Responsibilities

PA Key

The role of the Pennsylvania Key is to work with the Office of Child Development & Early Learning to provide statewide leadership in the development of an integrated and coordinated system of program quality improvements and professional development supports for early childhood education.

Regional Keys

• Developing a Regional Quality Improvement Plan for professional development and technical assistance.
• Engaging local stakeholders, planning groups, certification representatives, CCIS and CAO representatives, institutes of higher education, United Way organizations, Intermediate Units, school district representatives, and the community at large in early childhood education initiatives.
• Implementing STARS in the region by processing applications, providing information, offering STARS orientation training, assisting providers in the self-study process, and designating providers with a STAR level by determining that they have met all of the Performance Standards.
• Administering early childhood education professional development and technical assistance funds in the region directly and via subcontracts.
• Conducting Technical Assistance and Professional Development Inventories to determine the region's needs and resources.
• Developing credit-bearing offerings and promoting articulation agreements that make it easy for child care professionals to transfer credits from two-year to four-year colleges.
• Developing community leadership to work with and raise the awareness of civic and community leaders to recognize the need for high quality early care and education and school readiness in their communities.