April 2, 2025 OCDEL to Release Updated Edition of PA Learning Standards for Early Childhood The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will release an updated version of the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood. Learn More The soon-to-be-released update includes changes to Science Standards to ensure alignment with newly adopted Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) Standards. The STEELS Standards were adopted by the state’s Board of Education in January 2022. Implementation of the standards in all Pennsylvania schools begins in the 2025-26 school year. Revisions include updates to the state’s Early Childhood Learning Standards for: Infant/toddler Prekindergarten Kindergarten Grades 1 and 2 Early Learning Standards Continuum “Approaches to Learning Through Play” and “Social/Emotional Development” domains are listed first in the standards, as these skills help children to develop competencies that are essential for success in school, life, and careers. The 2024 Learning Standards for Early Childhood no longer include the “Partnerships for Learning” section. Starting in September, providers will be required to adopt The Pennsylvania Family Engagement Birth through College, Career, Community Ready Framework. All licensed child care facilities – including PA Pre-K Counts, HSSAP, and Migrant Education programs – will receive one complimentary copy of the following: 2024 Infant, Toddler Learning Standards for Early Childhood 2024 Pre-Kindergarten Learning Standards for Early Childhood 2024 Early Learning Standards Continuum Eligible providers are expected to receive their complimentary copies delivered between April and May. Early intervention agencies and state PQAS instructors and organizations will receive an email with the opportunity to request a complimentary set of the standards. Responses will be due by May 31. Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood will be available for viewing, download, and printing on The Pennsylvania Key website. Physical copies will also be available for purchase. In late April, an asynchronous training titled “2024 Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood Revisions Overview” on the transition to the new standards will be accessible on the PD Registry. Any questions about the new standards should be emailed to ra-pwpaels@pa.gov.
March 12, 2025 PD Registry to Debut New Home Page This Spring The PD Registry will unveil a redesigned homepage in May that is aimed at streamlining the profile-building process for early childhood educators. Learn More Those who currently have a profile with the PD Registry will transition into the new version of the website and all previous information will be saved. This includes users’ current emails and passwords. The registry system will remain the same, and the new website will only involve changes to its design. Its aim is to have a sleeker design and straightforward steps in terms of its usage. It is intended to make the profile-building process for the ECE field more user friendly. The updated site that will debut in May will only apply to the Individual Profile. Other aspects of the system – for example, the Organization or Trainer profiles – will undergo updates in the future. Users will be able to update their personal information at any time by clicking the Edit Personal Information button at the top of the PD Registry homepage. Any questions about the redesign should be sent to registry@pakeys.org. For more information on the homepage redesign, read the announcement on the Pennsylvania Key website.
December 4, 2024 PD Registry Now Offering Spanish, Somali Translation Pennsylvania’s Professional Development (PD) Registry is now offering translations in Spanish and Somali. Learn More To translate language on the website into Spanish or Somali, users can click on the dropdown menu beside their user’s name when they log in. When the user clicks on one of these languages, the PD Registry will translate to this language. Not everything on the site will translate immediately due to the fact that AI would have to learn to translate it. The more users click on different areas of the site in a different language, the faster it will learn to translate. About the PD Registry The PD Registry is a technology system that functions as a workforce registry and increases the number of high-quality early childhood education programs by helping to develop and track a knowledgeable and skilled early childhood workforce. The registry tracks an individual’s professional achievements and provides important data about the early childhood workforce to help raise the status and compensation for early childhood educators. Any questions about the new translation services should email the PD Registry Help Desk at registry@pakeys.org.
November 6, 2024 Managing Events in the PD Registry for PQAS Instructors The Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) is offering some reminders on the process for managing events in the Professional Development (PD) Registry for approved PQAS instructors and professional learning organizations. All rosters must be complete and accurate within two weeks, including marking an event as complete. Instructors are expected to communicate with participants when a training is verified on the PD’s Learning Record. The system will close events automatically after 60 days. To get an event reopened, email pqas@pakeys.org with the event’s ID number, title, and dates. Reminder for Applicants Seeking PQAS Approval When submitting an application for Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CCR PQAS approval, make sure that a current Pediatric First Aid and Pediatric CCR Instructor Card is uploaded within the Education Tab > CPR, First Aid, Fire Safety Requirements Section > Pediatric CPR/First Aid Dropdown. If you do not upload the correct documentation, your application will be marked incomplete. Applying for Faculty or Standardized PD Instructor Approval For PQAS applicants applying for faculty instructor or standardized professional development instructor approval – including First Aid/CPR, Fire Safety, and Water Safety – skip the portion requesting payment after submitting your PQAS application by clicking on any tab or exiting your screen. Application payment is not required. If you pay the application fee, it will be refunded when your application is processed. More information on PQAS can be found on The Pennsylvania Key website.
November 5, 2024 Obtaining Clearances and Keeping PD Registry Profile Up to Date Child care employees and volunteers working with children in Pennsylvania are required to have certain clearances. However, the state’s Professional Development (PD) Registry does not process or manage any of these clearances. Learn More Child care workers and volunteers must obtain three clearances to work with children: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance FBI Criminal History Clearance The child abuse history clearance is required for anyone working with children in the state, including those in social services. The application for this clearance is available online through the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Portal. The state police criminal history clearance is required for child care employees and some volunteers. The FBI clearance is required for child care employees and some volunteers, and can be obtained through the state’s Department of Human Services. More information on how to obtain these clearances is available online. A PD Registry ID is not the same as a Keystone ID. The PD Registry team is not able to assist with recovering a Keystone ID. More information on how to recover a Keystone ID is available online. PD Registry Profile Those who have a PD Registry profile should confirm that the following information is correct and current: Date of birth High school graduation date Employment start and end dates Information from the registry is only shared as aggregate data, which plays a role in federal reports, state reports, and national research.
October 11, 2023 E-Learning Course: Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions A new course, Exploring the WIDA Prek-3 Essential Actions, is now available in the PD Registry for free. Learn More This self-paced e-learning course will introduce educators to the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions. Educators will have an opportunity to build their knowledge and understanding of the Essential Actions and key concepts embedded in the Essential Actions for supporting dual language learners. They will also reflect on their own ideologies, practices, and settings. This course will invite participants to apply their learning and take action to enhance their current practices by utilizing the tools and resources provided. Register To register for the course, visit the PD Registry and search the training calendar for Exploring the WIDA Prek-3 Essential Actions. Any questions can be directed to Barry Wiestling at bwiestling@pa.gov.
June 12, 2023 WIDA Early Years Program to Sunset in June WIDA and the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will sunset the WIDA Early Years Membership Program for Pennsylvania on June 30. Consequently, the four current, free, one-hour, self-paced, WIDA Early Years trainings in the PD Registry will no longer be available beginning July 1, and anyone completing WIDA Early Years training coursework must do so by July 1 to receive credit for the training. Still, trainers who completed the WIDA cohort may still offer in-person WIDA courses in the PD Registry for a fee. About the WIDA Early Years Membership Program WIDA Early Years Membership Program promotes equitable early care and education (ECE) opportunities for young, multilingual children through partnerships with state agencies. Though the program will end on June 30, WIDA will continue to make PreK–3 resources available on the WIDA website under “Early Language Development” or “Teaching in PreK–3.” Additionally, OCDEL will make dual language resources available on the Pennsylvania Key website. Future WIDA Offerings Beginning September 1, WIDA will offer two new PreK-3 resources: A new self-paced workshop, “Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions,” will introduce educators to the new WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions. Educators will have an opportunity to build their knowledge and understanding of the Essential Actions and to reflect on their own ideologies, practices, and settings. Access to the course will require a WIDA Secure Portal account. Search the training calendar in the PD Registry for “Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions” or contact Barry Wiestling at bwiestling@pa.gov for information about how to set up a WIDA Secure Portal account and access this and other WIDA self-paced offerings. A new, “Are We Ready?” resource will support PreK–3 educators to promote and provide equitable transitions for multilingual children and their families. This resource will be available on the WIDA website. Learn More Please contact Barry Wiestling at bwiestling@pa.gov with questions. To learn more, visit the WIDA website.
May 1, 2023 EITA Offering Professional Development Opportunity on the Growing Brain Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) is offering early childhood professionals a professional development opportunity to learn about brain growth in children from birth to five years of age. Aptly named, “The Growing Brain: From Birth to 5 Years Old,” this virtual series details child brain development and shares ways to encourage healthy growth in young children. About “The Growing Brain” Decades of research indicate that the early years of life are a period of exponential brain development, characterized by great opportunity and vulnerability dependent on child relationships and environment. In this series, participants will develop skills and strategies to: understand the architecture and neurobiology of brain development support language, cognition, prosocial behavior, and social-emotional development and reduce toxic stress that can negatively influence brain development in very young children Session Details “The Growing Brain” is offered in several, progressive sessions. Each session is offered twice, and interested individuals can register and attend as many or as few sessions as they like. One PQAS credit is available for each session. Sessions include: Factors Affecting Brain Growth & Development In this session, participants will identify factors that negatively impact brain development, understand the impact of stress on the developing brain, and learn about strategies for supporting healthy brain growth and development. Offered: Thursday April 27 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday April 28 | 8 – 9 a.m. Communication & Language Development In this session, participants will understand communication milestones, learn strategies for supporting early communication skills, and understand multi-language learning. Offered: Thursday May 4 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday, May 5 | 8 – 9 a.m. Cognition & Executive Function In this session, participants will review and summarize key cognitive milestones in brain development, as well as explore the layers of executive function and its importance in child development. Offered: Thursday, May 18 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday, May 19 | 8 – 9 a.m. Social-Emotional Development In this session, participants will review key social emotional development milestones in children, as well as connect which areas of the brain are involved in social interactions and examine the role that relationships and attachment play in social-emotional development. Offered: Thursday, May 25 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday, May 26 | 8 – 9 a.m. Understanding Behavior In this module, session leaders will discuss approaches for identifying the root cause of young children’s behavior and demonstrate effective strategies to address challenging behaviors in very young children. Offered: Thursday, June 1 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday, June 2 | 8 – 9 a.m. Everyday Play In this session, participants will learn to understand the stages and types of play that unfold in early childhood, the role of the brain in this process, and how to maximize children’s learning through play. Offered: Thursday, June 8 | 12 – 1 p.m. Friday, June 9 | 8 – 9 a.m. Register for any or all sessions on the PD Registry. Learn More This series is presented by EITA Consultants certified in “The Growing Brain” curriculum, which was developed by Zero to Three Professional Development and Workforce Innovations (PDWI). PDWI aims to elevate the knowledge skills and abilities of early childhood professionals. For additional information on this offering, view the flyer. For additional information on “The Growing Brain,” visit www.zerotothree.org/growingbrain or the PD Registry.
September 7, 2022 PD Registry Fall Spanish Speaking Virtual Office Hours The Pennsylvania Key will host recurring office hours for Spanish speaking early childhood education providers interested in learning more about the Professional Development (PD) Registry. Learn More The PD registry is a system for the workforce that connects to many of the OCDEL initiatives for early childhood education programs in Pennsylvania. Office hours will be held the same day, at two times of the day to meet the needs of both center and family child care settings. Below is a list of topics to be discussed during office hours. Please note, that a Spanish speaking provider can connect to any of the office hours with questions related to the PD Registry. Spanish Speaking providers can also reach the PD Registry help desk by sending an email (in Spanish) to registry@pakeys.org. Please put “AYUDA” in the subject line. Sessions September 14, 2022 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. October 12, 2022 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. November 9, 2022 | 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. All meetings can be accessed on Zoom. Share this flyer with your networks. (English) (Spanish)
May 10, 2022 Prepare for Upcoming Grant Opportunities in the PD Registry The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) plans to administer upcoming grant opportunities through Pennsylvania’s Professional Development (PD) Registry. About There are steps early childhood (ECE) professionals and programs can complete now to prepare for grant opportunities. All ECE professionals should: Create an account in the PD Registry Complete their profile Add their employment Directors and/or owners should complete the steps above for themselves and assist their staff to complete them as well. Directors must also verify all staff who have added their employment to their profile and are able to invite any staff who have not added their employment. Verifying employment is important to ensure everyone is eligible for upcoming grant opportunities in the PD Registry. To learn more about the PD Registry and access additional resources, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
