Category: Blog

Kindergarten: It’s that time of the year!  

As the school year approaches, many young children and families are getting ready for their move from preschool to kindergarten. This experience is also called “kindergarten readiness.” But what does Kindergarten Readiness mean? And how does the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) support kindergarten readiness for Oregon’s families?

What is Kindergarten Readiness? 

Kindergarten readiness includes schools, caregivers, families, and children working together for a positive kindergarten year and a successful future of learning!  

Raising an eager learner is the goal, and it can be achieved through play and day-to-day activities.  

DELC’s Programs support Kindergarten Readiness! 

The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) offers programs that support children and families while also nurturing the growth of the whole child.  

These programs include: 

  • Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten 
  • Preschool Promise 
  • Home visiting programs like 
  • Healthy Families Oregon and  
  • Relief Nurseries 

Simply put, kindergarten readiness helps children have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success in school and for later learning and life.  

These are guidelines on skills that will support children in school. Every child is different and will learn at their own pace and in their own way. 

Kindergarten Readiness looks like:  

Approaches to Learning 
Children who are able to follow rules and routines with increased independence. 

Physical skills 
Children are able to hold and use a pencil or crayon, able to run, and jump with increased independence, 

Language and literacy 
Children are able to recognize and write their name, identify letters and numbers, and be familiar with basic sight words with increased independence. 

Math 
Children are able to identify numbers and count to 10 or recognize and create patterns with increased independence. 

Social and emotional skills 
Children are able to share with others, manage emotions, and resolve conflicts with peers with increased independence. 

For more information on the domains of learning and development, please reference the Oregon’s Early Learning and Kindergarten Guidelines. 

The Early Learning Council Is Looking for New Members

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.

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.

Below is an FAQ of key info:

What does the Early Learning Council do?

The Council was established in state law to coordinate a unified and aligned system of early childhood services throughout Oregon to ensure that all children enter school ready to learn and that all families are healthy, stable, and attached. In pursuit of these goals, the Early Learning Council developed Raise Up Oregon in 2018 as the state’s five year, cross-sector early childhood strategic plan. The Early Learning Council tracks and monitors progress towards the implementation of Raise Up Oregon, publishes reports and is in the process of finalizing an updated plan this fall.

Early Learning Council members are also vital participants in statewide decision-making. For example, during COVID, this Council made emergency rules about operating with health and safety for children and for child care providers as the forefront. This Council is also charged with translating the “30,000 foot” legislation created by statewide lawmakers into the “brass tacks” of how to operationalize the legislature’s intent into the on-the-ground state agency rules. 

What’s the time commitment if I am selected to serve on the Council?

Members of the Early Learning Council serve for four year terms and must commit to monthly meetings throughout the year, five hours per month. The Early Learning Council takes a break during the summer in July and August in which there are no monthly meetings.

 What types of expertise is the Early Learning Council looking for and who makes decisions? 

The Early Learning Council is seeking new members that will:

  • Add to the geographic diversity of representation, particularly rural and coastal areas. Specifically, we are looking for residents in Oregon who live in congressional districts 1, 3, and 4 and two “at-large members,” which means they can reside anywhere in the state. If you are unsure which district you live in, please visit this website and put your zip code in to the top right part of the screen where it says “Find your representative.”
  • Ensure representation from communities that are most impacted by opportunity gaps and access to early childhood and health services;
  • Bring a lens of navigating and addressing workforce barriers in the early childhood sector, connections to the public K-12 school system, connections to health systems as they intersect with young children and their families, affordable supportive housing and social services, and business leaders who have navigated intersections with child care.

This is a Governor-appointed Council, so ultimately the decision lies with Governor Kotek.

What’s in it for me?

Great question! Volunteers to state agency councils, boards, and commissions are the backbone of what makes it all work! Individuals who are interested in joining the Early Learning Council will have the opportunity to participate in developing a variety of important policies directed towards improving early learning services and will have a direct impact in their community.

I’m interested! How can I apply?

All candidates must apply through for appointment using the online system, Workday. Governor’s Boards & Commissions webpage. Applications are reviewed by the Governor’s office. Applications are encouraged no later than September 30, 2023. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Gaby Hernandez at gabriela.hernandez@delc.oregon.gov.

Department of Early Learning and Care officially launches!

New state agency to oversee programs and services related to early learning and care throughout Oregon

little boy in wheat field
Photo by JESSICA TICOZZELLI on Pexels.com

We’re thrilled to announce that as of July 1, 2023, the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is the official agency for early learning and child care policy and program administration throughout Oregon. That means Oregon’s families and child care professionals will now have one state agency dedicated to ensuring high-quality, family-centered and culturally appropriate early learning and care opportunities for families and child care professionals. To mark this exciting milestone, we now have a new name, look, email addresses, and website: oregon.gov/DELC.

As part of the launch, DELC created a new video introducing Oregonians to the new state agency:

“This is an historic step to ensure Oregon’s families and child care professionals get the resources, services, and programs they need to thrive,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, DELC Director. ”It positions our state as a leader in the early learning space. We know accessing child care is still a challenge for families, and our child care workers are facing multiple stressors. The launch of DELC is a milestone for our state, recognizing the importance of early learning and child care for Oregonians

The Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 3073 in 2021, heralding the transition towards the launch of DELC. The agency brings together the Early Learning Division (ELD) and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program. ELD was a division of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) was a program of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).

“The best way to support whole communities is to serve the needs of children and families. Bringing ERDC into DELC allows us to center the needs of children and families first and foremost. DELC is in the opportune position to work with families and providers, and design systems built for and with them” said Chatterjee.

Certain ERDC changes also take effect as of July 1. Families can now receive cash assistance from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and get help paying for child care from ERDC at the same time. The current TANF child care program will end because ERDC will provide those families more flexible child care assistance.

In addition, there will be fewer reasons for child care assistance to end mid-certification. Most cases will now stay open a minimum of 12 months. Cases will no longer close if a family is not connected to a child care provider. ERDC benefits will continue if a caretaker loses their job or stops attending school. 

In the short term, Oregonians won’t notice much of a change. Even so, we are committed to minimizing the impact this launch will have, and ensuring those we serve know what to expect. That includes:

  • Customer service phone numbers and social media pages will remain the same
  • Early learning and care programs under ELD such as Preschool Promise will not change
  • Child care licensing services and processes such as billing forms, payment processes, licensing applications, inspections and background checks, will remain the same
  • Early Learning Division (ELD) staff will transition from ODE to DELC
  • The ERDC program and staff (including the Direct Pay Unit) will transition from ODHS to DELC, but families will still apply for and receive benefits through ODHS
  • ERDC eligibility has changed and more families can now get help paying for child care (learn more about ERDC eligibility changes here)

The launch of DELC is only the beginning of the benefits providers and families can expect. DELC staff will continue to listen to and learn from Oregon families and child care professionals on how to best support them and meet their needs. Over the next few years, unifying these agencies and programs under DELC will help:

  • Enable greater alignment across major early learning and child care programs
  • Maximize state and federal funding for early learning programs
  • Create a more efficient and effective billing and licensing system for providers
  • Support and strengthen the early learning and care workforce
  • Promote  culturally-specific and family-centered resources, services and programs for families and child care professionals

“DELC Is honored to support Oregon families and child care professionals through this unified agency. We thank our partners, supporters, child care professionals, and families for being part of the work to make Oregon’s early learning and care system as strong as possible. We are committed to continue working together to best meet the needs of children, families, and child care professionals across the state,” said Chatterjee.

About the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC)DELC is a new Oregon state agency that supports the development and wellbeing of all Oregon children and ensures families in every corner of the state have access to high-quality early learning and care. DELC also supports child care professionals by providing technical assistance, professional development opportunities, business services, licensing, grants and other resources. DELC was created by the Oregon Legislature in 2021 to unify and strengthen Oregon’s early learning system beginning July 1, 2023. DELC brings together the Oregon Early Learning Division (ELD) and the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program. ELD was a division of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and ERDC was a program within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). Visit oregon.gov/DELC  learn more or visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  social media pages.

Four weeks: Oregon Early Learning Division becomes Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) on July 1

Oregon’s child care systems are coming together under the new Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) starting July 1, 2023. Over the next few years, DELC will create more efficient systems to help families access child care, and better serve children across the state.

“This transition is years in the making, and it’s really exciting because it will allow us to make sure that families will have an easier time getting child care,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Oregon Early Learning System Director whose role will transition to DELC Director on July 1. “But first, we want to make sure that this transition allows the families and children we serve to continue to access services as we transition to becoming DELC.”

All child care and early learning programs in Oregon, including the Employment Related Day Care program, will be run by DELC. This will not change the way families get ERDC benefits. Families will continue to apply for and receive benefits through the Oregon Department of Human Services. In fact, more families will become eligible for ERDC beginning July 1. 

As a new state agency, DELC will focus on building trust, being accountable and transparent, improving customer service, and ensuring quality, consistency and continuity across the early learning and care system.

The creation of DELC and migration of ERDC on July 1 is only the beginning of the benefits providers and families can expect. Over the next few years, migrating ERDC to DELC will help:

  • Enable greater alignment across early learning and child care programs
  • Maximize state and federal funding for early learning programs
  • Create a more efficient and effective billing and licensing system for providers
  • Support and strengthen the early learning and care workforce

“We know that accessing child care is a challenge for many Oregon families, and our child care providers and child care workers are under stress,” Chatterjee said. “That’s why we’re making these changes, so that we can serve more families and help streamline services to our child care providers.”

Here is what families and child care professionals can expect come July 1:

  • New name, look, email addresses* and website
  • ELD staff will transition from ODE to DELC
  • The ERDC program and staff (including the Direct Pay Unit) will transition from ODHS to DELC (Important note: families will still apply for and receive benefits through ODHS)
  • Changes to ERDC eligibility on July 1 mean more families can get help paying for child care (learn more here)
  • Early learning and care programs under ELD such as Preschool Promise will not change
  • Grantees will use a new grant management system to manage and submit claims
  • Customer service phone numbers will remain the same 
  • Child care licensing services and processes such as billing forms, payment processes, licensing applications, inspections and background checks, will remain the same

“We are working hard to make sure it is a smooth one for Oregon families, child care professionals, and agency staff,” said Chatterjee. “As with any transition, we anticipate that issues may come up. We are committed to communicating early and often about programmatic and logistical changes to minimize disruptions and make sure partners know what to expect.”

July 1 is the beginning of a long-term strategy to strengthen and unify Oregon’s early learning and care system. DELC will continue to listen to and learn from Oregon families and child care professionals on how to best support them and meet their needs. 

“DELC believes this transition will improve outcomes for Oregon children, create a more equitable system of care, increase accountability and transparency, and improve how we support our dedicated and hard-working early learning and care workforce,” said Chatterjee.

Public funding helped to increase available child care slots in Oregon

What is a child care desert? A child care desert is an area where at least three children exist for every child care slot available. Severe deserts are defined as having at most one slot for every 10 children. 

According to a new report from Oregon State University, child care slots for Oregon’s young children grew by almost 5% from March 2020 to Dec. 2022. This was thanks, in part, to increased public funding for child care and early learning programs. 

“The increased availability of child care slots since 2020 demonstrates the effectiveness of public investments and federal relief. It’s a good sign, but we can’t lose momentum,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Early Learning System director at the state Early Learning Division. “We need to continue these investments in early learning and child care, and communities agree.” 

Since March 2020, eight of Oregon’s 36 counties have moved out of desert status for preschool-aged kids, and another eight became less severe deserts for infants and toddlers.  

 “We’re seeing a lot of those counties coming out of desert status because of the additional supply being developed from public funding,” said Michaella Sektnan, co-author on the report and senior faculty research assistant in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

“Without that public funding, all except three counties would be child care deserts.” 

[fruitful_sep]Read the full release and view the OSU Child Care Desert Report. Or, see the infographics from the report. 

 

The report drew its data from multiple programs administered by the state’s Early Learning Division, including Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten, Preschool Promise and Baby Promise. Researchers also included numbers from federal Head Start/Early Head Start, tribal Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. On the private side, data came from Find Child Care Oregon, which is administered by Central Coordination of Child Care Resource and Referral, with data gathering partnership from statewide Child Care Resource and Referral agencies.

A Statement From the Director About Provider Appreciation Day On May 12th

This week, Oregon joins states around the country in recognizing the important work of child care providers, with Provider Appreciation Day on May 12th. We know that 95% of a child’s brain growth occurs before the age of five, and 65% of all children under the age of six have both parents in the workforce. With dedication and professional skills, child care providers create spaces that support children to learn and thrive while also making it possible for families to be successful in the workforce. Simply put, child care providers are the workers that make all work possible.

But Oregon is in the midst of a child care crisis. With a limited availability of affordable child care across the state before the pandemic, we know that over 7% of the early learning and child care workforce has left the industry, further impacting families and preventing parents from returning to the workforce. Now, more than ever, it is critical that we recognize the important role that child care providers play in Oregon’s economy and children’s development. The creation of the Department of Early Learning and Care is a positive step forward in unifying and strengthening high-quality early learning and care for Oregon families and children.

Child care providers don’t just make it possible for families to work. The earliest years of a child’s life are critical – they lay the foundation for the brain and body architecture that will support a child’s ability to learn, and for lifelong social, emotional, and physical health. This Provider Appreciation Day, let’s show our gratitude for those who support the social, emotional, and physical care of our youngest children.

Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Coaching Collaborative Announced

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), the Early Learning Division (ELD) and Oregon State University (OSU) are partnering to develop the Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Coaching Collaborative. This collaborative is the first of its kind, focusing on early learners experiencing disabilities. It will assist regional early learning systems and early care and education professionals by offering training and support to regional coaches on how to best include children experiencing disabilities in classroom activities. 

The collaborative is an additional layer to the coaching improvement work begun by ELD and OSU’s Early Learning System Initiative in 2021. The Early Learning System Initiative (ELSI) was developed to increase early access to high-quality, professional learning opportunities and technical assistance for the early education workforce in Oregon.

Read the full release below.

Link: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORED/bulletins/3505b2a?fbclid=IwAR06wL7ykiPg4ejKzUZXvIQDHIEDVB9ZX3Rwr3R-FRsf28o_Lg2bas9W4kU

New Study Looks at the Work Environments of Center-based and Home-based Early Educators

In partnership with University of California-Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, the Early Learning Division commissioned a study looking at the work environments of center-based and home-based early educators. The study is part of the Supportive Environmental Quality Underlying Adult Learning (SEQUAL) series and is the first of its kind to be conducted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 1,000 early educators shared their lived experiences with work conditions that affected educator practice and well-being. You can find both the executive summary and the full report on the UC-Berkeley website.

ELD Tribal Affairs Director accepted into 2022-24 ZERO TO THREE Fellowship Class

The Division of Early Learning and Care (ELD) congratulates the ELD Tribal Affairs Director, Valeria Atanacio, for being accepted into the 2022-24 Fellowship Class with ZERO TO THREE!

“ZERO TO THREE, the leading nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, proudly announces its 2022-24 Fellowship Class, welcoming 20 global leaders to the premier leadership development program in the early childhood field.”

We also wish to congratulate the Early Learning Hub Director for Clackamas County, Danielle “Dani” Stamm Thomas, for being accepted into the Fellowship Class.

You can visit the original article from ZERO TO THREE to learn more about this fellowship opportunity and read more about the 2022-24 class.

New Coaching Competencies Guidance for Early Learning Educators in Oregon

How do instructional coaches help preschool teachers improve? The Early Learning Division asked colleagues at the Oregon State University’s Early Learning System Initiative (ELSI) to help answer that question. The result was new guidance addressing what coaches can do to effectively support quality teaching and learning, as shared in the new Oregon Coaching Competencies.

The ELD is committed to providing high-quality public preschool programs. By developing Coaching Competencies, the partnership clearly defined how coaches support early childhood educators. Coaches will receive training that empowers them to be even greater support for early educators in public programs such as Preschool Promise, Head Start, and OPK.

“The Professional Early Learning Systems team is dedicated to finding the next stage of equitable education and support to early learning educators across Oregon,” said Michael Connor, Training and Technical Assistance Systems Specialist at ELD. “We partnered with ELSI at OSU to make this happen. Their unit helped to expand and meet our research needs to create an enriching coaching program.”

Coaches play an important role in creating a genuinely effective early learning system. Coaches work with teaching teams to improve teaching and learning methods used by the early learning educators on those teams. They make connections with diverse groups to learn together and promote collaborative partnerships. The result means that coaches use effective coaching techniques with culturally responsive coaching methods to help early learning educators work better with the children and families they serve.

The Oregon Coaching Competencies describe effective early childhood education coaching:

  • Use strategies to support culturally responsive coaching
  • Use strategies to build collaborative partnerships
  • Apply adult learning principles
  • Use data to develop coaching goals
  • Observe, provide feedback, and facilitate goal-focused reflection on effective practice
  • Coaching for high-quality: developmentally appropriate, inclusive, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and linguistically appropriate teaching practices.

The ELD and the Professional Early Learning Systems team thank ELSI, a partner in developing the Oregon Coaching Competencies. ELSI focused on the needs of early learning educators across the state with a year-long community feedback process. The information collected was then used to articulate a culturally responsive approach to coaching early educators. In conjunction with the competencies, ELSI mentors public PreK coaches and is developing a tiered coaching certification system to support effective coaching.