Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care Programs: Supporting Oregon's Youngest Learners
With the goal of all children in Oregon thriving in early childhood and beyond, the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) funds a variety of programs and services that support the well-being of families with young children. DELC is committed to transforming early childhood systems and supporting Oregon’s youngest learners through policy, programs, and partnerships. The array of services are individualized to meet family preferences and include parenting education, respite, home visiting, high quality infant and toddler child care, preschool programming, and screening and referrals to concrete supports in community. Most of the services are free or offered at low cost to families.
Formation of the Department of Early Learning and Care
The Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 3073 in 2021, heralding the transition towards the launch of DELC. As of July 1, 2023, the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) became the official agency for early learning and child care policy and program administration throughout Oregon. The agency brings together the Early Learning Division (ELD) and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program. ELD was a division of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), and Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) was a program of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).
According to DELC, unifying these agencies and programs will help:
- Enable greater alignment across major early learning and child care programs
- Maximize state and federal funding for early learning programs
- Create a more efficient and effective billing and licensing system for providers
- Support and strengthen the early learning and care workforce
- Promote culturally-specific and family-centered resources, services and programs for families and child care professionals
DELC staff will continue to listen to and learn from Oregon families and child care professionals on how to best support them and meet their needs.
Programs and Services Offered
The programs funded by DELC focus on positive outcomes for families and young children and work toward eliminating systemic inequalities in access and opportunity in all of Oregon’s communities. The array of services are individualized to meet family preferences and include:
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- Parenting education
- Respite care
- Home visiting
- High-quality infant and toddler child care
- Preschool programming
- Screening and referrals to concrete supports in the community.
Most of these services are either free or offered at a low cost to families, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of Oregon residents.
Head Start Programs
Head Start began in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, offering children from income-eligible families access to education, nutrition, and health services. At least four Oregon Head Start programs are at risk of having to close classrooms serving more than 1,000 children and lay off staff if the federal government shutdown drags on into 2026. Two of the potentially impacted programs are in the Portland area: Albina Head Start and Portland Public Schools’ Head Start program, said Nancy Perin, the director of the Oregon Head Start Association. The other two are Southern Oregon Head Start, which enrolls children in Josephine and Jackson counties, and Head Start of Yamhill County.
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)
Certain ERDC changes also take effect as of July 1. Families can now receive cash assistance from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and get help paying for child care from ERDC at the same time. The current TANF child care program will end because ERDC will provide those families more flexible child care assistance. In addition, there will be fewer reasons for child care assistance to end mid-certification. Most cases will now stay open a minimum of 12 months. Cases will no longer close if a family is not connected to a child care provider. ERDC benefits will continue if a caretaker loses their job or stops attending school. ERDC eligibility has changed and more families can now get help paying for child care.
Focus on Tribal Affairs
DELC recognizes the importance of partnering with the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon. The agency is seeking a visionary leader to join our team as the Tribal Affairs Director (Business Operations Manager 1). As the next Tribal Affairs Director, you will champion Tribal sovereignty, shape statewide policy, and strengthen partnerships with the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon. The Tribal Affairs Director will serve as a member of DELC’s executive leadership team, contributing to agency-wide strategy, advancing equity efforts, and strengthening meaningful partnerships with the federally recognized Tribes in Oregon and overseeing the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance (OTELA) and facilitating meaningful engagement with Tribal leaders and communities.
Opportunities to Join DELC
DELC is frequently hiring for various positions. Some recent positions include:
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- Investigations Specialist
- Tribal Affairs Director (Business Operations Manager 1)
- Bilingual Licensing Specialist (Compliance Specialist 2) - English/Spanish Required
- Community Systems Coordinator
These roles reflect DELC's commitment to supporting quality child care, championing Tribal sovereignty, and transforming early childhood systems across Oregon.
Initial Impact and Future Goals
In the short term, Oregonians won’t notice much of a change. Even so, DELC is committed to minimizing the impact this launch will have, and ensuring those they serve know what to expect. Customer service phone numbers and social media pages will remain the same. Early learning and care programs under ELD such as Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten will not change. Child care licensing services and processes such as billing forms, payment processes, licensing applications, inspections and background checks, will remain the same. Early Learning Division (ELD) staff will transition from ODE to DELC. The ERDC program and staff (including the Direct Pay Unit) will transition from ODHS to DELC, but families will still apply for and receive benefits through ODHS.
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