A Message from leadership
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This month’s update from Director Alyssa Chatterjee
Happy New Year! I have returned from maternity leave. I had an amazing four months with my new little family, and I could not have enjoyed that time without the support of my team. Jumping back into the Chatterjee Chats, you’ll still get to hear from Carey McCann throughout the year – especially as we get ready for the 2026 Legislative Short Session. Here are a few things that are top of mind for me as I am jumping back in:
Legislative Session
As we head into the six-week short session, DELC will be ready to triage and distribute any legislative bills that may impact the programs and services we provide. This is a fast and furious time, while we simultaneously begin preparing for the 2027 legislative session. Let the whirlwind begin!
Budget
On February 3, Cooper Brown and I will be giving a presentation to the Joint Ways & Means Subcommittee on Education (our budget committee) to review underspend from last biennium. In this context, underspend refers to the funds that were unspent by the end of the biennium. Some underspend is common amongst agencies, but as a new agency with one biennium officially under our belt, we are poised to make improvements to ensure we maximize the funding that goes out the door in service of our communities.
Immigration
Oregon continues to be a Sanctuary State, and Governor Kotek has made her commitment to that status clear. If you haven’t already, you can listen to her remarks from an immigration roundtable that she convened last weekend. As we continue to navigate the uncertainty and fear that we, and our communities, are experiencing, I am buoyed by the Governor’s commitments and our vision that all children, families, early care and education professionals, and communities are supported and empowered to thrive.
Oregon Early Learning Management System
I have to say, this project was a really exciting one to come back to. There has been so much progress since I left as the team hurtles towards a summer launch of the Oregon Early Learning Management System (Oregon ELMS)! I know how excited folks are to see what Oregon ELMS can do. Stay tuned for more information regarding rollout and trainings.
Carey’s Corner: What Am I Reading
With the New Year as a time when many reflect on the past year and set intentions for the upcoming year, I was looking back at what we’ve been reading and listening to in 2025. I would like to highlight Elliot Haspel’s book, Raising a Nation:10 Reasons Every American Has a Stake in Child Care For All. This book offers a combination of real-life stories, history, and policy analysis. It presents a case for the importance of child care. There is a 30-minute interview with Haspel by the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children that can be watched here. And, New America offers an excerpt of the book on their website. He explores the “very human activity” that all early learning and care settings offer across our country in fostering the development of young children, supporting families to thrive by having meaningful choices, and contributing to our communities’ assets and well-being.