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.
To participate in this study, you are being asked to verify your program rates and capacity.
What is the Market Price & Supply Study?
The Oregon Market Price & Supply Study (MPSS) focuses on collecting information about the price and supply of child care in Oregon.
To participate in this study, you are being asked to verify your program rates and capacity.
Please see the flier below to learn more about this opportunity! You can view the flier in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Somali, and Arabic.
Families and care givers can use 211info to find local child care resources and child care providers in their area!
211info is a resource for communities finding support to identify, navigate, and connect with the local resources they need. Families and care givers can use 211info to find local child care resources and child care providers in their area!
How do I contact 211info’s Child Care line? Dial 211. Listen to the prompt for Child Care and press the specified number (the number can vary by region).
Text the keyword “children” or “niños” to 898211 (TXT211)
HOURS: Monday – Friday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How long does it take for 211info’s Child Care staff to return calls? If a specialist is not available there is an option to leave a voicemail. The Child Care Team has 24 hours to follow up with callers. Most calls are returned within an hour or two of leaving a message.
How are child care referrals provided to families? 211info staff ask the person requesting referrals what would work best for them. Referrals can be given via phone, email, text, or mail.
What if a caller does not speak English? 211 has bilingual staff on the phones and also has access to multiple translation service/language lines with over 240 languages available.
When I searched using the FCCO online tool I was not successful at getting a list. What can I do? The public can contact 211 directly for help with finding child care. Staff will provide you with a customized list of child care referrals in your area.
Can 211 help me find financial assistance for Child Care in Oregon? 211info staff can refer families to programs that are free to eligible clientele and/or help with the cost of care such as Employment Related Day Care, Preschool Promise, Baby Promise and Head Start. We can also find providers that offer discounts, sliding scale fees or scholarships.
Can the Child Care Team recommend a quality child care program? 211 staff can provide referrals but we cannot make recommendations. 211 gives a full range of child care options and tools to help parents choose a provider that best meets their individual family needs.
Why does 211 give referrals to providers who are full? It is not guaranteed that the providers on our referral lists have openings. Although the local CCRR’s often update the child care provider information, vacancies can change daily. Parents must contact providers directly to find out if they have an opening.
Does 211info add and update the Child Care Provider Listings? Providers must contact their local Child Care Resource and Referral to update their listing. 211info’s Child Care Team can help providers locate the CCRR in their area. Click below to view other Child Care Update articles
We are collecting statewide experiences of childcare providers to identify which resources providers have access to, rely on, gaps in available resources, desired technical assistance, and other resources providers need to inform the development of a suspension and expulsion prevention program (SEPP).
Please take this survey and share your experience as a Child Care Provider in Oregon. We are collecting statewide experiences of childcare providers to identify which resources providers have access to, rely on, gaps in available resources, desired technical assistance, and other resources providers need to inform the development of a suspension and expulsion prevention program (SEPP). Your response will be anonymized and no personal, identifiable information will be shared.
The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a $25 digital gift card once your status as a child care provider is confirmed. The results of the survey will be available to the public by January 2025.
If you are a child care provider, and interested in taking the survey please email the DELC research team at delc.research@delc.oregon.gov to receive the survey link.
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Oregon conducts a Market Price & Supply Study (MPSS) every two years to understand the current prices and supply of child care across the state.
Oregon conducts a Market Price & Supply Study (MPSS) every two years to understand the current prices and supply of child care across the state. By participating, you help Oregon leaders have the information they need to make policy decisions, such as setting subsidy rates and investing in child care supply.
The 2024 study will be conducted between October 1 – December 31. You will be asked to verify the rates you charge for your program and current child care capacity. This can be done in the Find Child Care Oregon (FCCO) Provider Portal or through your local CCR&R. Your program information is combined with other facilities for local and state decision-making purposes. Price information is not shared with parents and is reported without identifiable program information.
The study is a partnership between your local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R), The Research Institute at Western Oregon University, Oregon State University, and the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC).
Watch for more information from your Child Care Resource & Referral in early October!
Learn more about previous Market Price and Supply studies by clicking on the documents below!
Let’s celebrate Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) and Early Head Start programs!
Launched in 1965, Head Start programs promote children’s development through services that support early learning, health, and family well-being. Let’s celebrate Oregon Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) and Early Head Start programs!
We are happy to share that the 2023 Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Provider Survey Report is now available.
We are happy to share that the 2023 Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Provider Survey Report is now available. This survey is the fourth in a series of surveys that asks early care and education (ECE) professionals questions about themselves, their work and well-being, and the families they serve. The survey also collects information about what can help or hinder programs providing ECE to children and their families.
We want to thank the 2,705 professionals across Oregon who shared their thoughts and experiences. The report highlights the challenges that ECE programs face in finding, retaining, and compensating staff; the high levels of job-related stress experienced by members of the workforce; the challenges in accessing training and supports related to supporting children with perceived challenging behaviors; racial disparities in rates of suspension and expulsion; and the opportunities to improve Professional Development opportunities available to providers.
The authors of this report offer recommendations that will help to guide the Department of Early Learning and Care’s (DELC) continuous improvement work, keeping provider perspectives at the core.
The Provider Survey was conducted by Portland State’s Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services and Oregon Social Learning Center Developments, Inc., and it was funded by the Preschool Development Grant. DELC would like to thank these research partners for their collaboration and commitment to improving the Early Childhood Education system.
On Monday, September 30, DELC staff joined in observance of National Orange Shirt Day, a day of both remembrance and celebration of resilience.
On Monday, September 30, DELC staff joined in observance of National Orange Shirt Day, a day of both remembrance and celebration of resilience. The day honored the Indigenous children in the United States and Canada who endured the harrowing experiences of Indian Boarding/residential schools, where they were pressured to abandon their rich cultural identities in favor of assimilation. The day also served as a solemn reminder of the trauma caused by these schools, and also a celebration of the strength and spirit of the survivors.
Each year, on National Orange Shirt Day, the American Indian and Alaska Native communities stand together in solidarity, acknowledging the devastating impacts that the Indian boarding school system in the U.S. had on many Tribal families, and honoring the diversity that enriches our world and fostering connections built on understanding and respect. Each story and experience are part of the intricate tapestry of Tribal culture—a culture that thrives on diversity, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of its people. It is a call to support survivors and actively combat all forms of racism, including systemic injustice and bullying. Together, we can help cultivate a society that cherishes the beauty of Tribal culture and diversity, ensuring that our collective past informs a brighter, more inclusive future.
Orange Shirt Day opens the door to crucial conversations about the impacts of the Indian boarding/residential school system, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue about the legacy that persists today. It is not only a day of remembrance but also an opportunity to uplift survivors and affirm their stories and experiences. The mantra “Every Child Matters” resonates deeply, reminding us that the journey toward healing includes everyone, regardless of age or background.
Each year on September 30, we encourage you to wear orange in support of Indian Boarding/residential school survivors, to honor the children who never returned home, and to promote reconciliation.
October 2024 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates
A Message from the Director
I can’t believe we are officially entering the Fall season! Another month has flown by, and I am excited to share some of my high points with you all as we close out September.
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Our October Update
Culture Assessment We have conducted an in-depth culture assessment of the agency with the support of Workplace Change. We were able to share our plans to respond to this assessment with DELC staff a couple of weeks ago, and are in the process of developing a dashboard to track out progress. As a new agency, DELC has a tremendous opportunity to be intentional in our work, the internal structures and processes we develop, and the culture we want to foster across our teams. Our Executive Leadership Team is committed to living our agency values of equity, integrity and continuous improvement and look forward to sharing more information in the coming months!
Hunt Institute I had the opportunity to travel with Kate Denison, Government Affairs Manager, as well as the Governor’s Office, Rep. Hoa Nguyen, Rep. Lucetta Elmer, and The Children’s Institute to spend two and a half days talking about and thinking about early learning alongside all 50 states and territories. We heard from leaders from across the country as they shared innovative ideas for increasing access to preschool and child care, along with the importance of the early years on a child’s long-term development. We also got to have State Team time to think about priorities for the next legislative session. While the days were long, it was a great reminder for me to pause and focus on relationship building not just within Oregon, but with our partner agencies in other states as well.
Head Start Awareness Month This month is Head Start Awareness Month! Head Start has been serving children and families across the country since 1965. Recognizing the tremendous impact of this two-generation program, Oregon created the Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten program (Oregon Prekindergarten at the time) to duplicate the federal Head Start model with state funds. Now, thousands of families are benefiting from these services across the state. You can learn more about Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten/Head Start on our website: https://www.oregon.gov/delc/programs/Pages/head-start-opk.aspx.
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September 2024 Department of Early Learning and Care Updates
A Message from the Director
Welcome to the September edition of the Community Newsletter! I cannot believe how quickly this summer flew by. As we return to school after a Labor Day weekend and begin a new year of programming, I hope you have had time to relax and take advantage of the Oregon sunshine. August was another busy month, and there are a few items I wanted to highlight for you all as summer comes to a close.
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 September Update
Agency Request Budget All agencies are required to release an Agency Request Budget (ARB) for the 2025-27 biennium by September 1, 2024. ARBs are meant to inform the executive branch budget. Our team is working to submit ours and provide an updated webpage with more information by next week. This biennium’s ARB is more closely tied to the forecasted available revenue for next biennium. Based on what we know today, state economists project a limited budget environment for next biennium and agencies are limited to a 1% cap for any new General Fund investments. For DELC, that means a little under $6 million is available for us to propose investments for, outside of any Federal Fund requests. As a new agency, we still have a lot of foundational work to do to meet the needs of the children, families, and providers we serve. Because of this, we have focused these investments on internal operations to help us meet the Governor’s expectations around customer service. We also have some recommended investments to expand our licensing capacity using Federal Funds.
Finally, there were a few areas of priority for the Governor that were exempt from the 1% cap: housing, behavioral health, and education/early literacy. For DELC, that means the Birth Through Five Literacy Plan that was established by the legislature via HB 3198. So, in addition to our operational and licensing requests, we also have a request to promote early literacy supports through existing program infrastructure in response to community input. We have highlighted a number of additional areas that may need investment, but this is just the first phase of the budget development process. The next big milestone will be the Governor’s Recommended Budget, or GRB, which will not be a mirror image of agency ARBs. The GRB will be strengthened and informed by what agencies put forward, balanced to the December forecast (released in November). The GRB will be released on December 1, 2024, and will be the next big piece before the legislative session kicks off next year.
Separate from budget, we are working with legislative counsel to draft potential legislative concepts for technical fixes that could move forward as bills. We’ll receive drafts of those bills in late October and then work to determine whether these concepts are moving forward in the legislative session. If so, those bills would drop in January before the session kicks off. More to come!
Employment Related Day Care During the 2024 legislative session, the legislature allocated an additional $71 million through a Special Purpose Appropriation (SPA) to ensure we are able to pay for service for the families currently enrolled in the ERDC program. Because this program had undergone so many changes in 2023, we wanted to have at least one year of data without any major policy changes to be able to model future budgetary impacts. We’re closing in on that one-year mark since taking over the program on July 1, 2023. The waitlist that went into effect in November 2023 has definitely slowed the growth of the program, although we do see some small, continued growth each month.
We are continuing to track the growth of the caseload and associated budget impacts and will prepare to make a request to the Emergency Board – also known as E-Board – in December for a portion of the SPA. This will enable us to stay within budget for the remainder of the biennium but will not allow us to take families off of the waitlist. We know the critical role that high quality, accessible child care plays in our communities and will continue to balance access to services while working within our available budget.
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