State Early Childhood Advisory Council: State Profiles April 2011 PENNSYLVANIA

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1 COUNCIL NAME Pennsylvania Early Learning Council PENNSYLVANIA DESIGNATED STATE AGENCY Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Public Welfare COUNCIL HISTORY STAFFING The Early Learning Council was established by executive order in September 2009 and serves as an advisory body to OCDEL. MEMBERSHIP Number of members: 78 Chair(s) of Council: The Deputy Secretary of OCDEL is to serve as co-chair of the council, along with another individual appointed by the governor. Subcommittees: There are five program committees for OCDEL-funded programs, such as child care and pre-k. There are six cross-sector committees: Early childhood mental health Early learning career prep and development Early learning network Infant toddler system Linkages and alignment for children s education Parent council Advisory Council Membership (Italicized member types required by federal statute) MEMBER TYPE INCLUSION MEMBER DESCRIPTION State agency responsible for child Deputy secretary, OCDEL care State educational agency OCDEL staff 1

2 Local education agency 15 representatives Institutions of higher education 11 representative from universities; one representative from a community college; Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges; and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Local providers of early childhood education/development services Representative from early childhood center Head Start agency Two representatives from Pennsylvania Head Start Association State director of Head Start collaboration State designee for Head Start Collaboration State agency responsible for OCDEL staff programs under Part C of IDEA Coordinator of Part B, 619 of OCDEL staff IDEA State agency responsible for health or mental health Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Representative from governor s office Legislator(s) Parent representative Tribal representative Migrant representative Business representative Three representatives Foundation representative Representatives from two foundations Statewide and community organizations Representatives from Public Citizens for Children and Youth; Child Care Providers United; PA Partnerships for Children; PA Child Care Association; Fight- Crime Invest in Kids Pennsylvania; PA Home Based Child Care Providers Association; PA American Academy of Pediatrics; Child Care Information Services of Westmoreland County; Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children; Community Services for Children Inc.; Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children; Pennsylvania School Boards Association; United Way of Berks 2

3 County, Southeast Regional Key; Northeastern Child Care Services; Sarah A. Reed Children s Center; Community Engagement Team Union; Quality Child Care Coalition of Bucks County; Child Care Consultants Inc/CCIS of York County; The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers; Early Development and Education Institute; the Advocate s Agenda, United Way of SE Pennsylvania; Ken-Crest Children and Family Services; PA State Education Association, PA Association of School Administrators; and Community Justice Project OTHER Health care provider Representative from Children s Hospital of Pittsburgh Early education system Representatives from Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network and Pennsylvania Key (2) Local government Representatives from county children and youth services, mental health agency; city board of education; city office of mental retardation services; and Philadelphia mayor s office Independent consultant Not specified COUNCIL ACTIVITIES and PRIORITIES The council will use its federal grant to support five areas of early childhood system building: Unified data system, by enhancing analysis, help desk, and data auditing functions for an existing early childhood data system. Professional development integration, including expanded career lattice, training for technical assistance consultants, and professional development materials for family child care programs. Birth-to-five and K 12 continuum and transition, including researching national best practices, developing professional training on transition, examining the needs of special populations, developing products for parents, and supporting local school boards. Early education provider capacity to promote public awareness of early care and education and support for OCDEL initiatives. Tasks include developing training modules on communications and facilitating mentoring and connections between providers and advocacy groups. Parental involvement in early education, through distribution of calendars with information on early learning and kindergarten readiness, translated into Spanish and possibly other languages. 3

4 Council s Proposed Activities for Federal Grant Period Note: This analysis reflects only state priorities cited in council action plans for the grant period. States may be addressing additional priorities as part of a broader early childhood policy agenda. Conduct needs assessment. Promote coordination across programs. Increase access to programs. Develop data system. Improve professional development system. Assess capacity of higher education. Improve early learning standards. Promote program quality improvement, for example, through quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS). Promote family and community engagement. Focus on prenatal and child health. Focus on mental health and social-emotional development. Focus on infants and toddlers. Focus on children with special needs. Focus on English language learners. Develop links to grades K 3. Focus on financing and sustainability. Conduct public awareness campaign. SOURCE OF STATE MATCH FOR FEDERAL GRANT State funding for the Pre-K Counts program. 4

5 COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES The council will meet at least twice a year and will hold public hearings and provide opportunities for public comment. The council will submit an annual report on its activities to the governor and legislature and will invite the governor, members of the legislature, and members of relevant state commissions to at least one briefing in each fiscal year. UNIQUE FEATURES The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), which houses the council, is part of both the department of education and the department of public welfare. Complementing the council, the Governor s Early Learning Investment Commission is made up of business leaders and informs business, legislative, and civic leaders of the value of public investment in early childhood education. WEBSITE None. 5