How do instructional coaches prepare to effectively support early childhood educators?
As part of an ongoing collaboration with Oregon’s Department of Early Learning & Care (DELC), colleagues at Oregon State University’s Early Learning System Initiative spent more than a year developing activities to support those coaching preschool teachers in Oregon. This month, DELC and ELSI are pleased to release a new professional development resource: Foundations in Coaching.
Participants in the Foundations course access online modules, currently available in English and Spanish, designed to build understanding of the Oregon Coaching Competencies. The Foundations course will be available in Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian by the end of 2023. These self-paced, interactive lessons provide definitions, examples, and practical applications of high-quality coaching in early learning settings. The finalized modules reflect changes made based on feedback from volunteers who completed a pilot version of the course.
The multi-lingual Foundations course is available free of charge to early learning professionals in Oregon who participate in the Oregon Registry Online, including colleagues who do not currently coach early childhood educators but may want to learn more about coaching. Once participants finish the Foundations course, they will:
Earn eight hours of Set One professional learning credit in the Oregon Registry Online; and,
In addition, participants who currently coach early childhood educators will receive an invitation to join the Oregon Coaching Companion – a bilingual, online tool supporting Practice Based Coaching with teachers of young children, funded by DELC in partnership with Cultivate Learning at the University of Washington.
IN THIS ISSUE: Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month; ERDC waitlist update; and the Household Survey is now available
September 15 to October 15 is National Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Department of Early Learning and Care recognizes and honors the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society!
After November 3, 2023, Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) will open a waitlist because of increased demand and limited funding.
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) helps families who are working, getting TANF, or in school pay for child care. ERDC has recently changed to work better for families. In the last few months, thousands of families have joined the program. After November 3, 2023, ERDC will open a waitlist because of increased demand and limited funding.
Should providers still sign up to accept ERDC families or complete a re-evaluation form since fewer families could be in the program? What are the benefits?
Child care providers interested in getting listed as an ERDC provider should still apply. Current ERDC providers should maintain their listing to ensure they are available for families eligible for ERDC.
While the waitlist is in effect, certain families can still enroll in ERDC and they are families who likely need the support the most.
By participating in the ERDC program, providers are supporting parents with low incomes to access affordable child care services, which contributes positively to their community.
In addition, many families who are already enrolled in ERDC have not selected a provider.
211 and CCR&Rs will continue to direct families to ERDC providers.
What can I tell families about the ERDC waitlist?
If families are getting ERDC now, the waitlist will not affect them. They will continue to receive benefits. Additionally, some families can skip the waitlist once it begins.
You can encourage families that think they may qualify for ERDC to apply before 11:59pm on November 3, 2023. After November 3, encourage the family to be screened for waitlist exemption eligibility, even if they don’t believe they will qualify. Families can visit Benefits.Oregon.gov or contact their local office to apply for ERDC.
You can help families getting ERDC by reminding them to renew timely. Families can renew 45 days before their eligibility period ends.
If you know a family that has ERDC but hasn’t chosen a provider, encourage them to call 211 or text the word “children” to 898211 for help connecting to a provider.
Other important information for families, including waitlist exemptions, can be found in the materials below. You can also visit our website at oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC.
The Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Research Team has published the 2022 Statewide Household Survey Report. The report presents the results of the third statewide survey administered to parents and other caregivers of children aged 0 to 5. The survey was conducted from December 2022 through January 2023.
The findings provide important information about the needs for child care and the challenges to finding care currently faced by Oregon families.
You can visit the DELC website to read the full report. You can also review the executive summaries in multiple languages.
IN THIS ISSUE: ERDC Waitlist begins after November 3, 2023; NEW Rules Advisory Group Opportunity; Become a Regional Service Provider; General reminders.
Growing Enrollment of Oregon’s Employment Related Day Care program Prompts Waitlist after November 3
Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) announced they will pause Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program enrollment and open a waitlist due to increased demand and limited funding. Families who believe they are eligible for ERDC should apply by November 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Families currently receiving ERDC support will continue to receive benefits after November 3, 2023.
The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is implementing new rules related to several new legislative bills as well as an update to the ERDC rate tables. We are creating a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to gather valuable feedback.
Applications are due by October 11, 2023
This RAC will include review of proposed changes to rules regarding:
ERDC payments paid on a date later than the date specified by rule, will be paid in an amount that includes an additional nine percent. (HB 2468)
A licensed family child care provider’s own children between 10 and 12 years of age will no longer be counted in licensed capacity or adult to child ratios, unless the child has special needs or disabilities which require a level of care that is above normal for the child’s age. (HB 2468)
New ERDC rate tables
New CBR rules pertaining to Individuals contracted or employed as EI/ECSE providers, Respite care providers, and allowing limited enrollment for exempt prohibited individuals. (HB 3558, SB 283, HB 2599)
Adds Assault IV felony convictions to the list of disqualifying crimes for CBR enrollment to maintain federal compliance with the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)
DELC would like to invite members of the following groups to apply to participate in the RAC:
Registered Family Child Care Providers
Certified Family Child Care Providers
Subsidized unlicensed programs
Representatives from child care provider unions
Child Care Center Directors/Representatives
School Age Center Program Coordinators and Program Leaders
Parents/family members of children in programs
Early Learning Hub representatives
Respite Care Providers
Educational Service District (ESD) employees who provide or work with Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) services
Tribal Nation representatives
Representatives from culturally specific organizations
Child Care Resource & Referral representatives
Participants will be compensated for their time and feedback. There will be one RAC Meeting for 2 hours in length.
This RAC will occur on October 26, 2023 at 3:00 to 5:00pm
The Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Prevention Program (ECSEPP) extended its deadline for regional service provider applications.
The deadline to apply to for the ECSEPP regional service provider grant has been extended from September 15 to October 6.
What is a Regional Service Provider?
A Regional Service Provider is an organization that provides Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) services to Early Care and Education Providers and coordinates IECMHC services with other early childhood technical assistance providers, to promote Early Care and Education Provider access to resources, training, and other technical assistance opportunities.
Applicants can choose from two options when applying to become a Regional Service Provider.
Option 1 (Planning Grant): Applicants who are interested but may need a period of time for planning have the option to apply for a planning grant.
Option 2 (Implementation Grant): Applicants who believe they are ready to begin implementation of equity-centered IECMHC have the option to apply for an implementation grant.
Prior experience implementing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is NOT required!
The Early Learning Council is looking for five new members to shape early childhood policy in Oregon and we need your help in getting the word out! These positions are appointed by Governor Kotek and individuals who are interested are encouraged to apply. This Council ensures that our state-funded early childhood programs and investments are coordinated in a way that is accessible to children and families. We hope you’ll consider either applying yourself or sharing this with individuals who may be interested. Read more about this opportunity …
Please use the FAQs and resources below to communicate to families, providers, and partners about the ERDC waitlist going into effect after November 3, 2023.
ERDC Waitlist Implementation Form: Click here to submit questions & feedback
Please note: This form is for the use of partners and staff. We ask that you do not share this form with families and providers, since we cannot guarantee a response.
Employment Related Day Care is working better for families.
In the past two years, Oregon has changed the ERDC program to make it better for families. Eligibility expansions and program improvements mean more families are using ERDC. ERDC grew by 52% from July 2021 to June 2023, with thousands of families joining the program since the end of June. This shows that changes like lower co-pays and enrollment-based pay are working.
Program funding is limited, which means Oregon must open a waitlist for new families applying to ERDC after November 3, 2023.
ERDC gets a budget of state and federal funds every two years from the Oregon Legislature. That budget does not change when more families join the program. The rise in ERDC cases means more families are benefiting from ERDC. It also means there is not enough program funding to support ERDC’s growth. To slow down growth, Oregon will create a waitlist for new families applying for ERDC. The waitlist will take effect after November 3, 2023. Families already getting ERDC will not be affected by the waitlist.
Some families can skip the waitlist.
Families with specific needs outlined in Oregon rule can still enroll in ERDC after Nov. 3, 2023, including:
Families getting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Families getting Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS)
Families who had TANF or TA-DVS within 3 months of applying for ERDC
Families referred by the Child Welfare division of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)
Families whose ERDC ended within 2 months of reapplying
The waitlist will not impact families who already have ERDC but haven’t chosen a provider.
You can support families during this change.
Here are a few things to consider:
You can help families getting ERDC by reminding them to renew timely. Families can renew 45 days before their eligibility period ends.
If you know of a family that could qualify for ERDC, urge them to apply before 11:59PM November 3, 2023.
If you know a family that has ERDC but hasn’t chosen a provider, encourage them to call 211 or text their zip code to 898211.
IN THIS ISSUE: September Provider Information Sessions; Staying safe during wildfire season; we are looking for Rule Advisory Committee members; the Early Learning Council is recruiting; and the Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Prevention Program (ECSEPP) needs Regional Service Providers.
Wednesday, September 20 All provider types. (Interpretation available) ZOOM Registration
Thursday, September 21 All provider types. (Conducted in Spanish) ZOOM Registration
Agenda
Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) Launch
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) Updates
Agency and Program Updates
Staying safe during wildfire season
Wildfire season means the air quality might create unsafe situations for young children. It’s important to know what the air quality index means for those most at-risk and how to stay safe.
Children aged 0-4 are one of the most smoke-sensitive groups in our communities, due to their still developing lungs.
Children in this age group with chronic heart and lung disease are even more susceptible to the negative health effects of wildfire smoke.
Protective N95respirators, unfortunately, don’t fit this age group well enough to protect them. So, we don’t have many tools for protecting kiddos outdoors.
The graphic below can be used as some general guidance for all outdoor activities and is shared by our partners at the Oregon Health Authority.
Give us your feedback. Join our Rules Advisory Committee!
The Child Care Licensing Division (CCLD) will create a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to gather valuable feedback on a new rule set that will apply to all child care facilities. This rule set is known as “General Rules for All Child Care Facilities”.
The application deadline is September 22, 2023.
You will be compensated for your time! There will be three RAC Meetings. Each meeting will be 90 minutes long.
The selected group will be polled for the best meeting dates.
DELC would like to invite members of the following groups to apply to participate in the RAC:
Subsidized Child Care Providers
Registered Family Child Care Providers
Certified Family Child Care Providers
Representatives from child care provider unions
Child Care Center Directors/Representatives
School Age Center Program Coordinators and Program Leaders
Parents/family members of children in programs
Early Learning Hub representatives
Tribal Nation representatives
Representatives from culturally specific organizations
The Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Prevention Program (ECSEPP) extended its deadline for regional service provider applications.
The deadline to apply to for the ECSEPP regional service provider grant has been extended from September 15 to October 6.
What is a Regional Service Provider?
A Regional Service Provider is an organization that provides Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) services to Early Care and Education Providers and coordinates IECMHC services with other early childhood technical assistance providers, to promote Early Care and Education Provider access to resources, training, and other technical assistance opportunities.
Applicants can choose from two options when applying to become a Regional Service Provider.
Option 1 (Planning Grant):
Applicants who are interested but may need time for planning can apply for a planning grant.
Option 2 (Implementation Grant): Applicants who believe they are ready to begin implementation of equity-centered Infant and early childhood mental health consultations have can apply for an implementation grant.
Prior experience implementing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is NOT required!
The Early Learning Council is looking for five new members to shape early childhood policy in Oregon and we need your help in getting the word out! These positions are appointed by Governor Kotek and individuals who are interested are encouraged to apply. This Council ensures that our state-funded early childhood programs and investments are coordinated in a way that is accessible to children and families. We hope you’ll consider either applying yourself or sharing this with individuals who may be interested. Read more about this opportunity …
