Section 6.362. Powers and duties

The Pennsylvania Early Learning Council (Council) will have the following powers and duties, consistent with Federal law:

(1) Conducting periodic needs assessments concerning the quality and availability of early childhood learning and development programs and services for children from birth to school entry.

(2) Identifying opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration and coordination among Federally-funded and Commonwealth-funded child learning, development, and education services, and early childhood programs and services.

(3) Developing recommendations for increasing the overall participation of children in existing Federal, Commonwealth and local child care and early childhood learning, education and development programs.

(4) Developing recommendations regarding the establishment of a unified data collection system for public early childhood learning, education, and development programs and services throughout this Commonwealth.

(5) Developing recommendations regarding Commonwealth-wide professional development and career advancement plans for early childhood educators.

(6) Assessing the capacity and effectiveness of 2-year and 4-year public and private institutions of higher education in this Commonwealth toward supporting the development of early childhood educators.

(7) Making recommendations for improvements in Commonwealth early learning standards.

(8) Developing and recommending updates to a multiyear plan for the expansion of effective early learning, education and development services.

(9) Recommending policies and procedures that assure the integration of the early intervention system as part of the Commonwealth’s approach to early childhood learning, education and development.

(10) Assuring the development of a sound continuum from and between early childhood programs and traditional public education, starting with kindergarten.

(11) Ensuring the development of early childhood programs that identify and meet the needs of infants and toddlers and their families.

(12) Assuring an integrated approach to the design and delivery of early childhood mental health services across this Commonwealth.

(13) Providing ongoing input and advice to the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) about programs under its jurisdiction, including without limitation the development of Early Intervention, Full-Day Kindergarten, Keystone STARS, Nurse-Family Partnership, PA Pre-K Counts and the Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program.

(14) Engaging parents to provide input and make recommendations to strengthen the work of OCDEL, and develop improved communication strategies with families across this Commonwealth regarding the importance of and their role in quality early learning, education, and child development, and the programs of the Commonwealth in support of quality early learning.

(15) Providing input to assure an adequate supply of, and quality for, the early childhood workforce needed to implement OCDEL’s programs.

(16) Advising OCDEL in the creation of a comprehensive professional development system that applies to practitioners in all early learning settings, with the goal of increasing the number of highly qualified early childhood professionals.

(17) Providing ongoing input to the development of the Early Learning Network (Network), focusing on discussion of technical as well as communication and outreach needs, to support the sound development of the Network across OCDEL programs.

(18) Ensuring that children with special needs are properly supported by the State’s early learning programs.

(19) Considering the overall early learning needs of young children, and evaluating how those needs are or are not met by OCDEL’s services.

(20) Advocating for services that fulfill the early learning needs of young children, particularly services provided through OCDEL.