SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) has secured $7.35 million in federal funding aimed at strengthening and aligning the state’s early childhood education system, following a successful grant application submitted last December.
The funding comes through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a competitive program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. Oregon is one of 23 states selected to receive the award, which supports 12 months of work focused on improving early childhood education system infrastructure.
“Oregon’s selection for this award is tremendously exciting,” DELC Director Alyssa Chatterjee said in a statement. “This funding will strengthen DELC’s system-building and infrastructure work in partnership with the Governor’s Early Childhood Care and Learning System Roundtable. Together, these efforts will help us move toward a shared, comprehensive vision for early childhood education – one that is coordinated, culturally appropriate, and centered on the strengths of children, families, and early learning professionals.”
According to DELC, the grant will help advance efforts to build a more unified early learning system emphasizing accountability, efficiency, and expanded family choice. State officials said the investment will also support continued coordination across programs serving children from birth through age five.
Oregon previously received PDG funding that helped inform the development of its early learning system prior to the creation of DELC. Those earlier funds contributed to the launch of Raise Up Oregon, the state’s early childhood system plan, and supported efforts to improve program quality, expand parent choice, and enhance the use of data for decision-making and system improvement.
“As we celebrate the Week of the Young Child, we know early investments pay off for young children not only in their earliest years but in setting the course of their life,” Chatterjee said. “Securing millions of dollars to our state for much needed early learning system-building and infrastructure is a huge win for the Oregon communities we serve.”
The department said the new funding will continue efforts to build capacity within Oregon’s early childhood education system and strengthen coordination among providers, families, and state programs.
More information about the Preschool Development Grant and Oregon’s participation is available through the DELC website.
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I work in one. We take them 3 months to 5 years, now here’s the kicker the 3 to 5 year olds go 3 hrs a day 4 days a week. The 3 month olds to 3 years old go 5 days a week 6 hours a day. I know it is a GRIFT and we are giving STRANGERS our kids to raise and educate but what exactly is a 3 month old who’s mom brings her BREAST MILK to feed the child please tell me what a nursing baby is learning in an “pre school” it’s a bunch of nonsense!!!!!! Most of our kids have parents that don’t work so why can’t they teach their kids and put the millions into ACTUAL EDUCATION, NOT A BABYSITTING SERVICE!