News

Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America) recently announced that the Healthy Families America (HFA) affiliate, Healthy Families Oregon (HFO), has been reaccredited as a provider of high-quality home visiting services to families who want to learn about building a strong relationship with their baby and improving their child’s health, nutrition,…

The Early Learning Division (ELD) is partnering with six Oregon Pre-kindergarten (OPK) Head Start grantees to offer extended services to participating children and families beginning in the 2018-19 program year. ELD will provide additional funds to grantees to transition 170 enrollment slots from part-day to extended-day services. Along with the…

Thank you to Governor Kate Brown for proclaiming October as Head Start Awareness Month. The Early Learning Division is excited to celebrate Head Start Awareness Month. This is the time of year that Oregon Head Start Pre-Kindergarten programs from across the state connect with their partners to share about exciting…

Save the date - October 27th, 2017 (9 am to 3:30 pm) Teen-Parent Program Conference 6th Annual Teen-Parent Program Fall Conference 2017 The Teen-Parent Program Conference is organized by the Early Learning Division of the Oregon Department of Education  to gather staff involved with coordination and day-to-day work of Teen Parent…

The Early Learning Division to Launch Website Promoting Brain Building in Children (Salem, Ore.) – The Early Learning Division with the Oregon Department of Education is launching a website, Brain Building Oregon, to promote brain building in children from birth to five years old. The new site features 12 resources…

Early Learning Hubs across the State Will Implement Preschool Promise (Salem, Ore.) – Oregon’s innovative free preschool program, Preschool Promise, begins this month with rolling starting dates across the state. Oregon’s mixed delivery preschool pilot supports children and families living at 200 percent of the poverty level. Preschool Promise will…

Updated: July 11, 2016 As many of you know, Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill 3380, the creation of a new, publicly-funded, high quality preschool system in 2015. The model leverages high-quality, local and culturally-relevant early child care and education programs to help make preschool more widely available. By incorporating a “mixed…

The Early Learning Division is currently engaged in work to implement the Preschool Promise program enacted by the Legislature in 2015. Part of implementation will include promulgation of Oregon Administrative Rules to govern the program. The Early Learning Council will begin consideration draft rule language on March 16, 2016. The…

The Preschool Promise report to the Legislature is out. Take a look to learn more about the implementation process for this program. Read more here.

Oregon Head Start Pre-Kindergarten (OPK) is receiving a portion of the funding designated for mixed-delivery beginning in the first year of the 2015-2017 biennium. This additional funding will be used to 1) cover the cost of maintaining current service levels following the 2014-15 OPK expansion, 2) provide all OPK programs with…

Oregon learned this week that it was not selected to receive a Race to the Top–Preschool Development Grant. The grant would have funded high-quality preschool for an additional 1,365 income-eligible children in Oregon. The model outlined in Oregon’s grant application relied on Head Start, private preschools, community-based organizations and schools…

The Early Learning Division had a small pot of funds available to support the expansion of current OPK/Head Start programs. Grant recipients were announced in June 2014. In the spirit of transparency, you can see all of the grants and scoring results here. Grant Proposals Scoring

Please take a minute to read OPB's latest article on the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). In 2012, Oregon received $20 million to help rebuild our early learning system, with a particular focus on promoting quality early learning environments in child care settings. As you will read, Oregon's QRIS…

Thank you for your interest in the federal Early Head Start Child Care Partnership funding opportunity. Alignment and coordination of applications with state early learning systems will ensure that we achieve the best possible outcomes for as many children as possible in Oregon.  The document below is designed to support…

Governor Kitzhaber today gathered with Representatives Val Hoyle and Nancy Nathanson to visit a Eugene early learning provider certified by the Oregon Early Learning Division’s rating system for qualified early learning and child care facilities. Friendship House Preschool is one of 39 sites statewide that has received a star rating…

There are several temporary child care rules in effect and the OCC has started the process to make them permanent. Public Comment period is now open and a Public Hearing is scheduled for 3/6/19. Click here to open the Child Care Rule page for more information.

The Office of State Fire Marshal recently moved to a new website and the link to the Renewal of License Fire Safety Inspection Form in OCC renewal/pre-cert packets (LIC-346A) is no longer active. The following links are updated and working: State Fire Marshal Website Licensed Facilities Referral for Fire Safety…

Applies To: Vulnerable Populations of the City of Salem, City of Turner, Suburban East Salem Water District, and Orchard Heights Water Association Does Not Apply To: Healthy individuals over 6, Keizer, Private drinking water wells Results from water quality samples received Wednesday morning (June 6, 2018) indicate that cyanotoxins are…

DO NOT DRINK THE TAP WATER – MAY 29, 2018 INFANTS, YOUNG CHILDREN, AND OTHER VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS Applies to City of Salem, City of Turner, Suburban East Salem Water District, and Orchard Heights Water Association https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/drinking-water-advisory.aspx   WHY IS THERE AN ADVISORY? Low levels of cylindrospermopsin and microcystin (cyanotoxins) have…

The Early Learning Division received notification from the Consumer Product Safety Commission of a recall on widely used Kidde brand fire extinguishers. Please take time to check your fire extinguisher to see if it is part of the recall. Below is the recall summary. For more details and images of…

OAR Chapter 414, Division 180. The Early Learning Council will begin rulemaking to amend rules governing license-exempt child care providers accepting federal subsidies. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 requires states and territories to conduct health and safety monitoring inspections for all child care providers who…

When the Office of Child Care receives a completed Central Background Registry application form and fee, and there are no issues, processing time is normally 3-5 business days from the date the form is received at Central Office before the letter for fingerprinting is mailed out.  (During the busy season of late-July thru October, process time…

At the April 27, 2017 Early Learning Council meeting, the Council adopted the charter for and directed the Early Learning Division to convene a Child Care Statutory Authority Workgroup. A copy of the charter can be found here. The Workgroup is scheduled to convene its first meeting on Thursday, June…

The Oregon Department of Education released results last week from the fourth annual Kindergarten Assessment (KA). The assessment is given each fall to entering kindergarteners and provides a snapshot of students’ foundational skills in three core areas of learning and development: early literacy, early math, and approaches to learning. “At Early…

You are invited to apply! The Early Learning Division is now accepting Requests for Application to be a Child Care Resource and Referral partner in the following service delivery areas: Region County(ies) SDA Multnomah Multnomah SDA Marion-Polk-Yamhill Marion, Polk, Yamhill SDA Washington Washington SDA Clackamas Clackamas SDA North Coast Clatsop,…

The Early Learning Council will begin formal rulemaking to amend rules governing license-exempt child care providers accepting federal subsidies. The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 requires states and territories to conduct health and safety monitoring inspections for all child care providers who accept federal funding from…

The Early Learning Council will begin rulemaking to revise administrative rules relating to enrollment in the Central Background Registry established pursuant to ORS 329A.030. The Early Learning Division, Office of Child Care (OCC) administers the Central Background Registry (CBR) pursuant to ORS 329A.030. OCC conducts background checks on individuals associated…

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) was notified by the Portland Water Bureau (PWB) confirming that lead levels in the Portland water service area had recently exceeded federal standards. As public health officials and the agency responsible for regulating lead levels in municipal drinking water systems, OHA directed the PWB to…

Eugene, Oregon | The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) encourages students statewide to apply now for grants and scholarships at OregonStudentAid.gov. OSAC awards more than $80 million each year in state-funded grants and privately funded scholarships to help students meet their college expenses. More…

Be Seen. Be Safe. Dress bright morning and night As daylight saving time ends Sunday morning, Nov. 6, TriMet and our partners want to remind everybody to turn clocks back an hour, change the batteries in smoke detectors and increase safety when walking and biking. During the darker months, TriMet…

The Early Learning Council announced today the two recipients of the 2017 Lynne Angland Award. The Lynne Angland Award recognizes people and organizations who improve safety, quality, affordability and access to child care in Oregon at both the state and local levels. Lynne Angland was a passionate visionary dedicated to…

If  you are interested in receiving news from the Early Learning Division, you should subscribe to our mailing list! If you are already subscribed to our mailing list, you can update your preferences by following the link above. We want to start or continue sending you information that you care…

Eugene, Oregon | The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) encourages students statewide to apply now for grants and scholarships at OregonStudentAid.gov. OSAC awards more than $80 million each year in state-funded grants and privately funded scholarships to help students meet their college expenses. More…

Early Learning Hubs across the State Will Implement Preschool Promise (Salem, Ore.) – Oregon’s innovative free preschool program, Preschool Promise, begins this month with rolling starting dates across the state. Oregon’s mixed delivery preschool pilot supports children and families living at 200 percent of the poverty level. Preschool Promise will…

There is a growing recognition that achieving third grade success requires a strong continuum of support starting with prenatal development through third grade (P-3). Oregon’s Early Learning Division and Department of Education are partnering with The Children’s Institute, Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), The Ford Family Foundation, and Portland State University…

The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 (CCDBG) requires states to develop health and safety requirements for all child care facilities that accept reimbursement through Child Care and Development Fund subsidy payments. Oregon Revised Statutes 329A.505 authorizes the Office of Child Care to conduct on-site inspections when…

The Early Learning Council will begin formal rulemaking to implement the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. The Act requires states and territories to conduct health and safety monitoring inspections for all child care providers who accept federal funding from the Child Care and Development Fund. The…

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) is pleased to issue the Request for Proposal (RFP) to focus on the achievement of Oregon’s African American/Black students. The programs and services to be provided under the grant will support African American and Black students to have access to a range of knowledge, skills, and abilities that will…

Updated: July 11, 2016 As many of you know, Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill 3380, the creation of a new, publicly-funded, high quality preschool system in 2015. The model leverages high-quality, local and culturally-relevant early child care and education programs to help make preschool more widely available. By incorporating a “mixed…

The Early Learning Division is currently engaged in work to implement the Preschool Promise program enacted by the Legislature in 2015. Part of implementation will include promulgation of Oregon Administrative Rules to govern the program. The Early Learning Council will begin consideration draft rule language on March 16, 2016. The…

The Preschool Promise report to the Legislature is out. Take a look to learn more about the implementation process for this program. Read more here.

The Early Learning Council will be hosting a Community Forum. Date: July 22nd Time: 6:30-8:30 Location: Northwest Regional ESD Service Center, 2515 Third Street, Tillamook, OR 97141 What is it? The Oregon Early Learning Council is holding a forum to hear community input on issues of equity, access, and the…

Read the 2015 Early Learning Hub Report to the Legislature. The report includes lessons learned, highlights from Hubs, opportunities and challenges.

On January 29th, the Early Learning Council passed permanent rules related to the use of marijuana in child care facilities. As has been the case since the temporary rules passed in August, a licensed child care provider cannot be the holder of a registered Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card. These permanent…

On August 6, 2014 the Early Learning Council took unanimous action to adopt child care licensing rules that clarify policies about the use of alcohol and tobacco products as well as illegal controlled substances including medical marijuana. You can find the approved temporary rules below: Central Background Registry Registered Family…

There are four administrative rule sets open for public comment beginning Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Public comment will close for the rule sets Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. Submit public comment by either attending public hearings (linked below) OR send testimony in Word or PDF format to Remy Watts,…

There are two administrative rule sets open for public comment beginning Sunday, May 1, 2022. Public comment will close for the rule sets Wednesday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Submit public comment by either attending public hearings (linked below) OR send testimony in Word or PDF format to Remy Watts,…

There are two administrative rule sets open for public comment beginning Friday, April 1, 2022. Public comment will close for the rule sets Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 5 p.m. Submit public comment by either attending public hearings (linked below) OR send testimony in Word or PDF format to Remy…

There are several administrative rule sets that are open for public comment beginning Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Public comment will close for all rule sets Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 5 p.m. Submit public comment by either attending public hearings (linked below) OR send testimony in Word or PDF format…

On March 28, 2019, the Early Learning Council adopted several temporary child care rules, making them permanent. Here is a summary of those changes: Applicable to all providers: Central Background Registry (CBR) Rules update the crimes that are considered disqualifying conditions for enrolling in the CBR. Also, adds programs that…

There are several temporary child care rules in effect and the OCC has started the process to make them permanent. Public Comment period is now open and a Public Hearing is scheduled for 3/6/19. Click here to open the Child Care Rule page for more information.

The Office of Child Care Statutory Workgroup will meet on Thursday, November 8, 2018. The meeting will be held in Salem, Oregon at the State Capitol, Room 162 from 10:00am-12:00pm.* Agenda and meeting materials are posted below. The State Capitol is located at 900 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97301. For…

October 12, 2018 The Early Learning Division Office of Child Care is hosting a series of in-person Engagement Sessions and Webinars to gather your feedback on upcoming rule changes – including questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, concerns, you name it! As you know a small set of changes to the child…

Reminder: The Early Learning Division Office of Child Care will be holding online rules engagement session for all licensed child care providers this week. Please see below for additional details. The Early Learning Division recently passed Temporary Rules for each facility, effective July 1, 2018. The Division has also opened…

The Office of Child Care (OCC) has rules available for public comment from August 1 - September 18, 2018 at 5pm. Comments can be sent to Peter Blume via email at early.learning@state.or.us or via postal service to 700 Summer St NE, Suite 350, Salem, OR 97301. A summary of these…

The Early Learning Division recently passed Temporary Rules for each facility, effective July 1, 2018. The Division has also opened rules on the Central Background Registry, training requirements, serious injury and reporting, safe sleep, and the use of restrictive infant equipment for public comment through August 20, 2018. Learn more…

As mentioned last month, the Office of Child Care has suspended the larger child care rule process and split it into two phases. The first phase ensures the Office of Child Care meets the new legal requirements for the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the statutory requirements of HB 4065,…

On June 11, 2018, the Early Learning Division Office of Child Care received a directive from the Governor’s Office to address an urgent need to increase the availability of information to parents about the child care programs where their children are enrolled. “One of the highest priorities as a state…

The Office of Child Care received substantial feedback on proposed rule changes for all child care settings during the public comment period that closed May 21, 2018 and has continued to receive questions and feedback. In an effort to allow more time for public comment, as well as offer additional…

Notice of Public Hearing and Comment: The Child Care and Development Fund State Plan maps Oregon’s response to federal requirements under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014. The state plan serves as the application for Child Care and Development Fund allocations and provides descriptions of, and…

How do instructional coaches help preschool teachers improve? The Early Learning Division asked colleagues at the Oregon State University’s Early Learning System Initiative (ELSI) to help answer that question. The result was new guidance addressing what coaches can do to effectively support quality teaching and learning, as shared in the…

  Governor Kate Brown is joined by Early Learning Division Director Alyssa Chatterjee (right) and two young children at a visit to a South Coast in-home child care to celebrate National Provider Appreciation Day®. Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued a statewide proclamation to recognize National Provider Appreciation Day® on May…

PART 2 Note: This is part 2 in a series of three profiles on child care providers who received COVID-19 Child Care Stabilization grants. You can read the first part here. Bilingual program offers care to families of essential workers Sabi Valesco at her Aloha location of Amazing Minds Child…

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, families and child care providers were left to navigate the uncertainty of the virus. Some parents decided to keep their children out of care, while providers struggled to hire and retain staff and keep pace with expenses. In response, the American Rescue Plan Act of…

Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued a statewide proclamation to recognize the 51st Week of the Young Child®, encouraging Oregonians to support children and the adults who love, care for, and educate them. The Week of the Young Child® is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of…

NEWS RELEASE March 31, 2022 Contact: Marc Siegel, Oregon Department of Education Melanie Mesaros, Early Learning Division Innovative, made-in-Oregon solutions demonstrate how every child can learn and thrive together with their peers, friends, and neighbors.  Salem, OR –  Prioritizing partnerships to focus on equity and inclusion for children under five…

*News Release by the Oregon State University. Click here for media contact.* __________________________________________________________________________________ March 16, 2022 CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State University will use a new $14.4 million grant from Oregon’s Early Learning Division to establish a statewide center focused on strengthening the early childhood education workforce in Oregon. The Early Learning…

NOTE: ELD has adjusted wording on the second bullet in the list below from the news release sent on Feb. 1, 2022 based on feedback from Local Public Health. This does not change the original guidance, but attempts to clarify: If the decision is made to shorten a quarantine due…

This news release is from the Oregon Department of Human Services. Need to know Oregon has increased the income eligibility limit for food and child care assistance up to 200% of the federal poverty level Previous income limits were 185% of the federal poverty level Approximately 18,000 additional households…

This is a joint release by the Oregon Department of Human Services and Early Learning Division Need to know Child care copays through the Employment Related Day Care program have decreased to an average of $16 per month for working families. Approximately 8,200 working families receive child care assistance through…

(Salem, Ore) – Child care providers in Oregon are invited to apply for child care stabilization grants through the Early Learning Division (ELD). Oregon received approximately $224 million in grant funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be paid directly to eligible providers struggling during COVID-19.…

Early Care and Education Workforce Struggles with Inequities in Unemployment (Salem, Ore) – New research shows the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Oregon’s child care and early care and education programs’ ability to remain open and serve families. The Oregon Early Learning Division (ELD) commissioned Portland State University and OSLC Developments, Inc.…

*News Release by the Oregon State University. Click here for media contact.* CORVALLIS, Ore. — A new report from Oregon State University shows that as of March 2020, all 36 counties in Oregon qualify as child care “deserts” for infants and toddlers — meaning that there are at least three children…

Majority of Families in Oregon Experienced Child Care Disruptions Due to COVID-19 (Salem, Ore) – Results of new research commissioned by the Early Learning Division (ELD) and conducted by Portland State University and OSLC Developments, Inc. illustrate the critical importance of accessible child care for Oregon families during the COVID-19…

*News Release by the Governor's Office. Click here for media contact.* Early Learning System Director Miriam Calderon to take position with Biden-Harris administration (Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced that she is naming Alyssa Chatterjee as the Acting Director of the Early Learning Division (ELD) of the Oregon…

How do instructional coaches help preschool teachers improve? The Early Learning Division asked colleagues at the Oregon State University’s Early Learning System Initiative (ELSI) to help answer that question. The result was new guidance addressing what coaches can do to effectively support quality teaching and learning, as shared in the…

When Oregon established the first Early Learning Hubs in 2013, 16 geographic regions across the state were defined as the Hub service areas. However, these service areas did not appropriately consider the sovereignty of…

Photos Clockwise: Oregon Rep. Mark Meek today; Meek on the Head Start float for the Roseville, Calif parade; Meek at 4 years old with his brother and cousin. October is National Head Start Awareness Month Oregon Rep. Mark Meek has happy memories of being in a local parade when…

Dear ELD partner, I wanted to reach out to let you know that my time at the Early Learning Division (ELD) will be coming to a close at the end of April. I have accepted a position with the Biden-Harris Administration to work on early childhood policy. As announced earlier…

The Early Learning Division values and supports access to safe, affordable summer learning activities for Oregon’s children, youth, and families. Through a partnership with the Oregon Alliance of YMCAs, the state will distribute $10 million in funds to 165 grantees who provide youth overnight and day camp during the COVID-19 crisis.…

Just as store shelves were emptied of toilet paper and hand sanitizer at the beginning of March, Early Learning Division (ELD) staff went to work to respond to the needs of child care providers – many of whom wouldn’t be able to operate without access to cleaning supplies and other…

  No matter what scenario your family is living with, the COVID-19 outbreak has presented challenges and added stressors for parents and caretakers. According to Oregon State University Assistant Professor of Practice & Parenting Education Specialist Shauna Tominey, stress comes out in different ways for children and adults. Children can…

This article was originally published by My Oregon News on April 20, 2020. By Melanie Mesaros Early learning experts tackle questions from families of school-aged children and younger on managing stress during COVID-19 outbreak OREGON – Families may be juggling a number of different scenarios during the COVID-19 outbreak. We…

This article was originally published by My Oregon News on April 10, 2020. By Melanie Mesaros Oregon has the ability to serve approximately 10,000 children; learn who can access child care OREGON – While licensed child care is closed in Oregon, Emergency Child Care is available for those who must…

This month, we share advice and insights from Lindsay Pearson, an Early Learning Division Preschool Program Specialist, on how parents and preschool aged children can start a successful school year.    What does learning look like in preschool? In preschool, children learn best through play. Preschool teachers know that play dough…

Redmond Graduates Celebrate Milestone in Early Learning Late night studying is part of the daily routine for Maria Martinez of Bend. But she’s not your typical college student. The mother of three, who immigrated from Mexico after middle school, also works a full-time job as a child care provider. This…

Celebrate Summer Reading – Our Staff Share Their Picks   We asked ELD staff, including Early Learning System Director Miriam Calderon, to offer some of their favorite summer books for early learners. Research has long supported the benefits of reading aloud to young children, encouraging language development and the relationship…