COVID-19 REMINDERS AND UPDATES FOR EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION (ECE)
As the pandemic continues to evolve, the below information provides a brief review of COVID-19 guidance for ECE programs.
COVID-19 Testing
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you were exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19, you should get tested. Click here to find COVID-19 testing sites. Once tested, follow requirements in the “Exclusion and Notification” section of ELD’s Child Care Provider COVID-19 Requirements and Recommendations.
Vaccine Booster
All three vaccines are available as a booster dose for ECE employees. Click here for more eligibility information and resources.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children
COVID-19 vaccines are available for children ages 5 and older. Visit govstatus.egov.com/or-oha-covid-19-vaccine-parents-guardians to download Frequently Asked Questions on the COVID-19 vaccine for children.
Child Care Nurse Hotline
ECE programs can access the toll-free Child Care Nurse Hotline, 1-833-647-8222, for assistance with COVID-19 questions and concerns. The hotline is available to ECE providers and staff seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, download the flyer.
Questions?
Families can contact early.learning@ode.oregon.gov with questions or concerns related to COVID-19. ECE programs, please contact your licensing specialist or email the Office of Child Care at ProviderContact@ode.oregon.gov.
HEAD START PROGRAM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR MASKING AND COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
On November 29, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS).
According to the new HSPPS, all federally-funded Head Start programs, including Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) programs, must comply with the following requirements:
- Universal masking for all individuals two years of age and older, with some noted exceptions; and
- Full COVID-19 vaccination by January 31, 2022 for all Head Start staff, contractors whose activities involve contact with or providing direct services to children and families, and volunteers working in classrooms or directly with children.
“The new HSPPS are essential for protecting the living environments of our Head Start families. Many children and staff return home to family members who may have underlying medical conditions, which put them at greater risk for COVID-19-related illness or even death,” said Dr. Bernadine Futrell, director of the Office of Head Start. “It is also important to recognize that families who are Black, Indigenous, or Hispanic and earning below the federal poverty line have been more severely impacted by COVID-19 than the general population.”
These new standards were effective November 29, 2021. For more information download the fact sheet and read the blog post.
PRESCHOOL PROMISE PROVIDER INTEREST SURVEY
To help determine the level of expansion for the Preschool Promise program , Oregon early learning and child care providers are invited to take the “Preschool Promise Provider Interest Survey.” This 10-minute survey will ask questions about your program’s capacity and interest in Preschool Promise. The survey deadline is January 10, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.
Thank you, your input makes a difference by supporting access to high-quality preschool opportunities for Oregon’s families. Please note: This survey is not an offer or an application for funding.
Click here for more information.
DEADLINE: Monday, January 10, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
Questions? Please contact ode.pspsurvey@ode.oregon.gov.
STATE PERFORMANCE PLAN PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS AND SURVEYS
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) wants to hear from you! The final public input session for the State Performance Plan (SPP) 2020-25 is on December 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The SPP represents ODE’s plan for improving equity, inclusion, and results for children experiencing disability who are served by individualized education programs (IEPs) and individualized family service plans (IFSPs) in Oregon.
Public input sessions and surveys explore these essential questions:
- How well is Oregon preparing learners with IEPs for life after high school?
- Are Oregon learners with IEPs and IFSPs learning in the same spaces as their peers?
- How engaged are Oregon families in the learning of their children with IEPs and IFSPs?
- How are Oregon learners with IEPs and IFSPs performing in key areas?
Share this opportunity with colleagues and families in your community. Click here to download a flyer.
For more information and to complete a survey, click here. The deadline for comment is December 17, 2021.
REMINDERS
COVID-19 Child Care Stabilization Grant
Oregon received approximately $224 million in grant funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be paid directly to eligible providers struggling during the pandemic. You must complete a brief application online and meet eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant. The application period for this grant is open until December 31, 2021.