Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care Marks One Year Anniversary

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) is celebrating its first year as one of Oregon’s newest state agencies.  

“This anniversary represents the first of many milestones,” said DELC Director Alyssa Chatterjee. “I’m overjoyed to see how far DELC has come. It is an honor to support young children and families across the state.”

Standing up a new agency devoted to children in their earliest years kicked off last July when staff announced they had successfully surpassed all three transition goals. Over the course of the year, staff administered assistance to tens of thousands of Oregonians with programs such as Baby Promise, Early Childhood Equity Fund, Employment Related Day Care, Healthy Families Oregon, Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten, Preschool Promise, and Relief Nurseries.

In June, the agency released two guiding documents: Growing Oregon Together, strategic plan for 2024-2029 along with its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan which will help guide the work in the years ahead. Staff have also taken steps to increase transparency including the launch of three new data dashboards to help measure progress. 

DELC staff set up strong foundations and structure for the new agency including creating policies, information technology infrastructure, and agency-wide budget processes to ensure limited financial resources are leveraged to their greatest effect. In June the agency refined the organizational structure with a dual deputy model that will help teams operate more efficiently. 

The Child Care Licensing Division worked with partners to revise and implement new rules, ran over 21,000 background checks, conducted investigations and supported providers to help ensure Oregon’s children have safe and healthy environments to play, explore, and learn. This work took place out of field offices across the state in Redmond, La Grande, Medford, Eugene, Salem, Tualatin and Portland. 

Leadership recently announced a contract with Workplace Change to help build a supportive culture and to foster an inclusive work environment. The new Tribal Affairs Office and Social Equity Office have expanded and are fully staffed.

At the legislature, staff testified, attended committee hearings, and worked with the legislature to pass the agency’s first budget. Bills were advanced and new policies are being implemented to increase options and provide supports to Oregonians in need. 

The agency is marking the “DELC Turns 1!” occasion with a downloadable coloring page. Oregonians are invited to tag DELC on social media with completed works of art.