May 9, 2019 Historic Increases for Early Learning & Development Programs The House Appropriations Committee recently approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill for FY2020, which outlines funding for early care and learning programs critical to babies’ development. The first three years are a time in development unmatched by any other later point in life. But the recently released State of Babies Yearbook: 2019 reveals troubling early warning signs that too many young children face conditions that place their development – and our future – at risk. About the Bill The bill includes historic increases to key early learning and development programs that can help to reverse this path we have set for our future, including: An increase of $2.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant; $525 million increase in the set-aside for the expansion of Early Head Start, including through EHS-Child Care Partnerships; Doubling of the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grant Program, to a total of $10 million; and An increase of $21.3 million for Part C Early Intervention. By laying the foundation today for 12 million infants and toddlers living in the U.S., we are investing in our society’s future. Learn More To learn more, see Zero to Three’s full statement. *Information provided by Zero to Three
April 3, 2019 PAsmart Announces Grant Awardees In February 2019, Governor Tom Wolf announced funding for PAsmart Apprenticeship and Next Generation Industry Partnerships grants which will connect Pennsylvanians with the information needed to succeed in our evolving economy. About PAsmart PAsmart is focused on ensuring Pennsylvania students and workers have the skills and abilities to meet the economic needs of the 21st century. This initiative aims to do this by expanding access to STEM education in Pennsylvania schools, embracing the Next Generation Industry Partnership model, and creating the Apprenticeship and Training Office to increase apprenticeship opportunities within a variety of industries. OCDEL’s Role The Office of Child Development and Early Learning supports the efforts of PA’s Department of Labor and Industry and is working with them to professionalize the early education field. Efforts include increasing access to a career pathway that results in stackable, portable credentials, and providing relevant, developmentally and culturally appropriate content to support educators working with young children to advance their individual career and education progression. Organization Grantees The following organizations will be supported through PAsmart funds: 1100c Training and Upgrading Fund: Will expand their apprenticeship model in Southeastern Pennsylvania Partner4Work: Will establish a regional hub for Early Childhood Education registered apprenticeships in the Pittsburgh Metro Area Keystone University: Will partner with Lackawanna Trail High School, Luzerne County Community College, and Wilkes University to build an Early Childhood Education (ECE) pipeline through a competency-based apprenticeship that leads to an entry-level ECE credential Shippensburg University: Will design curriculum and develop advanced competencies to expand the Philadelphia ECE apprenticeship to four-year programs Arcadia University: Will expand their RA program for ECE First Up and its partners: Will expand upon apprenticeship supports and program to provide career paths in ECE Learn More For more information, visit pasmart.gov. * Information provided by OCDEL’s PA Early Ed Newsletter
March 6, 2018 Pre-k and Kindergarten Transition Pre-k to Kindergarten: Access to High Quality Pre-k and a Strong Transition to Kindergarten Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-k) The early childhood learning continuum begins at birth and continues through age nine. Research shows that access to even one additional year of high quality pre-k learning has been shown to improve learning and life outcomes for children, including strengthening kindergarten readiness. Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (Pre-K Counts) provides high-quality, no-cost pre-kindergarten to eligible three- and four-year-olds in Pennsylvania. Pre-K Counts is designed for children: who are residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania whose families meet the income eligibility requirements of at or below 300% of the federal poverty level for their family size are between the age of 3 and younger than the Kindergarten entry age for the district in which they reside Once these eligibility requirements are met, enrollment procedures are based on local community needs. These procedures may contain other considerations for enrollment, such as; diagnosed disabilities or developmental delays, English as a second language, or any other factor that the program deems as a priority to ensure that their communities’ needs are being served. If you’re looking for a Pre-K Counts program in Allegheny County, Trying Together is pleased to work with our partners to provide the following list of open Pre-K Counts enrollment opportunities. Learn more about Pre-K Counts and eligibility requirements. See more information about the following 2025-26 school year programs: Woodland Hills School District’s PA Pre-K Counts Program Kindergarten Transition The transition to kindergarten marks an exciting and critical point in the lives of children and families. Students who are ready for kindergarten and attend the first day of school are more likely to read on grade-level by third grade, regularly attend school, make friends, and are less likely to drop out of high school. Early and on-time registration allows schools and districts to plan for classroom materials, resources, and staff as they prepare to welcome a new group of students. It also enables families to establish relationships with teachers and administrators that are so important for easing the stress and anxiety of children (and their families) as they begin elementary school. Learn more about the importance of Kindergarten Transition with Trying Together’s Kindergarten Transition Whitepaper (PDF). Register for Kindergarten Kindergarten Registration Information for the 2025-26 School Year: Allegheny County Kindergarten Registration Information for Fayette, Westmoreland, Greene, Armstrong, Butler Countries Top 10 Kindergarten Readiness Skills Hi5! collaborated with a group of pre-k and kindergarten teachers to develop a list of academic, social, emotional, and physical skills for children entering kindergarten based on the PA Early Learning Standards. A list of more than 30 skills was sent to educators in school districts, child care programs, and Head Start programs throughout the region—including Allegheny, Butler, Fayette, Greene, and Westmoreland counties. View the checklist (PDF). Translated versions: Spanish (PDF) Arabic (PDF) Swahili (PDF) Pashto (PDF) Dari (PDF) About the Hi5! Partnership Hi5! Kindergarten transition efforts are led in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 (AIU3), Trying Together, and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania (who generously fund the project). We have a leadership team that consists of community and state partners, principals, Head Start administrators, and early learning program directors. The Hi5! Partnership focuses on engaging all 43 public school districts in Allegheny County and supports each district to: develop and implement their own kindergarten transition plans; build awareness with families that when “your child reaches five years of age, it’s time to register” them for kindergarten; network and share best practices between pre-k teachers, kindergarten teachers, early childhood program directors, and school administrators; and gather community resources throughout the county. These efforts align with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the new federal law passed in 2015 which required states to have a plan that includes thinking about the transition to kindergarten and how districts connect with early learning programs. For more information about the project, transition teams, and activities, please email hi5@tryingtogether.org, or view the Hi5! overview (PDF). Additional Resources Transitioning to Kindergarten | NAEYC Transition To Kindergarten – The Pennsylvania Key Kindergarten Life Skills Checklist from Evan-Moore
