Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care

09/02/2026

On July 28th, DELC was honored to host the Oregon Tribal Early Learning Alliance (OTELA) for its first-ever in-person gathering at our Salem office.
OTELA members, DELC staff, and partners came together to help shape the first draft of Oregon's Tribal Early Learning Plan — a statewide plan for Native American and Alaska Native children, birth to eight. The day centered shared voices, Tribal sovereignty, and a collective vision for culturally and linguistically responsive early learning across Oregon.
We're grateful for the thoughtfulness and care each member brought to this work, and we look forward to the partnership ahead.
Learn more about OTELA and DELC's commitment to Tribal sovereignty by visiting: https://www.oregon.gov/delc/about-us/pages/otela.aspx

08/31/2026

Meet Oregon ELMS, a new system that will make it easier for child care providers, families receiving ERDC subsidies, and DELC staff and partners to work together in one place. Training for providers starts in September. More details coming soon.
Learn more at oregon.gov/elms-info

08/28/2026

Last week, Yamhill Community Care's Family Picnic brought families together in a welcoming space to connect with free community resources, ask questions, access support, and enjoy fun games for the children.
The gathering reminded families they are not alone, offering a relaxed, come-as-you-are space to connect and spend time together, surrounded by organizations that serve young children and families.
A heartfelt thank-you to Yamhill Early Learning Hub and Yamhill Community Care for strengthening early learning and family engagement, and for reminding us that supporting children and families is a shared effort.

08/27/2026

Last chance! DELC's Customer Service Survey closes Sept 4th.
Your input helps us better serve the providers, families, and children who rely on us across Oregon. Don't miss your chance to weigh in.
Learn more and take the survey: https://delcnews.org/2026/08/03/the-2026-delc-customer-service-survey-is-now-open/

The DELC Customer Service Survey invites direct care providers, tribal organizations, external partners, and regional service providers to participate in their preferred language.

08/26/2026

Earlier this month, the Caring Communities Tour visited the Marion & Polk region for a community engagement-focused day centered on partnerships and initiatives strengthening early childhood systems for children and families.
Members of our Executive Leadership Team spent the day exploring themes of community partnerships, workforce development, early literacy, and kindergarten readiness.
A sincere thank-you to the many partners who shared their time and their work — including teams from Salem For Refugees, Child Care Resource & Referral of Marion, Polk & Yamhill, Willamette Education Service District, Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, Inc., Willamette Health Council and the Early Learning Hub Board — for the meaningful conversations and your ongoing commitment to Oregon's children and families.

08/25/2026

Today we're remembering Dolly Parton, who passed away at 80.

Beyond her music, Dolly gave millions of children the gift of reading. In 1995 she founded the Imagination Library, mailing free books each month to kids from birth to age five. Here in Oregon, that dream now reaches every county and every zip code — putting books in the hands of tens of thousands of young readers.

Her belief was simple: every child deserves to fall in love with reading. We're honored to carry it forward.

Thank you, Dolly.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is expanding statewide in Oregon!

08/25/2026

Congratulations to these four new child care entrepreneurs completing the Spanish-speaking Small Business Development Class! So inspiring to see new family child care programs taking root in Central Oregon. Interested in opening your own in-home child care business? Reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

🎉 Congratulations to our newest child care entrepreneurs! 🎉

Over the past 8 weeks, four dedicated individuals in our Spanish-speaking Small Business Development Class for Child Care Providers have shown up each week ready to learn, engage, and grow. Working alongside Diana Gaona and Monica Altamirano, they have taken important steps toward building high-quality family child care programs in their own homes.

Throughout the cohort, participants explored the child care licensing process, developed strong business practices, and designed programs focused on providing quality early learning experiences for children and families in our community.

Upon successful completion of the cohort and all grant requirements, each participant will receive $5,000 in grant funding to support the launch of their new child care programs.

Please join us in congratulating these inspiring providers and welcoming them to the Central Oregon early learning community! We are excited to see the positive impact they will make for local children and families. ❤️🌟

Interested in opening your own in-home child care business? Whether you are English-speaking or Spanish-speaking, we'd love to help you get started. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming a licensed family child care provider, please reach out to us at [email protected] for information about upcoming cohorts and support opportunities.

08/16/2026

Your voice matters! Direct care providers, Tribal organizations, external partners, and regional service providers are all invited to take the DELC Customer Service Survey in their preferred language. It only takes a few minutes.
Learn more and take the survey: https://delcnews.org/2026/08/03/the-2026-delc-customer-service-survey-is-now-open/

The DELC Customer Service Survey invites direct care providers, tribal organizations, external partners, and regional service providers to participate in their preferred language.

08/14/2026

A group of providers and partners used 2024-2025 listening session feedback to build a new and improved draft of the Oregon Registry Steps, and we're asking for your input again this fall.
Fill out our quick survey to help us schedule sessions that work for you: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfuCupIqPtWu9SVM0m0Kt9n_BI8x5SoxGEpcGR9KfE4q6avlw/viewform

08/13/2026

Big news for Oregon’s youngest learners!
Driven by Governor Tina Kotek’s Early Literacy Success Initiative, DELC and over 100 partner organizations are boosting early reading skills. A fantastic example is already happening in Eastern Oregon! The Blue Mountain Early Learning Hub joined forces with Reach Out and Read to expand pediatric literacy services from 4 clinics to 22 clinics across Morrow, Umatilla, and Union counties. Read the full DELC press release at

New grants expand early literacy outreach for families with children ages birth through five SALEM, ORE. – The Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is ramping up Oregon’s efforts to boost …