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PPS blamed the falling reading scores on state exams on “inconsistent implementation,” and district leaders said they will focus on aligning practices with the science of reading – the body of research that emphasizes systemic phonics instruction.

Testing found that only 44% of third graders were proficient in reading at the end of the most recent school year, down from 46% the previous year.

During a recent presentation of the district’s Pennsylvania System of School Assessment results, PPS superintendent Wayne Walters said that teachers need more time for dedicated training on reading instruction.

Reading Scores

Reading scores have fallen for the past few years. Research shows that students who aren’t reading proficiently by the third grade are more likely to remain behind. Statewide, about 48.6% of third graders were considered proficient or advanced in reading.

Third-grade reading score proficiency by school ranged from 16% to 60%, while advanced reading scores ranged from 0% to 36%. At several PPS schools, as much as 46% of students read at basic or below basic levels. 

Last year, PPS said it would place literacy coaches in district elementary schools, identifying and sharing best practices across locations, and differentiating instruction to address inequities. However, Walters said the district doesn’t have a coach for each school – therefore, some must split their time between schools.

PPS assistant superintendent Shawn McNeil said some principals weren’t giving sufficient time to classroom observations and teacher planning time was often stretched thin. Additionally, he said educators weren’t reviewing data often enough or in a structured way.

To ensure that district practices align with the science of reading, PPS plans in January to launch a training course that all K-3 teachers and principals must complete. It will also publish a science of reading playbook with tools that would support teachers and principals with practical guidance.

To learn more, read 90.5 WESA’s story.

The post Report: Only 44% of Third Graders in PPS Schools Found to Be Proficient in Reading appeared first on Trying Together.

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The Optimizing Attention and Sleep Intervention Study (OASIS) is an eight-month study during which caregivers with children between ages 3 and 5 will take part in four to six behavior sessions that each run about an hour.

The study will examine the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for preschool-aged children. Compensation will be provided. Locations for the study will be either at home or at a pediatrician’s office of choice.

The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of treatments for preschool-aged children with behavioral or sleep difficulties. All participating families will receive a parent behavioral intervention, with evidence-based strategies for improving disruptive behavior, from a licensed behavioral health clinician.

The child will also continue to receive routine care provided by the pediatrician while participating in the study.

After enrolling in the study, families will be assigned at random to receive one of two behavioral treatments. The behavioral health therapist will work with participants to identify areas of concern regarding a child’s behavior and teach strategies or skills to address the behavior. 

Participants will be asked to complete homework assignments between sessions as well as three questionnaires – before and after treatment and four months later – that cover family demographics, psychological factors such as depression or anxiety, and sleep. At various times, children will be asked to wear an actigraphy watch to monitor their sleep and caregivers will receive texts twice daily that ask about the child’s behavior and sleep.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the study, caregivers must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have children between ages 3-5 with behavioral or sleep difficulties
• Have children receiving care at one of the following CCP practices: Bass Wolfson Squirrel Hill, GIL East Liberty, GIL Murrysville, CCP Shenango, Bass Wolfson Cranberry, or CCP Neshannock
• Have children who have not had delays in their milestones or been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism or Down’s syndrome

For more information on the study, visit the Pitt + Me website.

The post Pitt Seeking Caregivers of Young Children for Behavior and Sleep Difficulty Study appeared first on Trying Together.

A recent article by Brightwheel says that communication is the key to building strong relationships at preschools or child care centers.

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For many caregivers, Brightwheel writes, their child’s entry into preschool or a child care center will be the first time that they’ve trusted their child with someone other than family or friends.

Therefore, it is important for early childhood education professionals to understand how to inform families about a program’s goals, their child’s progress, and daily activities.

Effective communication is the means through which educators can build trust and create good relationships with caregivers. And establishing a respectful relationship is an essential component.

To develop a respectful relationship, early childhood educators should gather the following information:

• Religious and cultural background, values, and beliefs
• Family dynamics and home arrangements
• Preferred languages
• Disabilities or health issues or concerns
• Learning styles

Understanding communication preferences is also important. This can include knowing which days and times are best to reach caregivers and whether they prefer to communicate over the phone, through email, or in person. Educators should also communicate to caregivers the same information about themselves.

Other effective means of communicating with caregivers include:

• Monthly newsletters that cover school-wide announcements, updates, or events
• Apps that help educators remain in touch with caregivers as well as track daily events and activities
• Social media pages that give caregivers a glimpse into daily activities
• Blogs that keep families up-to-date on current events in early childhood education

For more information – including such topics as how to have difficult discussions and active listening – read Brightwheel’s article.

The post Communication is Key to Building Strong Relationships Between ECE Professionals and Caregivers appeared first on Trying Together.

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Participants have the option to participate in one of two cohorts. The first cohort is hybrid and will run from Thursday, January 8 through Thursday, June 18. It meets virtually over Zoom Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and one Saturday per month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trying Together’s office in Squirrel Hill (5604 Solway Street, Pittsburgh).

The second cohort will run from Saturday, January 10 through Saturday, June 20 and will meet in person every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trying Together’s office.

To enroll, participants must complete two applications:

• Apply to Trying Together
• Apply for funding to cover the cost of the CDA program

Those with questions about the program should reach out to Patty McGee at patricia@tryingtogether.org. 

About the CDA Credential

A CDA credential is the most widely recognized credential in the early childhood field and is a key stepping stone on the path to career advancement. The CDA Credential is based on a core set of competency standards that guide early learning professionals in their work to build on their professional experience and expertise.

As a nationally recognized credential, a CDA Credential enables early learning professionals to work in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms in addition to early learning programs across the United States. Several topics are studied in a CDA program, including, but not limited to:

• A healthy and safe learning environment
• Physical, cognitive, language, and creative development
• Social and emotional development
• Positive guidance
• Creating positive relationships with families
• Program and classroom management
• Observation and assessments
• Professionalism in early childhood education

By earning a CDA Credential, early learning professionals strengthen their professional skill sets, gain opportunities to advance their careers, increase their confidence in the classroom, and reinforce their commitment to support young children and families.

The post Registration Open for Trying Together’s Spring CDA Cohort appeared first on Trying Together.

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The event will draw early childhood educators, advocates, and leaders from across the country for an in-person event that will focus on:

• Expanding policy knowledge
• Strengthening advocacy skills
• Building relationships with other educators, advocates, and allies
• Engaging with national and state policymakers and fellow advocates on relevant early childhood education issues
• Deepening relationships with congressional offices

The event’s agenda includes workshops, keynote speakers, panels, strategy sessions, and conversations with policymakers on Capitol Hill.

Those interested in attending can register online.

The post Registration Open for NAEYC’s 2026 Public Policy Forum appeared first on Trying Together.

Several long-time partners of Trying Together discussed with the Gazette how they were forced to dip into their reserves during the impasse and how getting a $25 million early childhood education retention and recruitment line item in the budget is a great start for alleviating teacher shortages.

Presbyterian Day School

Mary Merryman, director of Coraopolis’ Presbyterian Day School, said that low wages in the early childhood education profession has made it challenging to find teachers and resulted in a shortage of child care centers. 

Merryman, an alum of Trying Together’s advocacy fellowship, said that Coraopolis is a “child care desert,” meaning there are not enough centers or programs to support the number of children under age 5 in the area.

Merryman, who has traveled to Harrisburg to advocate for early childhood education, said the state budget’s $25 million line item is a good start to combatting the shortages.

“That will definitely help,” she told the Gazette. “If we can retain teachers, we can offer more services to families.”

Riverview Children’s Center

Stephanie Heakins, director of Riverview Children’s Center in Verona, said she took over the reins at the center in the middle of the impasse. Earlier this month, Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis dropped by the center to discuss the recently-passed child care investments in the 2025-26 budget. Riverview has been a long-time partner of Trying Together and has a history of advocacy work.

Heakins told the Gazette that loans were not an option during the impasse because paying interest on them was “not feasible,” while laying off teachers was also not possible because she knew the center would never get them back.

Riverview receives about $55,000 per month from the state for its Pre-K Counts program, which provides free pre-kindergarten classes to low-income families, the Gazette reported. More than 50 students are currently enrolled and there is a waitlist.

Because Pre-K Counts and Head Start – which Riverview does not offer – did not receive state dollars during the impasse, programs like Riverview were forced to dip into their reserve funds.

“(The impasse) was a big thing, but now we are hoping we can get back on track and start planning for the future,” Heakins told the Gazette.

Data

According to PA Partnerships for Children, there were about 3,000 open staffing positions in the child care workforce, with an average salary of $29,480, as of September 2024. Kindergarten teachers, on the other hand, make an average $67,670.

The 2025-26 budget’s $25 million Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program would provide about $450 annually to employed licensed Child Care Works providers. The bonuses would support approximately 55,000 child care workers.

The post Child Care Programs Still Recovering from Budget Impasse, Advocates Optimistic About New Investments appeared first on Trying Together.

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A recent Thriving Kids podcast covered the topic of how to help children manage their emotions. Dave Anderson, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for the Child Mind Institute, joined Marc Brackett, PhD, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of “Dealing with Feeling,” to discuss the topic.

The discussion covers why many children struggle to manage big feelings, how caregivers can shift from knowing to becoming “curious scientists,” and why focusing on positive emotions is just as important as managing difficult ones.

The Child Mind Institute’s Family Resource Center provided some strategies touted by experts on how to help children build emotional self-regulation skills. These include:

• Start with labeling feelings – it’s easier for children to manage emotions when they can name them, such as “frustrated,” “sad,” “nervous,” or “excited.
• Model calm – children often mimic adults’ behavior; when a caregiver takes a breath and speaks gently in response to a challenging situation, it teaches them what self-regulation looks like
• Practice in slow-stakes moments – emotional self-regulation skills are built through repetition; try dry runs, such as practicing new skills during a quick errand if a child often has meltdowns as the store
• Coach children through tough situations – when it comes to tasks or situations that children find overwhelming, break them down into small steps, which gives them the framework to tackle challenging scenarios on their own
• Revisit challenges together – if a child has an outburst, return to it gently; children can learn to choose better ways to respond to a situation, but they need straightforward feedback. Talk about what went wrong and why – and how they can do better next time.

Listen to the entire Thriving Kids podcast on YouTube.

The post Podcast Tackles How to Help Children Manage Their Big Emotions appeared first on Trying Together.

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The recruitment program is a funding opportunity for certified child care programs that maintains a Child Care Works (CCW) Certified Provider Agreement. The intent of the program is to support existing child care staff and recruitment within the field.

The 2025-26 enacted state budget includes $25 million for retention and recruitment funding to qualified DHS-certified providers. Qualified staff are eligible for a retention bonus. To the extent that funding is available, qualified child care providers may receive funds to provide new qualified hires with a recruitment bonus.

To prepare qualified providers for the release of the recruitment and retention program application period, OCDEL’s announcement includes details on the following:

• Provider eligibility 
• Staff retention bonuses
• Staff recruitment bonuses
• Application
• Funding and spending requirements
• Final expenditure report
• Monitoring information
• Timeline
• Next steps

Qualified providers must submit a completed application to their regional Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) by Thursday, January 29.

For more information, read OCDEL’s announcement.

The post OCDEL Releases Information About Child Care Recruitment and Retention Program appeared first on Trying Together.

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The blog focuses on best practices in early childhood and school-age programming across Pennsylvania.

Categories on the blog include news and updates, environment rating scales, and other topics relating to early childhood education.

Recent articles include “Teaching Kindness to Preschool Children” and “Making Fitness a Priority for Higher Quality Early Childhood Environments.”

Incorporating the blog onto The Pennsylvania Key website gives it a new design, improved user experience, a single destination for all content and community updates, and easier access to related resources and tools.

To learn more, visit the Let’s Talk Quality blog on The Pennsylvania Key.

The post Pennsylvania Key Adds Program Quality Blog to Its Website appeared first on Trying Together.

Omega Christmas Toy Giveaway

Pre-registered families will be able to pick up toys from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 20. Open walk-ups will continue at Anderson Manor, located at 1423 Liverpool Street in Pittsburgh, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. while supplies last.

The toy drive is hosted by the Iota Phi Foundation in partnership with the Iota Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Goodrich & Associates

Goodrich & Associates is hosting its 51st Annual Toys for Champions Christmas Toy Giveaway on Saturday, December 20 at the Penn Avenue McDonald’s East Liberty Station, which is next to Trader Joe’s.

The event, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. or until all toys are gone, is aimed at boys and girls, ages 5 to 12. Each child will be able to receive two toys. The child must be present – no exceptions.

Promise Center of Homewood

The Promise Center of Homewood’s Christmas Toy Giveaway will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 20 at 7825 Hamilton Avenue in Pittsburgh.

The free event will include a toy giveaway, cookies, and hot chocolate with Santa Claus.

KBK Foundation

The KBK Foundation’s Christmas Toys 4 Tots will run from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 18 at the Teenie Harris Center, located at 2195 Webster Avenue in Pittsburgh. 

For more information, call Marcia Scott at 412-790-1122, ext. 930.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots will operate toy drives this holiday season in various locations. Greene County will distribute toys on Saturday, December 20 to residents who have children from birth to age 12. 

For more details, visit the Toys for Tots page for Greene County.

Salvation Army Centers of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County

The Salvation Army operate toy drives such as the Angel Tree program, which helps families get free holiday toys for children or gift cards for parents. 

For information on The Salvation Army Angel Tree program, contact the Angel Tree coordinator, Leah Cross, at (412) 446-1534 or via email at leah.cross@use.salvationarmy.org. For other assistance, contact your local center.

Charlie Batch Annual Holiday Toy Drive

The Batch A Toys drive is organized by the Best of Batch Foundation, a nonprofit founded by former Steelers Quarterback Charlie Batch. The foundation will adopt 400 families, which will provide more than 1,000 children with holiday gifts.

The foundation is still accepting donations, but there is currently no information on how families can participate. Learn more. 

The post Toy Drives Continue This Week in Southwestern PA appeared first on Trying Together.