On March 6th, the Early Learning Division conducted a webinar on Family Engagement and Equity and building an Action Plan to Engage families as core partners in the work to prepare all children for school and decrease disparities.
Watch the video
Download the PowerPoint
Download the Equity Assessment Tool
If you were not able to join the Early Learning Hub Outcome Metrics Webinar, please follow the link below:
Watch the Webinar
Download the PowerPoint
You can find our most recent Technical Assistance Webinars at the Technical Assistance: Policy & Programs portion of our Tools & Resources page.
The Early Learning Council has received letters of support around Oregon’s Kindergarten Assessment. If you were not able to join us at the February 13th meeting, please find the letters of support below.
Comments from Bill Stewart, Gladstone School District
A Research Perspective on Oregon’s Kindergarten Assessment
Oregon’s KRA an Important Beginning by Swati Adarkar, Children’s Institute
If you were not able to join us, you can still watch the Technical Assistance Webinars around the Oregon Early Literacy Grant and Early Learning Kindergarten Readiness Partnership & Innovation Program using the links below.
February 10, 2014 Oregon Early Literacy Grant Technical Assistance Webinar
February 11, 2014 Kindergarten Partnership & Innovation Program Technical Assistance Webinar
All questions and inquiries may be directed to Brett Walker with the Early Learning Division by email at brett.walker@state.or.us or by phone at 503.378.5160.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new strategic investment that will strengthen Oregon’s early learning system and improve outcomes for children throughout the state.
Early Learning Kindergarten Readiness Partnership & Innovation Program
The Early Learning Kindergarten Readiness Partnership and Innovation Program will invest in promising models for early learning/K-12 education across the state, and promote community and school partnerships that result in measurable increases in children’s readiness for kindergarten. Additionally, this grant program will help to build a body of evidence that Oregon can use to create replicable models for improving alignment between its early learning and K-12 education systems.
Any K-12 school district, Education Service District, nonprofit organization, post-secondary institution, Early Learning Hub, or collaboration thereof may apply for funds. There is no minimum or maximum funding amount.
Please visit the following link to view the Request for Applications.
The Early Learning Division will offer two technical assistance webinars for potential applicants. Dates, times, and links are listed below. Pre-registration is not required.
February 11 2:00 – 3:00 PM
https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=269346327&UID=0&RT=MiM0
February 26 2:00 – 4:00 PM
https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=269347637&UID=0&RT=MiM0M
All questions and inquiries may be directed to Brett Walker with the Early Learning Division by email at brett.walker@state.or.us or by phone at 503.378.5160.
Per HB 2013, the Early Learning Division has submitted a report to the Oregon Legislature providing an update on Early Learning Hubs. You may view and download the report here.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new strategic investment that will strengthen Oregon’s early learning system and improve outcomes for children throughout the state. The Oregon Early Literacy Grant will provide communities with resources to increase connections between early learning and elementary schools and improve children’s kindergarten readiness and third grade reading proficiency. The information below provides an overview, as well as a link to the Request for Applications, for the grant program.
Oregon Early Literacy Grant
The goals of the Oregon Early Literacy Grant program are to improve children’s kindergarten readiness and, ultimately, third grade reading proficiency. We are seeking applications for early literacy partnerships that will build the capacity of adults to engage in high quality reading experiences with children, expand reading opportunities for children, increase the frequency with which children are read to in the home, and expand access to books, libraries, and/or materials and curriculum that promote early literacy.
We anticipate awarding approximately twenty-five grants through this program.
Early Learning Hubs, providers of early childhood services, nonprofit organizations, libraries, school districts and public schools or a collaboration thereof are eligible to submit proposals. Early Learning Hubs may apply for up to $100,000. All other applicants may applicants for up to $50,000.
Please visit the following link to view the Request for Applications.
The Early Learning Division will offer two technical assistance webinars for potential applicants. Dates, times, and links are listed below. Pre-registration is not required.
February 10 2:00 – 3:00 PM
https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=269346222&UID=0&RT=MiM0
February 28 2:00 – 3:00 PM
https://oregoned.webex.com/oregoned/j.php?ED=269347532&UID=0&RT=MiM0
All questions and inquiries may be directed to Brett Walker with the Early Learning Division by email at brett.walker@state.or.us or by phone at 503.378.5160.
Jada Rupley, Director of Oregon’s Early Learning Division
A visit with some great staff and a quality provider in Redmond
Photo 1 – (left to right) – Amy Ibarra, licensing specialist; Henry Oliva, regional manager; and Brian Gerold, licensing specialist.
Photo 2 – (left to right) – Amy Ibarra, licensing specialist; Kristin Homan, Owner/Director of Evergreen Academy; and Henry Oliva, regional manager.
It was a beautiful day to drop in at the Evergreen Academy this week to meet the owner, Kristin Homan, and a few of the ELD staff who work in the area, Henry Oliva, regional manager, and licensing specialists, Amy Ybarra and Brian Gerold.
It really helps to actually walk through these quality facilities and experience the services they’re providing to the children. Reports and statistics are great but to see it all in person brings a new personal meaning to all the work ELD staff has been doing.
Evergreen Academy is currently rated as one of the more than 350 QRIS Committed to Quality programs in Oregon. With the support and resources being offered to this group, they can qualify for a star-rated designation. All of the programs will offer their communities excellent services but more stars simply means a more diverse menu of programs and staff qualifications.
For me, it was a real pleasure to witness the great relationship between a program like Evergreen Academy and the ELD. It shows the progress being made in this new period of improvement and organization. It made me proud to see their commitment to quality and to receive good feedback on our process from the busy providers working with our children.
During the next few months, I’ll be making more visits to programs and ELD offices around Oregon. I’ll be sharing the stories of accomplishments and challenges, and the people that make it all work.
I hope you enjoy the ride.
Jada
If you missed the December 20, 2013 K-3 Formative Assessment Consotrium Webinar, you can watch it Watch the here, or on the Kindergarten Assessment homepage.
During the 2013 Legislative Session, the Oregon Legislature passed bills that provide funding for two important investments in Oregon’s earliest learners.
House Bill 3232 established the Oregon Early Reading Program, which includes funds to be directed by the Early Learning Council for the purpose of strengthening early literacy among children ages 0-6 and with the intention of improving children’s kindergarten readiness and third grade reading proficiency. House Bill 2013 created the Early Learning Kindergarten Readiness Partnership & Innovation Fund, which is also directed by the Early Learning Council, and which will provide funding for communities to pilot innovative approaches for linking early learning and kindergarten.
We anticipate that the requests for proposal for each of these programs will open in early 2014. Please check back in this space for additional information and updates. If you have questions about either of these two strategic investments, please contact Brett Walker, Early Learning Initiatives Coordinator, in the Early Learning Division. Brett can be reached by email at brett.walker@state.or.us or by phone at 503.378.5160.
