August 26, 2025 Early Childhood Educators Should Ensure Clearances, Mandated Reporter Training Updated for New School Year With the 2025-26 school year beginning, it’s time for educators to ensure that they are up-to-date on mandated reporter training and clearances. Some resources to help with this include Pennsylvania’s page for clearances and background checks, the state’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s (OCDEL) announcement earlier this year on the Child Protective Services Law, and iLookOut, where they can find new online courses. Clearances Mandated reporter training is required every five years and is based on the date of an individual’s last certification. Under state law, public school employees are required to provide updated clearances every 60 months – or, five years. The three clearances include: Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Records Check Federal Criminal History Record Information Clearances must be obtained for employees of child care facilities, any individual with ownership interest in a certified child care facility and those who participate in the organization, any legal entity applying to open a new certified child care facility, or any individual residing in a certified child care facility. More information on the background checks can be found on the state’s website. OCDEL Announcement Earlier this year, OCDEL Deputy Secretary Shante A. Brown sent out an announcement to inform certified child care providers of the requirements for child care facilities in the state and to clarify provision hiring requirements for those hired on or after Feb. 1. Aside from clearances, the announcement covered the following mandated reporter training topics: the minimum number of hours, providing evidence of completion, and the timeframes for obtaining or renewing the training. iLookOut Lastly, early educators looking to update mandated reporter training should visit the iLookOut for Child Abuse Project, which provides online courses about protecting and supporting children and their families free of charge. Visitors to the site will learn how to support at-risk children and meet required training with interactive, video-based storyline training. The site includes eight- to 12-minute micro-learning exercises and is available to all Pennsylvania-mandated reporters. iLookOut is a multimedia, online learning program that prepares mandated reporters to meet their professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities for identifying and reporting suspected child abuse. It engages learners through real-life scenarios incorporating video and narrative that raise concerns about possible child abuse.
July 11, 2024 Brown Clarifies Provider Agreements in Video Announcement Shante’ A. Brown, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning’s deputy secretary, has released an announcement regarding updated provider agreements for certified child care providers. Learn More The video message, which can be viewed below, clarifies the agreements for all regulated child care providers as well as Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC), and OCDEL Early Learning Resource Center Program representatives. In the video, Brown discusses guidance that aims to provide clarity about suspension and expulsion practices. The agreements require that providers contact ELRCs before suspending or expelling a child. This is aimed to ensure that families still have access to resources provided by ELRCs, which can also help families to find alternative care. Another topic covered by Brown is providers charging the difference between private pay and subsidy rates. She said that OCDEL has received numerous questions about how Keystone STARS and nontraditional add-on rates impact charges. With the passage of new child care subsidy regulations, OCDEL wants to hear feedback from providers. This fall, it will ask providers and families to participate in discussions on the matter. Deadlines Certified child care providers will have to complete and sign new provider agreements, which will be effective August 1. The provider agreement establishes the terms of participation and payment between the payer and a certified child care provider who provides care to children who participate in the state’s subsidized child care program, Child Care Works. To be in compliance with the Child Care Development Block Grant and 55 pa. Code Chapter 3042 Subsidized Child Care Eligibility, OCDEL must update the certified child care provider agreements. ELRCs mailed the agreements and appendices to providers in June. Providers must read and sign the updated agreement indicating that they agree to follow all rules and return the signed agreement to the ELRC by July 31.
