News

July 27, 2026

OCDEL Releases Book Lists About Trees and Rocks as Part of 2026 Literacy Road Trip

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning has released two nature-related book lists for children as part of its 2026 Summer Learning & Literacy Road Trip.

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The theme of this year’s road trip is exploring the natural world. OCDEL recently curated two book lists – one with the theme of rocks and another focusing on trees – for children to read this summer.

The two book lists are intended to encourage children to look closely at their surroundings. Selections on the lists blend storytelling with science and discovery.

The eight books on the list about rocks include:

Rhoda’s Rock Hunt (Molly Beth Griffin)
Everybody Needs a Rock (Byrd Baylor)
If You Find a Rock (Peggy Christian)
The Pebble in My Pocket: A History of Our Earth (Meredith Hooper)
Rocks, Fossils, and Arrowheads (Laura Evert)
A Stone is a Story (Leslie Barnard Booth)
Little Kids First Big Book: Rocks, Minerals, and Shells (Moira Rose Donohue)
A Rainbow of Rocks (Kate DePalma)

The 12 books on the list about trees include:

Listen to the Language of Trees (Tera Kelley)
The Busy Tree (Jennifer Ward)
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt (Steve Metzger)
Do Trees Have Mothers? (Charles Bongers)
Who Will Plant a Tree? (Jerry Pallotta)
Tall Tall Tree (Anthony D. Fredericks)
The City Tree (Shira Boss)
Be a Tree! (Maria Gianferrari)
Abuela’s Wishing Tree (Mitzi Fernandez Spitzer)
A Tree Grows Up (Marfe Ferguson Delano)
A Tree is Home (Pamela Hickman)
Leaf Man (Lois Ehlert)

News

OCDEL Notified by U.S. Department of Education That It Meets Highest Designated Requirement

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has been notified by the U.S. Department of Education that the state’s Part C Infant and Toddler Early Intervention system has met the highest-possible designation a state can receive.

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OCDEL’s Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports recently announced that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services notified it that it had received the designation of “Meets Requirements.”

This determination is based on the totality of Pennsylvania’s data and information, including the federal fiscal year 2024 State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report, other state-reported data, and other publicly available information.

The state’s 2026 determination is based on the data reflected in Pennsylvania’s 2026 Part C Results-Driven Accountability Matrix.

More information is available on the state’s Department of Education website.

News

June 15, 2026

OCDEL Kicks Off 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has unveiled its 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, which features a theme of exploring the natural world.

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Each year, OCDEL’s initiative helps families, teachers, and early childhood partners to explore ways to support young children’s love of reading and learning.

This year’s theme, From Ground to Sky, encourages children to explore the natural world, from the rocks beneath their feet to the trees high above them, by looking closely, asking questions, and discovering how nature connects to their everyday lives.

The initiative’s Nature Journal – which can be printed in English and Spanish – is a family travel companion that includes:

Inclusive early learning activities designed for all young children
Hands-on nature experiences to do in the backyard, a park, or on a walk
Family-friendly activities that support learning through play and exploration

All activities in the Nature Journal are aligned with Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, which help children to build important skills in language, literacy, curiosity, observation, and self-regulation that will be necessary as they begin school.

The Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip’s map highlights special areas in Pennsylvania to find native rocks and trees – such as Cook Forest State Park, Archbald Pothole State Park, Chatham Arboretum, Keystone State Park, and other locations.

To view the initiative’s numerous activities – which include everything from a building and sorting rock challenge to differentiating the buds, leaves, branches, and other parts of a tree – visit the 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip website.

News

June 9, 2026

Application Process Open to Serve on PA State Advisory Council Subcommittees

The Pennsylvania State Advisory Council (SAC) is accepting applications for family and professional leaders who are interested in serving on one of the council’s five supporting subcommittees.

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Participation on a SAC subcommittee is an opportunity for participants to help shape discussions, provide feedback, and support initiatives that affect the state’s early childhood education system, children, and families.

The subcommittees serve as focused workgroups that provide specialized expertise, develop recommendations, and support the implementation of initiatives aligned with the council’s broader goals and priorities.

The SAC advises the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) on planning for the expansion and coordination of effective early learning and development services for young children and their families.

Family members, early childhood education professionals, advocates, community partners, and system leaders are encouraged to apply to serve on a subcommittee.

The application can be completed online. To learn more about the State Advisory Council, visit the organization’s website.

News

March 27, 2026

OCDEL Announces Opportunity to Increase Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Bonuses

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) announced an increase in the bonus amount given through the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention (CCSRR) Program.

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The 2025-26 enacted state budget includes $25 million for retention and recruitment funding to qualified DHS certified providers. While the initial bonus amount was set at a maximum amount of $450, OCDEL recently announced an increase in that amount to $645.

Updated bonuses will be issued to qualified child care providers whose applications were submitted by the January 29 deadline, met all eligibility criteria, and were approved. No additional new applications will be accepted.

Early Learning Resource Centers will send qualified providers a Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention award agreement amendment. Providers will need to sign and submit to the ELRCs the award agreement amendment to be eligible for the increased bonus amount of $645 for eligible staff.

The completed amendment is due to the ELRC by April 3 or the provider forfeits the bonus increase and the previous award agreement amount of $450 will be final.

Retention bonus payments will be released to qualified providers by May 15. Providers are encouraged to contact their quality coach with any questions.

See the official announcement for more information.

News

March 12, 2026

OCDEL Funding Available for Free Pediatric First Aid/CPR Training

Funding has become available through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to support free pediatric First Aid/CPR certification training for the next few months.

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All staff working in state Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care programs are required to maintain current pediatric First Aid/CPR certification. OCDEL funding is now available to support free training opportunities from March to June.

The organization is partnering with the Early Childhood Education Linkage System (ECELS) program at the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to coordinate the free training offerings as part of the Emergency Response Training (ERT) project.

Child care workers are eligible for free training if they are currently employed by a licensed early childhood education center in Pennsylvania and if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

Their pediatric First Aid/CPR certification has expired or is set to expire within the next year
They are a newly-hired employee who must complete their initial certification within 90 days of their employment start date
Their certification is out of compliance due to a program citation

Priority for class assignments will be based on certification expiration date. Waitlists will be created if requests exceed project capacity.

Classes from approved instructors using the HSI Pediatric First Aid/CPR AED curriculum will be scheduled through mid-June or until funds are exhausted. Training can be requested as either an early childhood education program (minimums apply, classes will take place on-site) or an individual participant (training locations to be determined).

Requests will be approved on a rolling basis and accepted applicants will be contacted directly regarding the next steps. However, follow-up communication may be delayed at the start of the project window.

To request training or to search the FAQs, visit the ERT page on the ECELS website. Additional questions can be sent to ecels@paaap.org.

Additionally, child care providers can continue to access PQAS-approved pediatric First Aid/CPR training outside of the ERT project offerings, but they may have a cost associated with them. OCDEL will not reimburse for any training taken outside of the ERT project.

News

December 8, 2025

OCDEL Creates Internal Evaluation Process for ECE Professionals with Foreign Degrees

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and The Pennsylvania Key have developed an initiative to support early childhood education professionals who obtained education outside of the United States by creating an internal process for foreign degree evaluations.

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The new resource will help to reduce administrative and financial burdens to early childhood education professionals and limit out-of-pocket expenses.

As of December 1, foreign degree evaluations for individuals applying for placement on OCDEL’s career pathway will occur seamlessly through services provided by education credential evaluators.

As part of the initiative, each applicant will receive support during the evaluation process with evaluators and have their documents linked in their Pennsylvania PD Registry account. This will allow applicants and other support teams to obtain evaluated educational documents as needed.

The service is available at no cost for the duration of the current fiscal year. After this fiscal year, the service will be available at a substantial discount. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences with OCDEL to help inform future implementation and improvements.

For applicants seeking reimbursement for previously evaluated documents, the foreign degree voucher program will continue reimbursements through December 31, after which all ECE Career Pathway applicants will be encouraged to seek evaluations through the new process.

More information can be found on the Pennsylvania Key’s internal education evaluation webpage.

News

August 29, 2025

OCDEL Announces Update on Children Being Picked Up and Dropped Off at School

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released an announcement to update certified child care providers on rules regarding care and supervision when children are picked up and dropped off at school.

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Under state law, children on facility premises are to be supervised by a staff person at all times. Supervision during pick-up and drop-off times for children must be clearly defined to ensure the safety and accountability of children and child care providers.

OCDEL’s announcement includes updates on transfers from child care to school and school to child care:

Child care to school: Unless otherwise stated in a written agreement signed by a caregiver, care and supervision are the responsibility of the child care facility until the child gets on a school bus or enters the school building. The transfer of child care processes or policy must be documented in the child care agreement or handbook.
School to child care: Supervision by the child care facility begins when the child exits the school bus, once the child enters the child care bus or van, or when a staff member arrives to walk the child to the child care facility.

To avoid gaps in supervision, all transportation arrangements that allow for unsupervised travel must be clearly stated, approved, and signed off by the caregiver.

If, for example, a child is permitted to walk independently to school or the bus stop, this must be clearly stated in the child care agreement or handbook. Transfer of care processes or policy must be accompanied by a signed receipt from the caregiver documenting that they have received and read the handbook.

For more information, read OCDEL’s announcement.

News

June 23, 2025

OCDEL Bureau of Certification Services Podcast Covers Topics for Child Care Providers

For those seeking news and information on the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) Bureau of Certification Services, a good place to start would be The Confluence Podcast.

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Confluence means “a flowing together,” and can often refer to the coming together of ideas or factors. In The Confluence Podcast, listeners can learn about the complexities of the Bureau of Certification Services’ partnership with stakeholders across the state, especially Early Childhood providers, children, and families.

The podcast’s latest episode, “Understanding the Complex Differences Between Certification and Quality Initiatives,” explores confusion around what are general health and safety and certification requirements and what are the standards and processes for quality initiatives, both local and national.

In this episode, the Bureau of Certification Services’s director, Ruby Martin, and division chief, Chris Loos, discuss complex issues facing the provider community with Luisa Olivo-Wolf, director of OCDEL’s Bureau of Early Learning Policy.

To listen to other episodes, visit The Confluence Podcast’s web page.

News

June 4, 2025

OCDEL Shares Keynote Speeches, Other Resources from Conference

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has shared resources from its recent conference for those who were not able to attend.

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OCDEL’s Stable and Secure: Supporting Children Through Trauma-Sensitive Approaches conference was held on April 22 and 23 in downtown Pittsburgh. The event drew experts, educators, and practitioners, who explored how trauma-informed care can support the well-being of children, families, and the professionals who serve them.

Those who were unable to attend can access presentation slides and view recordings and other valuable materials to listen to the insights of those who participated.

Materials from the conference’s first day include Luisa Olivio-Wolf’s keynote speech, “Honoring and Supporting Language, Culture, and Identity of Families and Children.” Resources from the second day of the conference include Dr. Marnie Aylesworth’s keynote speech, “Compassion for Self: The Act of Taking Back Our Power.”

For additional resources, visit OCDEL’s conference page.