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Period to submit CCDF comments extended to Aug 23
Developing a routine bedtime schedule can boost brain development, study says
Initiate conversations and spark new ways of thinking about early learning
Resources to support use of pre-kindergarten outcomes data with families for smoother kindergarten transitions
York community partner discusses importance of early education on WITF's Radio Smart Talk
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Submit comments for the Child Care and Development Fund Notice of Proposed Rulemaking CCDF

Deadline extended until August 23

 

The Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reopened and extended the period to submit comments on the proposed rule for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), published in the Federal Register of May 20, 2013. The proposed rule makes changes to the CCDF regulatory provisions in order to strengthen health and safety requirements for child care providers, reflect current State and local practices to improve the quality of child care, infuse new accountability for Federal tax dollars, and leverage the latest knowledge and research in the field of early care and education to better serve low-income children and families. In Pennsylvania, CCDF impacts child care certification and funds support of Child Care Works and Keystone STARS. Read a review of the proposed changes at the Federal Register website.  


Comments will be recieved through August 23, 2013 and can be submitted electronically by visiting the Federal Register website, or you can submit written comments to the following address: Office of Child Care; Aerospace Building, Fifth Floor East; 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.; Washington, DC 20024; Attention: Cheryl Vincent, Office of Child Care.


To view the Federal Register notice and to submit comments, visit the Federal Register website.

 

 

Request for Information for approved authentic assessment tools
Proposals due: September 27, 2013


OCDEL has issued its Request for Information (RFI) to seek input from the publishers of evidence-based authentic assessments that are interested in submitting authentic assessment tools for review and possible use by Keystone STARS, PA Pre-K Counts, Early Intervention and Head Start providers as part of the Early Learning Outcomes Reporting strategy.


In order for an assessment tool to be approved, the vendor must demonstrate that the tool is valid and reliable; demonstrate alignment with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards; develop a crosswalk and scoring method that produced individual outcomes for each framework indicator; and establish a process for reporting outcomes data to OCDEL. Vendors can download the full RFI and access additional information on OCDEL's Early Learning Outcomes Reporting strategy from the PA Key website. The due date for responses is September 27, 2013.


Early learning programs may want to forward this information to authentic assessment tools not already approved by OCDEL.

 

 

 

Opportunities to share your early learning story!

 

Family stories for Pennsylvania's Promise for Children month: For Pennsylvania families and friends, the Pennsylvania's Promise for Children website provides an opportunity to share your story and have the story and child(ren) highlighted on the PA's Promise for Children website, receiving local and statewide recognition during PA's Promise for Children month in October! Share how your young child has grown, what your child wants to become, and ways that quality early learning at home and/or in a quality child care/early learning program is helping your child reach his/her promise! Families or others (with the family's written permission) may submit stories. Families will receive local and state recognition and be entered in a giveaway for fun early learning materials. Provide your story to PA's Promise for Children by September 15.
 
Teacher, professional, and parent stories: The National Women's Law Center is looking for stories from parents, teachers, nurse practitioners, and business leaders, about the impact of high quality preschool in action. They plan to share these stories with policy makers in book form, to illustrate for Congress what high-quality learning can accomplish for children and families, by giving them specific examples of individual children, families, and communities. Provide your stories to the National Women's Law Center by September 10.

 

 

Share your thoughts in the Beaver County Community Assessment Surveys
Deadline September 13
                                   
If your organization serves families in Beaver County, or if you live or work in Beaver County and have a child between the ages of 3 to 5 years, then your help is needed! As the grantee of the Beaver County Head Start program, the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette County is conducting a full community assessment which includes surveying community partners, Head Start families, and even families who aren't part of Head Start but who have children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. Those working or living in Beaver County are invited to select the survey which best fits their situation and provide their feedback.
  
Beaver County Community Partner Survey: Does your organization serve families in Beaver County? Please take a moment to fill out this survey.
 
Beaver County Head Start Parent/Care Giver Survey: Have you filled out an application to have your child participate in Beaver County Head Start? Please take a moment to fill out this survey.
 
Beaver County Non-Head Start Parent/Care Giver Survey: Do you live in Beaver County and have a child between the ages of 3 and 5 years old who is not a part of the Beaver County Head Start program (with no application in)? Please take a moment to fill out this survey.
 
Surveys should be completed by September 13, 2013. Please pass this opportunity along to families and partners working or living in Beaver County. If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Carson at [email protected] 

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Success Indicators in Early Learning and Educationindicators 


A report, Markers that Matter: Success Indicators in Early Learning and Education published by Foundation Strategy Group identifies a synthesized set of 48 early childhood indicators that reflect healthy development of young children. The indicators were synthesized and prioritized with input from over two dozen expert advisors after reviewing over 1,100 indicators from 11 existing early childhood indicator sets. 


The report identifies gaps where more research is needed, particularly to develop indicators that reflect the increasing diversity among young children and their families. The indicators can be used to emphasize a systems view of supporting the healthy development of young children, to better understand and address inequities across racial and cultural groups, and to provide a common language that facilitates communication and coordination on behalf of all young children. 


Also included within the report are illustrative uses of how these indicators and themes can be used by various stakeholders to initiate conversations and spark new ways of thinking about early learning indicators. For additional information, please see the report, Markers that Matter: Success Indicators in Early Learning and Education.

 

 

Study shows bedtime routine boosts brain developmentbrain 
Research from the Millennium Cohort Study in the United Kingdom shows that developing a routine bedtime schedule boosts brain development. The study, Time for bed: associations with cognitive performance in 7-year-old children: a longitudinal population-based study, which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that putting a child to bed on a schedule can determine skills in math, reading, and spatial awareness at age 7. Specifically, not having a regular bedtime was related to lower cognitive test scores in girls at age 7, but not for boys. Non-regular bedtimes at age 3 were independently associated, in girls and boys, with lower reading, math, and spatial scores.


The study suggest that inconsistent bedtimes could affect cognition in at least 2 ways: first, by disrupting circadian rhythms, and/or second, through sleep deprivation and its subsequent effects on brain plasticity, "including processes to do with embedding new knowledge, memory and skill into developing neural assemblies."


The Pennsylvania's Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Project has tips for helping children establish routines for sleep and ways to help children with transitions (including bedtime).

  

  

More Trends & Reports
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DataUsing pre-kindergarten outcomes data with families for smoother kindergarten transitions: Sharing preschoolers' progress with families at the end of the program year is a great way to support smoother transitions to kindergarten and beyond. Early learning professionals can take advantage of the wealth of resources available through the PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning as parent/teacher conferences and transition activities are being planned.
  
PA Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment: There is a new Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Tool Kit resource available to early learning programs in Pennsylvania--the PA Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment (PA NAP SACC) is a practice-based intervention designed to enhance practices, policies, and environments of child care amd is a part of the Keystone Kids Go! initiative, led by the PA Department of Education.
  
August 2013 edition of Baby Talk: Baby Talk is full of resources to support the people who work with infants and toddlers. The August 2013 edition focuses on Supporting Outdoor Play and Exploration for Infants and Toddlers, Getting a Jump on Face Recognition, and more! Baby Talk is a free, one-way listserv that is distributed monthly, with each issue featuring resources that are high quality, readily available and free. 
  
All About IEPs from Reading Rockets: To write an effective Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for a child with a disability, parents, teachers, other school staff - and often the child - come together at a meeting to look closely at the child's unique needs. Find out more about writing an effective IEP with these resources: Who's On the IEP Team?;  Writing the SMART IEP; Emilann's IEP Team Video (from the PBS show Empowering Parents).
  
STEM-Works: A resource for teachers, parents, mentors, and anyone else wanting to get kids excited about science, technology, engineering, and math. The site offers links to virtual field trips, interactive lesson plans, and fun activities for all grade levels.
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Partnership in Youth Services Grants: The Partnership in Youth Services program awards grants to non-profit organizations based in Bucks County to recognize and provide support for selected organizations that are dedicated to helping solve community problems, promoting a positive impact on local youth, and enhancing the quality of the lives of children, youth and their families in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Deadline September 1
  
The Merchants Fund Grants: Grants opportunities available for businesses that have been legally established in Philadelphia for at least three years, and are available to help small businesses (including child care providers) remain stable and viable in the face of economic challenges, changes and crisis. Deadline September 13
  
Aetna Foundation, Regional Grants: Available for Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas to promote healthy food choices and healthy activity. Projects may include school-based or after-school nutrition and fitness programs, and should target communities where healthy food can be difficult to buy, and where social and environmental factors may limit people's ability to be physically active. Deadline September 15
  
MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards: The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation are seeking innovative and potentially lesser known afterschool programs that excel at engaging middle schoolers. Nominate an afterschool program for a chance to win one of five $10,000 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards. Additionally, winners and other notable nominees will be featured in a special series of Afterschool Alliance issue briefs. Nominate a program in one of four issue areas: Afterschool and Keeping Kids Safe and Supported; Afterschool and the Common Core State Standards; Afterschool and Student with Disabilities and Other Special Needs; or Afterschool and Data Utilization. Deadline October 14
  
The Rite Aid Foundation: Partners with nonprofit organizations to improve the health and well-being of children in the communities in which Rite Aid operates. Deadline October 15
August 21, 2013
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In the Community

 

Summer program keeps Head Start kids sharp (Citizens Voice) 

 

Northgate offers early education program (Post Gazette)

Did you know?

 

 Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare (DPW) regulates child care programs (family child care homes, group child care homes and child care centers) in Pennsylvania to make sure the meet minimum health and safety standards.
 
Professional Events

 

August 21: Webinar: Better Kid Care's On Demand online lesson system, New Staff Orientation 

August 21: Monroe County LEARN meeting, Tannersville

August 21: Webinar: FAMILIES KNOW BEST: Integrating Parent Knowledge into Student Assessment Systems

August 22: Webinar: Seasonal Influenza Prevention and Control: Strategies for Head Start and Child Care Programs

September 12: Berks Early Care and Education Council Annual Retreat, Reading

September 20-22: Bringing Back Childhood for the Future of Society, Philadelphia

September 22-23: National Business Leader Summit on Early Childhood Investment, Atlanta

September 25: Webinar: How to Support Teachers Use of Story Retelling to Build Comprehension and Oral Language in Early Learning Programs

October 2: Webinar: The ECE Director's Guide to Must-Have Literacy Practices in Early Education Classrooms

October 2-4: Facing the Challenge: Helping Teachers Work with Children with Challenging Behavior, Villanova

October 11: Cavity Free Kids 1-day training-for-trainer event, Philadelphia

October 14: 7th Annual Lehigh Valley Early Care and Education Professional Development Day Building Cultural Competence . . . Our Children, Ourselves

October 17-18: PA-AIMH 5th Annual Pennsylvania Infant Mental Health Conference, Philadelphia

  
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Email the info to Mary Hall, [email protected].

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The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) promotes opportunities for all Pennsylvania children and families by building systems and providing supports that help ensure access to high quality child and family services.

Find more about Quality Early Learning in Pennsylvania
 
The Early Childhood Education e-news is a project of the Pennsylvania Build Initiative and the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare to inform early learning professionals, the early childhood community, policymakers, community leaders and the public on developments in early childhood education and care in Pennsylvania.

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You may access archived copies at Pennsylvania's Promise for Children.
 

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