A Message from leadership
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This month’s update from Interim Director Carey McCann
Happy New Year! Before looking forward to the year ahead, please check out some of the highlights from 2025 that gave us inspiration. We are looking forward to Director Alyssa Chatterjee returning later this month!
On Friday, we sent out a special message to provide some clarity around federal funding related to child care and provider safety. If you missed that message please read it on our blog. We will continue monitoring these reports and will provide updates as they become available.
December Site Visits
In December, DELC staff attended two site visits to show legislators how state dollars are working for Oregon families.
On December 10, the Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries hosted a visit to Lifeworks NW Children’s Relief Nursery in Hillsboro with Senator Sollman and Representative Hai Pham’s chief of staff. Lifeworks staff Denise and Erin gave a tour of the facility and explained the host of services offered to families, from early learning and literacy, to peer support, transportation, respite, and assistance meeting essential needs. The visit really highlighted how each relief nursery in Oregon is designed to serve the unique needs of their community, and how life-changing these services can be for children and their families. We even got visit with some kiddos on the playground and meet the pet worms they unearthed from a nearby mud pile.
On December 15, we visited El Trenecito/The Little Train Family Child Care Center in Beaverton, along with Senator Sollman, Representative Ruiz, Early Learning Council Chair Liz Farrar Campbell, and Council member Ruby Ramirez. Owners Sandra and Miguel were consummate hosts, providing fresh pastries, cookies, and coffee for the group. They demonstrated the unique experience offered by family child care providers serving families from infancy to kindergarten, and shared many of the financial challenges and regularity barriers facing child care providers. El Trenecito was also a Child Care Infrastructure Fund recipient, so the visit included a tour of the beautiful new outdoor play area and structure now offering children a dry place to play during rainy days, and shade from the sun in the summer.
Preschool Development Grant Update
In late November, the federal government announced an opportunity for states to apply for a 12-month Preschool Development Grant focused on early childhood system-building, with seven working days and a Thanksgiving holiday to accommodate, Oregon submitted a proposal on Monday, December 1st, and after several uncertain weeks, DELC received an award for approximately $7.3 million in federal funding. This competitive award is intended to enhance and align existing early childhood education (ECE) infrastructure, with a specific focus on unifying fragmented systems, continuing to develop a shared, comprehensive vision for early childhood education, and maximizing parental choice as families navigate the ECE landscape.
More information will be coming soon early in the year!