Author: remyrodriguez

June 2025 Community Newsletter

June 2025 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates.

A Message from the Director

 

Do you want to receive this update in your email? Sign up for our Community Newsletter and Child Care Updates twice monthly send by subscribing here.

Our June Update

Legislative Session

Recently we received the May revenue forecast, which still shows an increase in revenue from the current 2023-2025 biennium, just at lower levels than previously forecasted. We are working closely with the Governor’s Office, legislators, and the Legislative Fiscal Office as the legislature works to identify their priorities for funding. The legislative session must constitutionally end by June 29th, so we’ll know our DELC budget in the next couple of weeks.

Healthy Families Oregon Summit

I had the privilege of joining HFO program managers, supervisors, and home visitors across the state for a day and a half summit in Bend. Healthy Families Oregon was the first program I learned about when I joined the Early Learning Council (the Council was housed in the Governor’s Office back in 2011-2013), so it was really special to spend time with the folks delivering critical home visiting services for families every day. This work is challenging and incredibly impactful, and I appreciate the chance to hear so many moving stories and continue to advocate for additional staff capacity with the Legislature.

Community Visits

Last month I highlighted that May held both the 60th anniversary of Head Start and Provider Appreciation Day. I had the opportunity to visit The Exploration Center in Dallas and Diaz Daycare in Salem for Provider Appreciation Day. These beautiful programs are a testament to the incredible work happening every day in our Preschool Promise programs. I was also able to join Community Action Head Start in Salem alongside the Governor’s Office and Congressional Delegate staff to celebrate Head Start and Oregon’s unique partnership through Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten. Also in case you missed it, Governor Tina Kotek signed a proclamation in celebration of Head Start’s 60th birthday and recently provided celebratory video remarks to Head Start staff and partners at their State Director meeting.

Click below to view other Community Newsletter articles

Child Care Business Conference Registration Deadline Extended!

First Children’s Finance Oregon announces the FCF Oregon Child Care Business Conference on June 14, 2025, for child care owners to enhance operations, finances, and enrollment. Registration ends June 7.

First Children’s Finance Oregon is thrilled to announce the statewide FCF Oregon Child Care Business Conference: Essentials of Excellence, designed for Oregon child care business owners who want to strengthen their operations, finances, and enrollment. 

  • Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025 
  • Time: 8 am – 4 pm 
  • Where: Willamette Heritage Center; 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, OR 97301
  • Cost: $50
  • Registration deadline has been extended and closes June 7th!
Register for the Conference Today!

At the conference you will:

  • Attend trainings (including Spanish training options) and earn professional development credit through the Oregon Registry Online (ORO).
  • Gain impactful strategies to manage costs, attract staff, maximize enrollment, and sustain your child care business!
  • Build a network of supportive child care professionals who share your goals and challenges.
  • Listen to First Children’s Finance President and CEO Heidi Hagel-Braid, who will deliver an actionable keynote to help you lead with confidence.
  • Hear from a panel of key voices shaping child care in Oregon and participate in the conversation.
  • Walk away with fresh ideas to tackle the everyday hurdles of running your child care business!
Register for the Conference Today!

The Certified Outdoor Nature-Based Child Care webpage is now available!

The ONB Guide, Fast Facts, and Getting Started documents are now available on the DELC website. Licensing for Certified Outdoor Nature-Based child care begins July 1st, 2025.

If you have been waiting to see if operating an ONB program is right for you, you can now access the ONB Guide, Fast Facts and Getting Started documents straight from the ONB webpage on the DELC website at:
https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/Pages/outdoor-nature-based.aspx

For a quick introduction to the differences between Outdoor Nature-Based child care and other types of child care in Oregon, watch this short video on the DELC YouTube channel summarizing key Rule differences.

DELC will begin licensing Certified Outdoor Nature-Based child Care Programs July 1st, 2025. Please contact your licensing specialist for additional information or to schedule a precertification appointment.

Certified Outdoor Nature-Based Child Care Program

Frequently Asked Questions: Transitioning into Kindergarten for Families

The Oregon Department of Education and the Department of Early Learning and Care released a multilingual FAQ to assist families with common questions about transitioning into kindergarten.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) have released a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Transitioning into Kindergarten for Families. The FAQ will help answer common questions families have about kindergarten and is translated into nine different languages.  

FAQ Transitioning into Kindergarten

Child Care Business Conference Registration Closing Soon!

The FCF Oregon Child Care Business Conference on June 14, 2025, offers training, networking, and resources for child care business owners. Registration closes May 31st.

Child Care Business Conference Registration Closing Soon!

First Children’s Finance Oregon is thrilled to announce the statewide FCF Oregon Child Care Business Conference: Essentials of Excellence, designed for Oregon child care business owners who want to strengthen their operations, finances, and enrollment. 

Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025 
Time: 8 am – 4 pm 
Where: Willamette Heritage Center; 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, OR 97301
Cost: $50
Registration closes May 31st!
Register for the Conference Today!

At the conference you will: 

  • Attend trainings (including Spanish training options) and earn professional development credit through the Oregon Registry Online (ORO). 
  • Gain impactful strategies to manage costs, attract staff, maximize enrollment, and sustain your child care business! 
  • Build a network of supportive child care professionals who share your goals and challenges. 
  • Listen to First Children’s Finance President and CEO Heidi Hagel-Braid, who will deliver an actionable keynote to help you lead with confidence. 
  • Hear from a panel of key voices shaping child care in Oregon and participate in the conversation. 
  • Walk away with fresh ideas to tackle the everyday hurdles of running your child care business! 
Register for the Conference Today!

Public Funding Navigation Resource

First Children’s Finance has created a comprehensive resource to help child care businesses navigate Oregon’s public funding programs Building Strong Business Practices: A Public Funding  Navigation Resource for Child Care Business Owners in Oregon.

For child care business owners who have already secured public funding, this guide helps them build strong systems to meet funding program compliance requirements, manage finances, and stay on top of program monitoring. Developed with input from funding administrators, child care support organizations, and business owners, it offers practical guidance to help businesses sustain their funding and operations. 

Access the guide here: https://www.firstchildrensfinance.org/oregon/

Available in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Chinese.  

Thank you for your dedication to this vital work! If you need assistance, please reach out to the FCF Oregon State Office at InfoOregon@firstchildrensfinance.org. 

Summer EBT is back! Helping children eat healthy during the summer for a strong start to next school year

The Summer EBT program provides grocery benefits to eligible families with children aged 6-18 during summer months.

Summer EBT is back for its second year of helping families buy groceries to keep kids healthy all summer. Most children receive Summer EBT automatically, but some families need to apply. Families with children who attend a school, or a Head Start program that offers free or reduced-price meals should check to see if they need to apply at sebt.oregon.gov.

Summer EBT is a grocery benefit program for school-aged children (ages 6 to 18) to help families buy food during the summer months when school meals are unavailable. Eligible families receive a one-time payment of $120 per child. Benefits are loaded onto Oregon EBT cards and expire 122 days after issuance.

Who’s Eligible?

Children are eligible if, during the 2024–25 school year, they:

  • Received SNAP, TANF, or Oregon Health Plan with income under 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  • Attended a school offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) and qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
  • Were in foster care, or are enrolled in programs for migrant students, experiencing houselessness, in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or attending a Head Start that participates in NSLP/SBP.

Who Needs to Apply?

  • Families already receiving SNAP, TANF or Oregon Health Plan benefits do not need to apply—they’ll be enrolled automatically.
  • Families who applied and were approved in 2024 will also receive benefits automatically in 2025.
  • Others must apply. Families can apply any time using a paper application. Paper applications are available in 10 languages at sebt.oregon.gov. Starting May 30, families can apply online in English or Spanish at sebt.oregon.gov.

Important dates

  • May 19, 2025: Oregon Summer EBT Call Center opens.
    • Call Center Number: 1-833-ORE-SEBT (1-833-673-7328)
    • The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PDT.
    • Call center agents will be able to assist customers in English and Spanish. For other language needs an interpreter service will be provided.
  • May 22, 2025: Families with children who are automatically eligible will get benefits on their Oregon EBT cards.
  • May 30, 2025: Online application period opens. Online and paper applications begin processing. Oregon EBT cards will be mailed to qualifying families.

Announcing the Early Learning Council’s newest member, Eric C. Hunter!

Eric C. Hunter brings over 25 years of health care leadership experience, serving on all Board committees and holding various executive roles.

Eric C. Hunter serves as a member on all seven of the Board of Directors’ committees. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the health care field, Eric brings a deep knowledge of Medicaid policy, Medicare plan administration, commercial plans and the integration of physical and behavioral health care. Eric served most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Boston Medical Center Healthnet Plan. Previous roles include CEO for ValueOptions Behavioral Health in both Texas and Illinois, numerous roles with Schaller Anderson including CEO for Heartland Health Plan in Oklahoma. At Centene, he served as COO, Managed Health Services in Indiana, and served as COO of Total Carolina Care in South Carolina.

Register to attend the May Provider Information Session

Please register for the May Provider Information Session

Join us in May to learn about the below topics

  • ERDC Waitlist
  • Every Child Belongs
  • Agency and Program Updates

When?
Wednesday, May 21 | 6 – 7 p.m.
All provider types. (Interpretation available)

Zoom Registration:

Register Here!

This is a virtual event. Registration is required to attend via Zoom. You may submit questions in advance on the registration form. You may also participate on DELC’s Facebook page live stream at the same time. DELC staff will monitor the Facebook comment section for questions.

Note: Attendees utilizing interpretation services (Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and ASL) should join the session via Zoom. For more information, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/pages/provider-info-sessions.aspx

May 2025 Community Newsletter

May 2025 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates.

A Message from the Director

I hope folks are taking care as we head into the Spring season – a time for change and growth. There is a lot going on that I am excited to share with you, so read on for the latest with the Department of Early Learning and Care.  

Do you want to receive this update in your email? Sign up for our Community Newsletter and Child Care Updates twice monthly send by subscribing here.

Our May Update

60th Anniversary of Head Start

This month marks 60 years of Head Start across the country! While the official anniversary is May 18th, it’s never too early to celebrate the incredible work this program does to serve children and families across Oregon. I feel lucky to be in a state that recognizes the important work of early childhood education, and has supported programs like Head Start through the creation of Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten, which launched in 1987. Head Start is more than an early learning program – it provides comprehensive services and supports to some of our most vulnerable children and families. Thank you, Head Start for, all that you do!

Provider Appreciation

This month also brings around Provider Appreciation Day! Celebrated on the Friday before Mother’s Day – May 9th, this year – this is a time for us to pause, recognize, and appreciate the incredible providers that make Oregon work! Stay tuned for some fun ways to celebrate and show the provider in your life how much you appreciate them.

Early Learning Council Membership

I am excited to share that the Early Learning Council welcomed its newest member at their Council meeting last week, Eric Hunter! Eric is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CareOregon. In this role he is able to bring in the health care perspective to the ELC, enhancing the Council’s expertise in the cross-sector work of Oregon’s early childhood system. Check out the special feature to learn more about Eric’s work and the work of the Early Learning Council!

Legislative Session

This session continues to move quickly, with many bills awaiting a public hearing in their respective Ways & Means Subcommittee. Once the May 14th revenue forecast is released, we anticipate things moving quickly, including DELC’s budget bill, SB 5514. We also anticipate two additional DELC bills passing out of Ways and Means: HB 2811, which formalizes the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Oregon Program in statute to ensure children can get access to high-quality, age-appropriate books across Oregon. Also in committee is HB 2815, the Tribal Early Learning Plan and Fund, centering the Tribal sovereignty and self-determination to support language and culture revitalization, professional development, to meet Tribal early learning and child care goals. We’re excited that our technical fix bill to algin licensing statute among provider types, HB 2814, passed the House unanimously and is currently in the Senate; the bill received a public hearing in the Senate Early Childhood and Behavioral Health Committee and we’re waiting for the bill to be voted out of committee and on the full Senate floor. Lots going on and more to come!

Caring Communities Tour

This year, we’re kicking off a Caring Communities Tours so that DELC leadership can hear from communities on the ground about what’s working, what’s not, and where DELC can make adjustments to our policies and practices to benefit more children, families, and providers. It’s also a wonderful time to see some of our programs in action and hear from the providers caring for Oregon kids every day. This tour kicked off this Spring and will continue through the end of the year. Thank you to the Early Leaning Hubs and Child Care Resource & Referral agencies around the state for helping us put these incredible visits together. We’ll continue to spotlight these visits throughout the rest of the year in our DELC Newsletter. 

    Click below to view other Community Newsletter articles

    DELC celebrates the first inaugural National Home Visiting Week on April 21 through April 25!

    National Home Visiting Week from April 21-25 celebrates home visitors’ role in enhancing maternal and child health. DELC highlights various programs that connect families to support and resources throughout Oregon.

    Updated on April 11, 2025

    The first-ever National Home Visiting Week takes place April 21-25, an observance to celebrate and recognize home visitors and the positive impact they make on maternal and child health outcomes.  

    Here at DELC, we celebrate and honor Home Visitors who play an important role in supporting a healthy and thriving community! 

    We have multiple programs with Home Visiting services included within the service model:   

    • Healthy Families Oregon (HFO) 
    • Relief Nurseries 
    • Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (OPK) 
    • Early Head Start 

    What are home visitors and what do they do for Oregon’s communities? 

    Home visiting connects pregnant and parenting families of young children to trained family support professionals who provide customized coaching and guidance through pregnancy and the early stages of a child’s development. Using a variety of evidence based models, home visiting supports healthy birth outcomes, increases family self sufficiency, and helps children enter school fully prepared to succeed. 

    Home visiting and DELC 

    DELC partners with various state and local agencies, as well as community organizations, to coordinate home visiting services across the state.  Here is an overview of how DELC supports home visiting across Oregon. 

    Regional and Local Partners:  

    • Early Learning Hubs: Hubs have a role in connecting and coordinating early learning services, including home visiting programs.  
    • Center for Coordinating Oregon Home Visiting Systems (CCOHVS): CCOHVS serves as a program-neutral backbone for supporting state and regional coordination of prenatal and early childhood home visiting services. Their work provides increased capacity to support regional and state early childhood leaders. 
    • Home Visiting Collaborative: DELC staff, other state agency’s staff, and representatives from home visiting programs meet regularly to share successes and challenges at the local, regional, and state level.   

    Partnerships with other state agencies 

    The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and DELC meet regularly to coordinate home visiting programs, ensuring that families receive comprehensive health and developmental support. DELC also partners with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to leverage resources and to coordinate support services.  

    Click below to view other Child Care Update articles