations by email. The attestations are not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN renewal application process. The CRC form for can be found on the Department of Human Services website. The DHS Bureau of Equal Opportunity (BEO) currently issues a letter verifying that you are in compliance with applicable civil rights laws. With the new process, a letter from BEO will no longer be sent out to licensed entities. Instead, the issuance of the new license or renewal license will indicate that your CRC form or Attestation form submission was approved. If there are issues/questions on the submitted CRC or Attestation form, a staff member from DHS will contact you. Questions For more details, read OCDEL’s full announcement. Allegheny County child care providers should direct questions to the OCDEL Western Region Office at 800-222-2149.
August 10, 2022 Trying Together OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Virtual Meeting OCDEL has invited early childhood professionals to use the OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Tool by August 19, 2022 to submit feedback on proposed changes to drafted proposed child care certification regulations. In preparation of the public input submission deadline, Trying Together is hosting its OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Meeting on Tuesday, August 16 at Noon. This brainstorming session will serve to discuss proposed changes, as well as give an opportunity for child care professionals to discuss their suggested changes in a peer-to-peer environment. This meeting will be presented virtually on Zoom. WHEN: Tuesday, 8/16 | 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudeGgqj8sHt1nXheWUPyaGz7Vpx8d_8e1 MORE INFORMATION Visit our recent post on the Certification Rewrite Project to learn more about the process, timeline, and how to participate.
Trying Together Hosts Virtual Meeting to Discuss Proposed Child Care Certification Regulation Changes OCDEL has invited early childhood professionals to use the OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Tool by August 19, 2022 to submit feedback on proposed changes to drafted proposed child care certification regulations. In preparation of the public input submission deadline, Trying Together is hosting its OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Meeting on Tuesday, August 16 at Noon. This brainstorming session will serve to discuss proposed changes, as well as give an opportunity for child care professionals to discuss their suggested changes in a peer-to-peer environment. This meeting will be presented virtually on Zoom. WHEN: Tuesday, 8/16 | 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudeGgqj8sHt1nXheWUPyaGz7Vpx8d_8e1 MORE INFORMATION Visit our recent post on the Certification Rewrite Project to learn more about the process, timeline, and how to participate.
OCDEL Encourages Participation for Next Phase of Child Care Regulations Rewrite Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), with technical assistance from the State Capacity Building Center within the Office of Child Care Projects at the federal level, continues its work with an Ad-Hoc Subcommittee to rewrite Pennsylvania’s child care regulations with a lens toward equity, quality, and decreasing provider burden. OCDEL is now inviting early childhood professionals to submit feedback using the OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Tool by August 19, 2022. TIMELINE OCDEL anticipates beginning the work of the ELC subcommittee in the winter of 2022. The earliest that regulations could be finalized for publication is fall of 2024. MORE INFORMATION Visit the Certification Rewrite page on the Pennsylvania Key’s website to view a video from Deputy Secretary Tracey Campanini, and learn more about the process, timeline, and how to participate. If you have issues accessing OCDEL Certification Regulation Rewrite Project Feedback Tool, email info@pakeys.org or call 1-800-284-6031.
August 3, 2022 2022 Market Rate Survey Webinar The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) will be hosting a webinar for child care providers who want to learn more about the 2022 Market Rate Survey. About the Market Rate Survey Every two years, the federal government requires that states conduct a Market Rate Survey of child care. Information from the Market Rate Survey provides the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) with important data to compare private pay prices with the Child Care Works (CCW) base rate reimbursements. Rather than pulling information from Provider Self-Service as conducted in 2016 and 2019, this year the Market Rate Survey requires child care providers to fill out a survey form. Webinar Information The webinar, 2022 Market Rate Survey and YOU, will take place on August 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. Topics will include the importance of the Market Rate Survey, the elements of the survey, and how the information may be used. There will be time for questions and discussion. The team from Penn State Harrisburg, Institute of State and Regional Affairs who are coordinating the survey collection and evaluation will be joining the webinar. They will also share the new complementary study they are working on to assess the Cost of Care. Register for the 2022 Market Rate Survey and YOU Webinar.
July 27, 2022 PAS and BAS Community of Practice Pilots The Program Quality Assessment team is offering two cohorts of the Business Administration Scale (BAS) Community of Practice (CoP) and is planning to offer a Program Administration Scale (PAS) CoP to eligible child care providers. About the Program Administration Scale The PAS CoP pilot will consist of 10 virtual sessions, each two hours in length, plus a pre-session for technology usage and a post session for final questions and next steps. Each session offers a deeper look into the items of the PAS and provides additional resources as well as networking opportunities. Program directors who would like to participate should fill out an interest survey. About the Business Administration Scale Two cohorts of the BAS CoP is available for eligible family child care providers. The CoP consists of 10 sessions, each 1.5 hours, plus a pre-session for technology usage and a post session for final questions and next steps. Each session offers a deeper look into the Items of the BAS and provides additional resources as well as networking opportunities. Cohort 1 will run from September 2022 to March 2023 and Cohort 2 will run from January – June 2023. The cost is $70. Family child care providers who have participated in the BAS professional development sessions are eligible for the CoP cohorts. Family child care providers who would like to participate should fill out an interest survey. More Information The expectation is that participants attend the entire series they choose. PQAS hours will be awarded for each session, and a certificate of completion will be awarded for those who complete all sessions. In addition, a variety of resource materials will be provided for each session.
July 26, 2022 Free Training Available: Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Programs The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, in partnership with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the PA Key, is offering Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Programs this fall. About The training content and activities are designed to strengthen child care providers’ foundational knowledge of sound fiscal management and business operations. The series contains four modules: Budgets, Projections, and Planning Financial Reports and Internal Controls Marketing for Child Care Programs Staff Recruitment and Retention for Center-based Child Care Programs There are two versions of this series: one for center-based providers and one for family child care (based) providers. Sessions will begin as early as August and as late as December. See this flyer for session dates and registration details. Trainings are available at no-cost to participants. PQAS and ACT 48 available. Attendance of full series is required for credit.
July 25, 2022 OCDEL Announces Obsolete Certification Announcements The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development and Bureau of Certification Services have issued that several Announcements for certified child care providers have been rendered obsolete. Learn More OCDEL regularly uses policy announcements to reflect requirements for methods of child care and the facilities it is provided in. This message provides details as to which announcements that will no longer be in effect and what they will be replaced with. Bureau of Certification Services staff have been instructed to delete copies of the obsolete Announcements. The following announcements are included: C-11-01: Emergency Temporary Relocation of a Child Care Facility, issued May 12, 2011. Replaced by Announcement C-17-05: Emergency Temporary Relocation of a Child Care Facility, issued September 29, 2017. C-12-01: Proof of Identification Required for Child Care Center Directors and Group Child Care Home Primary Staff Person, issued September 18, 2012. C-14-03: Clarification Regarding Degrees Earned from Business, Technical, and Trade Schools, issued April 22, 2014. Replaced by Announcement PDO 22-01: Career Pathway Level A-Plus Verification Change and Clarifying Procedures for Verifying Credits and Degrees from Nationally Accredited (Non-Regionally Accredited) Institutions, issued February 7, 2022 and went into effect July 1, 2022. C-16-01: Meeting New Health and Safety Training Requirements as Required by the Federal Government, issued July 1, 2016. C-17-01: Child Protective Service Law (CPSL) for Child Care Facilities, issued February 23, 2017. Replaced by Announcement C-19-02, Meeting the Requirements of the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) for Child Care Facilities, issued August 30, 2019. Updated Important News from the Bureau of Certification Regarding the Provisional Hire Waiver, issued January 2, 2020. Released Important Information from the Bureau of Certification Services Regarding the Effect of Act 12 of 2022 on Provisional Hiring Practices, issued May 27, 2022. To learn more, see: Announcement C-22-05, Obsolete Bureau of Certification Services Policy Announcements.
