State Advisory Council Quarterly Meeting Minutes | October 27, 2025

October 27, 2025

Date: October 27, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Recording found at pakeys.org/sac.

Agenda Topics

  1. Welcome, attendance, and meeting objectives
  2. PA budget impasse & federal shutdown: operational impacts and advocacy
  3. PDO priority list and new students
  4. CQI update
  5. PDG Workforce Study: preliminary findings
  6. Certification Regulation Rewrite Project: timeline & implementation planning
  7. Rapid Response Team (RRT) – closeout and next steps
  8. EI complaint form and EITA resources for ECE
  9. Public participation, announcements, and next meeting date

1) Welcome & Opening

  • Recording/ transcription confirmed and waiting room cleared.
  • Participants asked to add name & organization in chat.
  • Purpose: share time-sensitive updates, elevate field impacts, preview in-progress work products related to the ECE workforce.

2) PA Budget Impasse & Federal Shutdown

Presenter: Shante’ Brown, Carolyn Green, Steve Doster

  • As of today, the Commonwealth cannot move any state or federal dollars without an enacted state budget; this includes PDG funds, startup/expansion grants, and other payments.
  • Early Intervention (EI):
    • Preschool EI: providers have implemented services since July 1 without payments.
    • Infant-Toddler EI: some payments have moved in some counties for some services, but not consistently across all counties.
  • OCDEL communications may appear reduced because activities/payments are paused absent a budget.
  • Federal Shutdown implications to SNAP benefits and LIHEAP have been announced by DHS
  • Advocacy (Steve Doster): statewide coalition urging programs/families to log impacts (Pre-K for PA tools); call legislators with specific, solution-oriented messages (investment to keep classrooms open, support workforce, restore stability). Members encouraged to share concrete stories to inform decision-makers.

3)  PDO: Priority List and New Students

Presenters: Luisa Olivo-Wolf

  • PDO funding will prioritize students who are actively progressing toward their educational goals and supporting Pennsylvania’s early childhood workforce.
  • Priority 1: Students completing their degree or credential within the fiscal year — focus on completion and graduation.
  • Priority 2: Students continuing coursework without a pause — focus on sustained engagement and persistence.
  • Priority 3: Youth Pathway students transitioning from high school to higher education — focus on recruitment and workforce pipeline development.
  • Priority 4: Students resuming coursework after a pause — focus on reengaging learners to support credential attainment.
  • Priority 5: New or previously dropped students — focus on expanding access, particularly for educators in Department-licensed programs serving high numbers of CCW children and those in STAR 1 or 2 programs actively working toward quality improvement or addressing staff qualification citations.

4)  CQI Updates

Presenters: Aaron McMahan

  • 2025 CQI awards will move as planned due to funding stream through CCDF, like CCW funding.

5)  PDG Workforce Study – Preliminary Findings

Presenters: Philip Sirinides (Penn State) & Greg Collins (Muhlenberg College)

  • Scope: Multi-source analysis of PA’s ECE labor market using administrative datasets & survey inputs; full report anticipated spring 2026.
  • Size & composition: Approx. 45–50k individuals in ECE roles statewide; notable share working <30 hours/week; age distribution skews young with ~50% age 24 or
  • Exits & churn: Discussion highlighted that roughly a third of the workforce may exit roles annually (as churn/separations rather than net loss).
  • Geography: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh account for a large share; cost-of-living and sector dynamics vary by region.
  • Implications: Compensation central to stability; members requested quantification of prolonged vacancy costs for advocacy and local need

6)  Certification Regulation Rewrite Project – Timeline & Implementation

Presenter: Luisa Olivo-Wolf, OCDEL

  • Reviewed timeline at pakeys.org/certification-rewrite-project.
  • Next steps: DHS Legal/Policy; publication in Pennsylvania Bulletin will open a formal public comment period (anticipated fall 2026).
  • After final rulemaking, programs will have one full year to come into
  • OCDEL to implement a statewide training & communications plan focused on clarity, consistency, and burden reduction.
  • Public transparency: compiled comments will be posted per process requirements.

7)  Rapid Response Team (RRT) – Closeout & Next Steps

Presenter: Brandy Fox, PA Key

  • PDG-funded pilot closeout underway:
    • Budget & data due: 31
    • Invoicing due: 31
    • Final reporting due: 28
  • Next steps:
    • Capture regional sustainability plans and elevate what continues post-
    • Synthesize lessons learned into PDG final report to ACF (in collaboration with Penn State).
  • Field themes: Strong call for reduced teacher-child ratios and in-classroom coaching/consultation to stabilize classrooms and address challenging

8)  Early Intervention and EITA Resources

Presenters: Kim Rode, OCDEL and Deb Daulton, EITA

  • EI Complaint Procedure Announcement
  • EI Complaint Form
    • Encouraged to share widely
  • Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) PD resources for ECE
    • Encourage use of EITA mobile Search “EITA mobile” to download
    • Resources:
      • Plan for managing challenging behaviors
      • Friendship skills
      • Gathering information to better understand challenging behavior
      • Teaching social skills with daily routine
      • Mindfulness techniques
      • Self Care
      • Developmental Milestones
    • Encouraged use of EITA portal/webpage see Professional Development
      • More in depth trainings than mobile app
      • Discussed EITA training available on PD Registry

1)  Member Q&A, Comments, Announcements

  • Requests for consistent inspection expectations and clearer regulatory communications noted for OCDEL’s implementation planning
    • Regulation Rewrite will include a statewide training plan and one-year compliance runway post-finalization.
  • Members encouraged to route workforce data needs (e.g., vacancy cost models) to the research team where feasible
  • SAC subcommittees invited to propose January agenda items
    • Increased family voice

Action Items

  • All: Submit program impact stories to advocacy portals; contact local legislators with specific needs (ongoing). Tool found at prekforpa.org/take_action.
  • SAC Members: Solicit 2026 agenda proposals from subcommittees/ networks and submit to Leah/Netta.

2026 SAC Quarterly Meetings

  • January, April, July and October
    • Fourth Monday, 1:00-2:30pm
    • Invites to come
  • Tentative dates:
    • Monday, January 27, 2026
    • Monday, April 27, 2026
    • Monday, July 27, 2026
    • Monday, October 26, 2026