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…

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…

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…

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: The extended the public comment period for permanent administrative rules relating to licensed and regulated child care facilities is closing on Monday, May 21, 2018 Registered Family 414-205 (5.1.18 Update) Registered Family Rulebook Draft (Tables Included) Certified Family 414-350 (5.1.18 Update) Certified Family Rulebook Draft (Tables Included) Certified Center 414-300 (5.1.18 Update)…

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking & Public Hearing: The Early Learning Council has extended the public comment period until May 21, 2018 for permanent administrative rules relating to licensed and regulated child care facilities. A public hearing has been scheduled for May 15, 2018: Tuesday, May 15, 2018 6:00pm (members of the public…

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: The Early Learning Council will begin rulemaking to adopt permanent administrative rules relating to licensed and regulated child care facilities. ORS 329A directs the Early Learning Council to adopt administrative rules relating to licensed and regulated child care facilities to ensure the health and safety of…

(Salem, Ore.) – Today, the Early Learning Council released a new report offering an update on the progress of Raise Up Oregon, the state’s five-year strategic early learning system plan. The Progress Report showcases advances across five state agencies between January 2019 and September 2020 on the three system goals:…

Today Governor Brown announced a new program to provide masks and gloves to small business in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor, in partnership with the Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board, allocated $10 million from the federal CARES Act funding for the purchase of protective supplies. The state of…

(Salem, Ore.) – With in-person public schooling delayed in many communities across Oregon, families need to know what options are available for safe child care for their school-age children. The Early Learning Division (ELD), the state agency responsible for regulating early education and child care, is sharing information with families…

(Salem, Ore.) – Today, the Early Learning Division (ELD) released an update to guidelines for child care and early education operations during COVID-19 developed in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority. They use the latest data and best practices to protect the health and well-being of staff, children, and families…

(Salem, Ore.) – The Early Learning Division (ELD) is inviting parents and caregivers to take a 10-minute online survey related to safety precautions in child care during COVID-19. The survey is open until Monday, July 6, 2020 at 9 p.m. As the pandemic evolves and as Oregon reopens, the state…

(Salem, Ore.) – Today, the Early Learning Division (ELD) is announcing a second round of Emergency Child Care (ECC) grants to assist child care providers during the COVID-19 crisis. The grant program uses resources allocated to Oregon to support the state’s response to this emergency. The Request for Applications (RFA)…

(Salem, Ore) – The Secretary of State (SOS) released an audit today that identifies some areas where the Early Learning Division (ELD) can work to strengthen safety for children and background check processes for child care providers. The audit was initiated in part because of an awareness by the Governor’s…

(Salem, Ore.) – Today, the Early Learning Division (ELD) is releasing details of an Emergency Child Care grant program to assist open child care providers during the COVID-19 crisis. The grant program uses resources allocated to Oregon through the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act and other Child Care…

(Salem, Ore.) – Governor Kate Brown today issued Executive Order 20-19, aligning the effective date of her emergency child care directives with other social distancing orders. The order maintains the closure of licensed child care facilities unless approved to provide Emergency Child Care, and it remains in effect until lifted…

(Salem, Ore) – As part of Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 20-12, child care providers have been ordered to close unless they are providing emergency child care. While the executive order was issued to ensure the safety and health of Oregonians, the governor and the Early Learning Division (ELD) recognize…

(Salem, Ore) – The Early Learning Division (ELD) is announcing new guidance and temporary changes to support child care providers serving families who provide health, safety, and other essential services to their communities during the coronavirus public health emergency. Authorized under Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 20-08 issued on…

Salem, OR -- To support Oregon’s working families dealing with the spread of COVID-19, Governor Brown directed the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Early Learning Division to make changes to child care benefits. The temporary changes, which are effective immediately, will help more low-income, working families access child…

(Salem, Ore) – Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced new social distancing orders on March 16, 2020 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which include canceling events and gatherings larger than 25 people. This limit does not apply to child care facilities, which can remain open at this time. “Child…

 (Salem, Ore) – Following Governor Brown’s statewide school closure announcement in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Early Learning Division (ELD) is not requiring child care facilities to close at this time. School closures will likely increase the need for child care. “Child care is a critical support for working…

(Salem, Ore) – The Early Learning Division (ELD) is extending the deadline to apply for Student Success Act grants to Monday, May 4, 2020. The extension includes the four programs within the Early Learning Account: Preschool Promise, Early Childhood Equity Fund, Preschool Promise Fiscal Agent and Oregon Pre-kindergarten. The extension…

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…