Category: Child Care Update

A resource for early learning programs and partners to track important updates.

Register to Attend DELC’s September Provider Information Sessions

Join us on September 23 for a virtual event covering Oregon ELMS, CCLD rules, and program updates. Registration is required. Interpretation is available.

Join us in September to learn about the below topics:

  • Oregon Early Learning Management System (Oregon ELMS)
  • Child Care Licensing Division (CCLD) Suspension Expulsion Prevention Rules
  • Agency and Program Updates

Wednesday, September 23 | 6 – 7 p.m.

All provider types. (Interpretation available)

Zoom Registration: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_fjhiS9GOTgWnK7hZ_5Dplg

This is a virtual event. Registration is required to attend via Zoom. You may submit questions in advance on the registration form.

For more information, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/delc/providers/pages/provider-info-sessions.aspx

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

Share Your Voice to Inform Oregon’s Child Care Subsidy Rates

The Oregon DELC and P5FS are updating the child care cost model and seek provider input through sessions, aiming to reflect true care costs for quality standards.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) and Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS) are updating the Oregon child care cost model. The cost model is used by DELC to understand the true cost of providing care that meets Oregon state standards and higher quality standards and can be combined with market price data to inform rate setting under the Employment Related Day Care program (ERDC).

To ensure the updated cost model reflects the realities faced by providers, we need to hear from you! Make your voice heard by participating in a Provider Input Session. This is your opportunity to share what it truly costs to provide quality child care – not just what families can afford. Input sessions are intended for child care center directors or fiscal managers, and family child care provider/owners.

Input Sessions will be held in English and Spanish (and other languages as requested, if possible). Learn more about the process and register for an input session today!

Participants attending an input session will be entered into a giveaway!

Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies is conducting this study and all data will be kept confidential and not attributed to any one person or program.

REGISTER for an INPUT SESSION

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

Oregon ELMS: Project Update and What’s Up Next

Oregon’s Department of Early Learning and Care will launch the Oregon Early Learning Management System on October 14, streamlining child care support. Pre-registration begins September 8 for families and providers.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is excited to announce a new online platform: Oregon Early Learning Management System (ELMS) is launching on October 14!

Oregon ELMS is designed to support child care providers and families across Oregon by bringing licensing and subsidy (ERDC) tools together into one easy-to-use platform, in your preferred language.

This system is designed to cut down on paperwork, save time, and make it easier to focus on caring for children and families.

Pre-Registration Starts September 8

Before Oregon ELMS launches, providers, individuals enrolled in Central Background Registry (CBR), and families receiving ERDC can set up an account early. This is called pre-registration, and it only takes a few minutes.

  • In early September, providers, those enrolled in CBR, and families receiving ERDC, can look for a separate letter in the mailbox and email from DELC with a personal registration code.
  • These individuals can use their registration code and last name to set up their account. It is that simple!

If you are both a child care provider and your family receives ERDC benefits, you will get two separate pre-registration messages, one for each account. This is normal. Please make sure to pre-register both.

What You Can Do Now

Providers, individuals enrolled in the CBR, and families receiving ERDC: watch for your pre-registration letter in the mail and email. It will have the code you need to set up your account.

Be on the lookout for additional updates and next steps including information about enrolling in direct deposit with our new system!

Stay Connected

To stay up-to-date, please bookmark the Oregon ELMS webpage at oregon.gov/elms-info. DELC will continue to update the webpage with new information and resources. Thank you for the work you do for Oregon’s children and families.

Questions or feedback? Call 1 (800) 556-6616 or email delc.customerservice@delc.oregon.gov.

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

Reminder: The DELC Customer Service Survey is open until Sept 4, 2026

The DELC Customer Service Survey is open for feedback from various stakeholders. Complete it in multiple languages through provided links to enhance early care services.

The DELC Customer Service Survey is still open for your feedback! Please take a moment to share your experiences.  

This survey is for: 

  • early care and education providers,  
  • program grantees,  
  • Tribal organizations, and  
  • other external partners (e.g., research organizations). 

Here are the direct links to complete the survey: 

  1. For English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, and Arabic (by selecting the language at the top): https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/TbtuewKPwS    
  2. For Somali: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/5fWuCDYafa  

To learn more about this survey, please visit our website at Department of Early Learning and Care : Customer Service Survey : About Us : State of Oregon 

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

ERDC Waitlist Refresh Underway: Letters Sent to Families in August

The DELC is refreshing the ERDC waitlist. Families on the waitlist for over a year must confirm their status by October 31, 2026, to retain their place.

The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is conducting an ERDC Waitlist refresh. Families who have been on the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) waitlist for a year must confirm they want to stay on the waitlist by October 31, 2026, to keep their place. 

Providers can help families stay informed, if someone you know is on the ERDC waitlist, it’s important they remember respond to the refresh request letter. Families who do not respond will be removed from the waitlist. If removed, they will need to reapply for ERDC and if the waitlist is active they will receive a new waitlist number.

Starting in 2026, DELC will conduct an annual ERDC waitlist refresh each August, families should also keep their contact information updated with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). 

Other Supports While on the Waitlist 

Families waiting for ERDC may qualify for additional programs, such as:

  • Preschool Promise (PSP): Free, high-quality early education for children ages 3–5 in families at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. 
  • Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten (OPK): Free early care and education for families at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level. Children in foster care, experiencing houselessness, or receiving public assistance qualify regardless of income 
  • Baby Promise: This program is available in Multnomah, Crook, Jefferson, Deschutes, Coos, and Curry counties as well as Reedsport. It offers free, high-quality infant and toddler care and education to families who are Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) eligible. Families interested in Baby Promise may skip the ERDC waitlist and must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Limit. 

To explore child care resources in your area, contact 211 by dialing 211 or 1-866-698-6155, texting “children” to 898211, or emailing children@211info.org.

Questions? 

  • Call the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075  
  • Find your local ODHS office: ODHS Office Finder   
  • For free language assistance or other accommodations, contact the Department of Early Learning and Care at 1-800-556-6616 or DELC.SocialEquityTeam@DELC.Oregon.gov.  

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

The 2026 DELC Customer Service Survey is Now Open

The DELC Customer Service Survey invites direct care providers, tribal organizations, external partners, and regional service providers to participate in their preferred language.

We want to hear from you for the DELC Customer Service Survey. 
This survey should be filled out if you are a:

  • Direct care provider,
  • Tribal organization,
  • Contracted external partner, or
  • Regional service provider.

Please choose from the links below to take the survey in your preferred language.

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

August 2026 Community Newsletter

August 2026 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates.

A Message from leadership

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.

This month’s update from Director Alyssa Chatterjee

Happy Summer! With August here, Summer is whizzing past. It’s hard to believe the days are getting shorter and many young children will soon be starting at a new program, moving up to a new classroom, or transitioning to kindergarten. Here are a couple of quick highlights about what we’re working on here at DELC. We’ve also gotten the opportunity to take part in a handful of community events recently that you can read more about featured in the posts below.

Agency Request Budget (ARB)

I know I have been writing about this a lot, but it’s a big deal! We are in the final weeks of assembling our Agency Request Budget, the first step in the 27-29 budget process. As a reminder, this biennium’s guidance was to produce revenue-neutral budget requests (Policy Option Packages – POPs), which means any new resources DELC needs must be paid for within our existing budget. The final ARB will be posted online by September 1st.

Oregon ELMS

Oregon Early Learning Management System (ELMS) is our new system replacing child care payments for ERDC and our child care licensing system. This system has been years in the making, and we’re heading into the final phases of development, testing, and training. July was a really big milestone month for this project, with User Acceptability Testing (UAT) happening with internal DELC staff. UAT is a critical checkpoint that allows us to identify bugs and defects with enough time to implement solutions prior to system launch. Keep an eye out for pre-registration information as we get ready to launch this system on October 14th! 

Click below to view other Community Newsletter articles

DELC on Social: July Highlights

As we wrap up July, we’re taking a moment to look back at some highlights we shared on our social media channels throughout the month. If you haven’t already, we invite you to follow us on social media!

As we wrap up June, we’re taking a moment to look back at some highlights we shared on our social media channels throughout the month. If you haven’t already, we invite you to follow us on social media! It’s one of the easiest ways to stay up to date on child care resources, early learning news, and opportunities to get involved.

🔗 Follow us: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Department of Early Learning and Care update for Preschool Promise Program Request for Application (RFA)

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Preschool Promise program from eligible preschool programs in specific counties.

We are excited to announce the release of the 2026–2027 Preschool Promise (PSP) Eligible Provider List Request for Applications (RFA). 

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is seeking applications from preschool programs that are not currently participating in Preschool Promise and are located within the Eastern Oregon Early Learning Hub (Baker, Malheur, and Wallowa counties) and the Northwest Early Learning Hub (Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties) 

Preschool Promise slots are currently available, and providers placed on the Eligible Provider List will be considered for available slots and any additional slots that become available through June 30, 2027. Placement on the Eligible Provider List does not guarantee the award of Preschool Promise slots. 

Preschool Promise Funding 

PSP grant amounts are based on the number of slots awarded. Funding amounts include: 

  • Base amount: $16,000 per Preschool Promise slot per year 
  • Transportation enhancement: $1,150 per Preschool Promise slot per year (available to grantees that provide transportation services) 
  • One-time start-up amount: $2,040 per new Preschool Promise slot awarded 

Interested in Applying? 

Applicants may submit materials in English or Spanish. Applications must be received by 5:00 PM PST on Monday, August 17, 2026. 

To learn more about this opportunity, eligibility requirements, and the application process, please visit the Preschool Promise RFA. 

What does it mean to be on the Preschool Promise waitlist?   

If you apply to be a part of the Preschool Promise program and are placed on the PSP Eligible Provider List, you have the chance to be chosen for PSP slots for the 2026-2027 program year.  

What is Preschool Promise (PSP)?  

Preschool Promise is a high-quality, publicly funded preschool program that serves families living at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and children in foster care. Preschool Promise is delivered in a variety of settings, including centers, homes, and schools. 

Visit the Preschool Promise RFA

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles

Celebrating the Willamette Valley JATC Early Learning Apprenticeship Graduates

The Willamette Valley JATC Graduation celebrated 14 diverse graduates committed to enhancing Oregon’s early learning workforce, highlighting collaboration among various partners to improve child care access.

The recent Willamette Valley JATC Registered Apprenticeship Program Graduation, serving Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties, brought together an inspiring and diverse group of graduates and the partners who supported them throughout their journey. Early educators, families, children, early learning organizations, training institutions, community programs, and state and local agencies gathered to celebrate a milestone that reflects both individual dedication and collective investment in the future of early childhood education.

During the ceremony, 14 graduates from diverse backgrounds, experiences, languages, and early learning settings were recognized for completing a rigorous registered apprenticeship pathway and for their commitment to strengthening Oregon’s early learning workforce. Their achievements were supported through partnerships that provided coaching, financial support, on-the-job learning, training, college coursework, and mentorship. Representatives from partner organizations joined in honoring the graduates and highlighting how collaboration can expand access to high-quality child care across the region.

Speakers emphasized that this graduating cohort represents a new generation of early learning professionals helping shape a stronger, more sustainable, and more representative child care system. Their journey demonstrated what is possible when employers, training partners, workforce programs, community organizations, and state initiatives work together toward a shared goal.

The event closed with gratitude, pride, and excitement for the graduates’ next steps. These newly graduated professionals are entering the field with strengthened skills, expanded knowledge, and the support of a partnership-driven pathway that helped make their success possible.

Click below to view other Child Care Update articles