Tag: Early learning

2022 Statewide Household Survey Report Released Examining Early Education and Childcare Needs  

Mom and dad and their two young children sit around a field after playing some family soccer together. The oldest, an elementary-age boy, has his arm around mom and has a big smile on his face. Little sister is pointing up at the sky.

The 2022 Statewide Household Survey Report has been released. The Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Research Team at Portland State University’s Center for the Improvement of Child and Family Services (PSU) and OSLC Developments, Inc. (ODI) has published the report, which presents the results of the third statewide survey administered to parents and other caregivers of children aged 0 to 5. The survey was conducted from December 2022 through January 2023. The findings provide important information about the needs for child care and the challenges to finding care currently faced by Oregon families.

The results of the 2022 survey echo those of the 2019 and 2020 surveys in finding that both the cost and availability of child care continue to be challenges for most Oregon families. One of the most striking findings is that 41% of families report challenges finding child care have had an negative impact on their employment. The report also finds an increase in the number of families reporting that their child has been asked to leave an early learning program.

Researchers conducted outreach to over 400 agencies and organizations to reach families from across the state. Specific focus was given to outreach to agencies serving historically underrepresented communities and those in more isolated rural regions of the state. Families across Oregon’s 36 counties were invited to participate in the survey. Nearly 4000 parents, guardians and primary caregivers of young children provided feedback about their early education and child care needs.

Specifically, the 2022 survey focused on information about:  

  1. Families’ usage of child care, including type, frequency, and hours of care;
  2. Families’ satisfaction and challenges with finding child care for their child, as well as whether the services obtained were responsive to the family’s cultural background and/or home language;
  3. Whether children with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), developmental disabilities, or chronic medical needs were able to access services they needed;
  4. Rates of suspension and expulsions from early childhood care experienced by families and reasons for these experiences.

The latest results show an important representative snapshot that will allow the new Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) to determine how the landscape of early care and education (ECE) services and supports has remained the same and what trends have changed in recent years.

The recommendations presented in the report will be used to strengthen the reach and impact of Oregon’s birth-five early learning and support system moving forward after the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was made possible by a Preschool Development Grant which expired last year. Future family surveys that measure the needs of Oregon families may not be possible without additional funding.

To read the full report and see survey data, visit the DELC website Oregon.gov/DELC and search under 2022 Household Survey.

The DELC research staff and the PDG Research Team would like to thank all those who participated in the survey for sharing their needs, experiences, and perspectives.

Five things Oregon families should know about the Employment Related Day Care program and upcoming waitlist. 

If you want to learn more, visit Oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC. 

woman wearing blue top beside table
Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com
  1.  Families who need help paying for child care should apply for ERDC by 11:59 p.m. on November 3, 2023. 

The Employment Related Day Care program (ERDC) helps eligible families who are working, in school, or receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pay for child care, including registration fees. You can apply in the following ways: 
● Visit Benefits.Oregon.gov 
● Go to your local office 
● Call 1-800-699-9075 

  1. If you are already using the ERDC program, you will continue to get benefits after November 3, 2023. 

To keep your ERDC, be sure to renew your benefits on time. You will get a notice when it’s time for you to renew. You can start your renewal 45 days before your eligibility period ends by:  

  1. You may skip the waitlist if your family has specific needs. 

Some families can skip the waitlist, including:  

  • Families reapplying for ERDC within two months of benefits ending  
  • Families getting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)  
  • Families getting Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS)  
  • Families who got TANF or TA-DVS within 3 months of applying for ERDC  
  • Families referred by the Oregon Department of Human Services Division of Child Welfare  
  1. After November 3, 2023, you can still apply for the ERDC program.

After November 3, 2023, you can secure your spot on the waitlist or be screened to skip it. You can apply in the following ways:. 
● Visit Benefits.Oregon.gov 
● Go to your local office 
● Call 1-800-699-9075 

  1. The Department of Early Learning and Care has other programs that can help.  

It’s unclear how long the waitlist will last but it could be 18 months or more. If you need support paying for child care, please call 211  or contact your local  Early Learning Hub to apply for other affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs.  

Go to Oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC to learn more and check out the Waitlist FAQs. You can also click the resource guides below to get more information about different programs:  

ERDC Family Resource Guide 

English | Spanish | Russian | Chinese | Vietnamese 

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. 

Department of Early Learning and Care to oversee programs and services related to early education and child care throughout Oregon


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2023

New agency positions the state as a national leader in designing early learning and care systems to better meet the needs of children and families

SALEM, ORE – The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) officially launched July 1, 2023, aiming to unify, strengthen, and expand Oregon’s early learning and care system for families and child care professionals. The agency brings together the Early Learning Division (ELD) and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program to create one central agency for early care and education policy and program administration.

“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 national 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 in the journey to strengthen and unify Oregon’s early learning and care system.”

ELD was a division of the Oregon Department of Education, and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) was a program of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) that helps families pay for child care. 

Certain ERDC changes also took effect on 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.

Additionally, 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 addition to the name change, DELC launched a new website: oregon.gov/DELC and a new brand that celebrates the relationship between child care professionals and the families they serve.  

 The transition started after the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 3073 in 2021. The launch of DELC is the culmination of over a decade of work, including extensive community input, to center children and families and strengthen the early learning system in Oregon. 

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 systems.

Over the next few years, unifying these agencies and programs under 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
  • Promote culturally-specific and family-centered resources, services, and programs for families and child care professionals

Chatterjee says  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.

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. 

Media Contact: Christina Cortez-Bannick, Christina.Cortez-Bannick@DELC.oregon.gov

Download a PDF of this Press ReLEASE

ODE Seeking Director of Communications

The Oregon Department of Education is seeking an innovative and dynamic executive to lead our Communication’s Office. This position is a Principal Executive/Manager F, full-time, and serves on the agency’s management team. The purpose of this position is to provide agency leadership with a comprehensive public affairs program.  To accomplish this, the Director of Communications oversees the development and implementation of internal and external communication plans that aligns with ODE’s strategic direction.

This position serves on the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction’s management team and works closely with the Deputy Superintendent, Chief of Staff and ODE’s assistant superintendents to develop and implement strategic communications internally and externally for the agency and provide public affairs expertise and recommendations.

Learn more about the position and how to apply here. Please help us spread the word about this exciting opportunity.

Working for Outcomes for Children: The 5 Minute Story

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For everyone in early education and the early learning sphere, this short snapshot outlines the need to focus on building caregiver capabilities and strengthening communities. Give it a look and share your thoughts!

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