July 10, 2020 OCDEL Releases an “Opening a Child Care Facility” Toolkit To support individuals interested in opening their own child care program, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released the “Opening a Child Care Facility in Pennsylvania” toolkit that features details on the step-by-step process of requirements and regulations, obtaining a child care certification, and more! Featured Topics In the toolkit, OCDEL features information on the following topics and more: child care requirements and regulations; types of child care facilities; the process to obtain a child care certification; the types of clearances needed for staff; health and safety requirements, including fire safety; the role of child care subsidies; and financial considerations and supports for operating a child care business (private pay, Child Care Works, Pre-K Counts, etc.). Download the Toolkit For more information on how to open a child care facility in Pennsylvania, download the full toolkit.
August 20, 2019 Infant/Toddler Contracted Slots Program Accepting Applicants Child care providers across the Commonwealth are encouraged to apply for 980 expansion infant/toddler contract slots to better serve eligible children. About The Infant Toddler Contracted Slots Program builds on the established infrastructure of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program (PA PKC) model. PA PKC has been in existence since 2007 and provides high-quality pre-kindergarten services to eligible children. Building an infant/toddler focused program with established PA PKC programs will allow continued focus on quality programming while building strong transitions from infant/toddler to pre-kindergarten classrooms. Eligibility Eligible providers must: currently serve PA Pre-K Counts funded children have an established infant/toddler program Upcoming Dates Pre-Application Webinar – Friday, August 23 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Last Day to Submit Questions – Friday, August 30 | 3 p.m. Application Submission Deadline – Monday, September 9 | 3 p.m. Anticipated Applicant Award Notifications – October 2019 Application To begin the application process and learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website. See the Application Guidance document. More Information Questions about the application process must be submitted via email to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov by August 30. Responses will be released on September 2, 2019. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key
September 19, 2018 #PAbudget Funded Pre-K Expansions Recognized Locally Policymakers from Butler and Westmoreland Counties joined Trying Together and other early-childhood advocates this week to celebrate a new pre-k grantee classroom and pre-k classroom expansion respectively. Both were made possible by the increased investment of $25 million for pre-kindergarten funding in the final 2018-19 state budget. To read more about both, see the articles below. Articles Ceremony Marks Expansion of Local Pre-K Programs (sharing via Butler Radio) Advocates tout early education gains (sharing via Butler Eagle) State grants bolster pre-kindergarten programs in Westmoreland County (sharing via Westmoreland Tribune-Review) Statewide Voter Support A poll commissioned by the Pre-K for PA campaign done by Harper Polling in May showed 75 percent of likely voters support increasing funding to expand access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-kindergarten, while 94 percent of voters believe that early education is important. A large body of research shows that children who attend high-quality preschool: Enter kindergarten with stronger literacy, language, math and social/emotional skills Are less likely to need special education services, less likely to repeat grades, and more likely to graduate and enroll in college Over a lifetime, these young learners will see stronger employment opportunities and increased earning potential Are less likely to commit juvenile and adult crimes. Still, more than 106,000 eligible children do not have access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-k due to limited state funding. This new classroom made possible by new state funding is a step in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done. Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Our vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
July 18, 2018 Pilot Launches This Fall for Infant/Toddler Child Care Beginning September 2018, OCDEL will use $2 million of the increased Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding to pilot contracting for slots for infants and toddlers participating in Child Care Works (CCW). OCDEL will leverage the PA Pre-K Counts model to pilot contracting with STAR 3 and STAR 4 programs to serve infants and toddlers in high-quality settings. This pilot will improve access to, and continued enrollment of, children 0-36 months in high-quality early care and education programs and is supported by the results of Pennsylvania’s Infant/Toddler policy scan (a tool developed by Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Child Care). Shared via The PA Key.
