August 2024 Edition

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2024-25 Enacted Budget Overview: Office of Child Development and Early Learning

On July 12, 2024, Pennsylvania’s 2024-25 Budget was enacted. This budget includes significant investments supporting access to early childhood care and education and workforce supports as highlighted below.

Department of Human Services

Early Intervention, Early Intervention Birth-3 (increase of $9.134 million, total appropriation of $194.675 million) to serve an estimated 54,200 infants and toddlers. 

Child Care Works (CCW)

• Child Care Services (increase of $26.221 million, total appropriation of $298.080 million) to support subsidized child care services for low-income families.
• Child Care Assistance (level-funded, total appropriation of $123.255 million) to support subsidized child care services for families receiving TANF, Former TANF and SNAP benefits.    

The 2024-25 enacted budget includes an initiative to increase subsidy base rates to the 75th percentile of private pay rates based on the 2022 Market Rate Survey (MRS) results, effective January 1, 2025. The anticipated cost of this initiative is $62.5 million in 2024-25. This initiative will be supported with both state and federal funding.       

Child Care Works (CCW) is also supported by federal funding sources including Child Care Development Block Grant, Social Service Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. In recent years, and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government supplemented OCDEL funding through various grants. Remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding will be expended by September 30, 2024. All program initiatives implemented with ARPA funds will remain in place and will be supported by existing state and federal funding sources. 

Evidence Based Home Visiting and Family Supports

• Community-Based Family Centers (level-funded, total appropriation $34.558 million)
• Nurse Family Partnership (decrease of $70,000, total appropriation of $14.042 million)

These levels of funding will serve approximately 10,000 children in evidence-based home visiting.  

Department of Education

Early Childhood Education

PA Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) have grown substantially in recent years alongside other local programs and state initiatives. This holistic effort has allowed more low-income children the opportunity to experience high-quality early education in advance of kindergarten.

PA Pre-K Counts (increase of $15 million, total appropriation of $317.284 million)

• $15 million to increase the cost per child from $10,000 to $10,500 for full time slots and from $5,000 to $5,250 for part time slots
• Supporting 30,385 slots in 2024-25

Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (increase of $2.7 million, total appropriation of $90.878 million) To allow for increased costs and continue serving 6,574 children

Early Intervention, Preschool Early Intervention, 3-5 (supplemental increase of $9.1 million in 2023-24, increase of $32.868 million in 2024-25, total 2024-25 appropriation of $398.863 million) to serve an estimated 72,100 pre-school aged children. 

Preschool Development Grant

In December 2022, Pennsylvania was awarded $16 million for the first year of a 3-Year PDG B-5 Renewal Grant. The federal award was issued to Pennsylvania’s Department of Education (PDE) and budget authority was initially established with the enactment of the 2023-24 budget and is sustained in the 2024-25 budget. Planned activities include updating a statewide needs assessment and strategic plan, working to maximize parent and family engagement opportunities, supporting the workforce, and supporting program quality.  

OCDEL Releases Announcement ELRC 24 #02, 2024-25 Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Awards

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released Announcement ELRC 24 #02, 2024-25 Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Awards. The Announcement provides information on the 2024-2025 Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Awards, issued to eligible STAR 2, 3, and 4 child care programs. The CQI Awards are paid through Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs), on behalf of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), directly to eligible child care programs. 

The intent of the Awards is to improve, support, and recognize the quality of Pennsylvania’s early learning and school-age programs that are invested in the Keystone STARS Program. For full details, please see the Announcement ELRC 24 #02, 2024-25 Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Awards. 

Save the Dates! Supporting Children’s Early Development ECHO: “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” ​

In partnership with Penn State Project ECHO, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will release an Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) series coming Fall 2024, featuring the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's Learn the Signs. Act Early. program, with a focus on serving the needs of Spanish-speaking families.

The CDC’s tools and resources allow families and early care providers to jointly engage in the early identification of developmental delays and disabilities among children birth through age 5. Participants will gain knowledge to help support families with developmental milestone monitoring. The series will highlight the utilization and promotion of the CDC’s Milestones Tracker App, which is a free developmental tracker resource offered in English and Spanish. This series is for early care providers only and registration is not limited to those who work only with Spanish-speaking-families.

More details and registration information will be announced in the September Early Ed News. Questions? Please contact the Pennsylvania CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early. Ambassador Ilecia Voughs at ivoughs@pattan.net.

The series will be held virtually from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM on:

• 09/25/2024​
• 10/09/2024​
• 10/23/2024​
• 11/06/2024​
• 11/20/2024​
• 12/04/2024

A Message From the Pennsylvania Department of Health to Child Care Providers

The Department of Health (DOH) and Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) have collaborated for many years regarding the safety of the children and staff within your facilities, especially as it relates to immunizations. This collaboration will continue, but there will be some changes this year regarding the visits to child care providers and reporting the status of each child’s immunizations.

Beginning July 2024, DOH field nurses and local Municipality Department of Health field staff will visit randomly selected child care providers to offer immunization education and resource materials for staff and parents/caregivers. A review of child immunization records can be provided, if requested by the child care provider. If requested, a random sample of immunization records can be reviewed.

The field nurses and staff are very knowledgeable and should be seen as a resource in helping to educate child care directors and staff on disease preventable vaccinations for the health and safety of the children and staff within a facility. Providers should take this opportunity to ask questions and request specific educational resources.

Also new this year, the DOH will be sending out electronic surveys to all child care providers regarding the immunization status of every enrolled child at their facility. These surveys will serve as the mandatory reporting requirements for child care settings outlined in DOH regulations 28 Pa. Code § 27.77. Immunization requirements for children in child care group settings. It is anticipated these surveys will be sent later this summer.

Child care providers who are randomly selected for a visit should expect a phone call or email from DOH or the local Municipality to schedule the visit. For questions or concerns, please contact Janine Strick at the Department of Health at (717) 787-5681.

Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Resources in Pennsylvania

Accessing resources for trauma and grief can be a crucial step toward healing and support for young children and their caregivers, including the early childhood workforce. The PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Key, has a webpage highlighting several trauma and grief focused resources for early learning programs, schools, community partners and families.

Why Infant Early Childhood Mental Health is important? Infant early childhood mental health is synonymous with healthy social and emotional development. It is developing capacity of the child from birth to age 5 to:

• form close and secure inter-personal relationships
• experience, regulate and express emotions; and
• explore the environment and learn in the context of family, community, and cultural expectations from young children.

What is the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program? The Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation Program in Pennsylvania emerged as a response to a 2006 report from the BUILD Infant-Toddler Task Force, which provided recommendations for improving social-emotional outcomes for the state’s young children. That same year, IECMH Consultation was piloted in the state.

Visit the Pennsylvania Key website to learn more about IECMH, find IECMH resources and sign up for the Bright Start, Bright Kids, Bright Future (IECMH) newsletter.

The Final Weeks of the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

Wrap up the final two weeks of the virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip by exploring libraries and state parks! Join us for the final two weeks as we have fun with activities, read books, and learn about Pennsylvania's outdoors.

The activities can be done in and early learning program, the home, the community, or anywhere that fits a family's needs. Visit your local library to explore new books with children, then visit a park or outside area to learn about the outdoors.

• Week Seven: Racoon Creek State Park and Beaver Area Memorial Library in Beaver County.
• Week Eight: Oil Creek State Park and Oil City Library in Venango County.

Download the resources like the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip Travel Journal, and share with families.

• Aug. 5-7: NHSA Early Childhood Innovation Summit, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Aug. 5-8: 2024 National Autism Conference, Harrisburg, PA
• Sept. 17-20: DEC2024 Conference, New Orleans
• Oct. 16-19: Early Educators Conference, Washington DC
• Oct. 18–20: National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) National Conference, Atlanta, GA
• Oct. 28-29: ECE Summit, State College
• Nov. 6-9: National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference, Anaheim, CA

2025

• April 14-18: 2025 National Child Nutrition Conference, Dallas

Aug. 14 Webinar: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences and Promoting Positive Childhood Experiences: Evidence-Based Strategies and Insights from the Field

This free webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 14, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (EST), hosted by the Administration for Children & Families, aims to deepen the understanding of evidence-based strategies to prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and promote positive childhood experiences (PCEs) as the new school year begins. Following a discussion of evidence-based strategies for preventing ACEs and promoting PCEs by an expert at the CDC, the webinar will feature successful community-led efforts by leaders in the field. For public health, child welfare, and other youth-serving professionals, this webinar will highlight effective methods and tools to support your work promoting the well-being of children and youth in your communities. The event will have Spanish language and American Sign Language interpreters.  Registration required.

Enter to Win a Back to School Kit

Pennsylvania families and friends of children birth to Kindergarten entry, and Pennsylvania early childhood educators are invited to enter for a chance to win a back to school kit from PA’s Promise for Children!

Each kit will contain a copy of the 2024 PA One Book, Slug in Love by Rachel Bright, and early learning materials for the child’s age. Enter before the August 30, 2024 deadline then download the Back to School Coloring page!

Health Insurance for the Early Childhood Workforce: Strategies for Leveraging the Affordable Care Act and More

Early educators’ poor compensation—including their inability to access health insurance—can have dire, concrete implications for their own health and wellbeing as well as the children and families they serve. Fortunately, generous tax credits available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace make it possible for every ECE educator to access good health insurance plans. Unfortunately, this resource is vastly underutilized. This Issue Brief, Health Insurance for the Early Childhood Workforce: Strategies for Leveraging the Affordable Care Act and More, highlights both the Individual Marketplace as well Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) as viable alternatives to the private health insurance route. It offers examples of innovative health care models, ancillary medical benefits, public sector strategies, resources on finding a benefits broker, and more. Read the brief and register for the webinar on Tuesday, August 13, from 12-1 (EDT) for more info.

Four Trends in Early Care and Education Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) aim to rate, improve, and communicate the quality of early care and education (ECE) programs. As part of an evaluation of Parent Aware, Minnesota’s QRIS, Child Trends conducted a literature review and interviews with QRIS administrators in six states: Delaware, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Washington. Based on this work, discover the four trends in QRIS from Child Trends that leaders in the ECE field should keep an eye on, especially as states plan revisions to their QRIS.

2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets

The First Five Years Fund's (FFYF) latest State Fact Sheets for 2024 detail the impact of federal and state investments in child care and early education across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Included are programs like the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5), Head Start, and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) as well as state contributions to these and other programs such as state pre-K. Despite bipartisan support, current funding leaves millions of eligible children without access to these opportunities. Learn more about the impact and challenges of early childhood funding in the latest analysis. 

Help Wanted: Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Workforce Needs Findings from a National Survey

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducted a national survey of the early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) workforce between June 2022 and January 2023. In collaboration with the Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC), NIEER developed a survey to collect information from the workforce about their backgrounds, training, knowledge, and experiences in the EI and ECSE field. The goal was to obtain a national picture of the EI/ECSE workforce’s education, credentials, pre- and in-service training, and knowledge about EI and ECSE. This report, Help Wanted: Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Workforce Needs Findings from a National Survey, summarizes the main findings from the survey.

Investigation of Shade Structures in Encouraging More and Longer Outdoor Play During Summer in Urban Childcare

This pilot project, Investigation of Shade Structures in Encouraging More and Longer Outdoor Play During Summer in Urban Childcare, from the Women For A Healthy Environment, investigates outdoor play in childcare settings within four Philadelphia’s environmental justice neighborhoods, Hunting Park, Strawberry Mansion, Cobbs Creek and Point Breeze. The study aims to address the impact of heat and limited shade on children and staff during the summer months, with a focus on the disparities exacerbated by climate change. Outdoor play is well-established as essential for children’s physical, mental, and emotional development, yet heat exposed neighborhoods face barriers to safe and enjoyable outdoor play. The primary objective of this work was to determine if the provision of shade structures can increase outdoor playtime during hot months in child care facilities within these neighborhoods. Read the Executive Summary and full report.

The August releases of family-friendly newsletters for families and providers of children, ages birth to Kindergarten are now available. The newsletters feature fun early learning activities that align with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, resources and information to help families as their child's first and most important teacher.

Take a look and share with families and friends, then subscribe to get the next release directly into your inbox.

• Learning is Everywhere
• Kindergarten Here I Come
• Kindergarten Here I Am

During August’s National Immunization Awareness Month, raise awareness about why vaccines are important for people of all ages and how they can help prevent serious, sometimes deadly, diseases and illnesses. Share the importance of vaccines.

Check out the August Calendar of Activities to support Early Learning Professionals and staff with activities and information to help prepare children and their families for school success.

Helping a Child Get Ready for Kindergarten

Do you work with families with children transitioning to Kindergarten? Share this resource from Child Care Aware of America, full of tips to help families make their children's transition to school smooth.

#GetaHeadStart Campaign Recruitment Resources

The Office of Head Start (OHS) and the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (NCPFCE) are excited to kick start the annual #GetaHeadStart recruitment campaign! Head Start programs are committed to reaching and enrolling as many eligible children and families as possible and can give their outreach and recruitment efforts a boost with these customizable #GetaHeadStart promotional materials. Use this customizable flyer in recruitment efforts to share information about Head Start services with families who are new to the United States. It is available in 14 languages.

Cultural Recipes and CACFP Vegetable and Fruit Snack Menu

Check out the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) new cultural recipes and resources. The changes highlight different ethnic foods of different regions. Some cultural options include Hispanic, Afro-Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Polynesian. Recipes are provided to make preparation easier! There are also tips for how to incorporate cultural diversity into recipes. This resource was developed by ASPHN's National Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Council’s CACFP Work Group to help Child & Adult Care Food Program providers and others (parents, caretakers, nutrition workers, and students alike) easily, plan, prep, and provide vegetable and fruit-filled snacks with a month's worth of recipes! And now this resource can help provide more cultural options.

5 Steps to Prepare for Hot Days For Caregivers of Children with Asthma 

Being outside is good for your child’s health, but for children with asthma, heat and poor air quality can increase health risks. Caregivers can use these tips and action items from the CDC, when possible, to stay safe on hot days. 

Safe Outdoor Play

While summer is a great time for playing outdoors, the effects of heat can be harmful. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed resources for safe outdoor play and a tool to help determine heat risk.

Back-to-School Routines 

Familiar routines around waking up, mealtime and bedtime can help children feel safe and secure when transitioning to child care or Kindergarten. Encourage families to create predictable routines with this fun, brain-building tip from Vroom®. 

The July resources from Camille Catlett are now available. The July release of Baby Talk features information on Young Dual Language Learners Need Supported Opportunities to Practice the Art of Conversation, Playful and Fun Learning Environments for Infants and Toddlers, and more. The July release of Natural Resources contains information on The Science of Human Variation, A Guide to Adaptations, and more.

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