The following message is only applicable to Montgomery County Providers Per Governor Tom Wolf’s announcement, certified child care centers and group child care homes operating in a commercial building shall cease operations beginning Friday, March 13, 2020, for a period of 14 days. Prior to the end of the 14-day period, the Pennsylvania Department of Health...Read More

On Feb. 26, 2020, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine outlined the Wolf Administration’s steps to prepare for community spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19, as well as what Pennsylvanians can do now. To date, no one in Pennsylvania has tested positive for COVID-19. “Since the start of this outbreak, we’ve taken a proactive...Read More

The Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Deputy Secretary, Tracey Campanini, shares important information about the upcoming 2020 Census We know that children are woefully underrepresented when it comes to Census recording. Over 25,000 children were estimated to not have been counted in the 2010 census in Pennsylvania. OCDEL is asking Early Childhood...Read More

Important Message from the Bureau of Certification Regarding Clearances and the Coronavirus, released 02/07/2020. Clearances: The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Bureau of Certification wants to clarify the responsibility of child care providers as it relates to confirming clearances for EITA, the Pennsylvania Key, therapists, OCDEL staff or staff employed by other OCDEL...Read More

Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is implementing statewide Professional Development Organizations (PDOs). PDOs will specialize in access to credit-bearing coursework and credentials for the early childhood education (ECE) workforce. Shippensburg University and Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) were selected as the PDOs in Pennsylvania. See a regional map. (PDF) While PDOs begin their...Read More

A new resource, Pennsylvania Community Inclusion for All, created by an OCDEL Policy Fellow, Sadia Bartool, highlights the importance of and provides resources for meaningful Community Inclusion, geared towards Pennsylvania children, ages birth to grade 6, and their families. The PA Community Inclusion for All web page and public Facebook group can help increase opportunities...Read More

Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention Program (Infant/Toddler and Preschool) wants to hear from families about their experience with Early Intervention. Families whose children are receiving Early Intervention Services can respond to the survey February 1 through June 30, 2020. If you know a family receiving Early Intervention services, please share with them the flyer. The survey can...Read More

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)’s Rising STARS Tuition Assistance (RSTA) program (administered by The Pennsylvania Key) helps cover a portion of tuition costs for early childhood educators. A change has been made for FY 2019-2020. The maximum benefit of this program has been increased to $8,000. Tuition costs net of other...Read More