High school juniors and seniors in 13 school districts in Cumberland and Perry Counties will save on college tuition while advancing their careers in Early Childhood Education with a dual enrollment opportunity between Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center (CPACTC) and Shippensburg University. Listen to ECEPDO@PASSHE Director Liz Knouse discuss this opportunity with CPACTC... Read more »

Reading Area Community College, an ECEPDO@PASSHE educational partner, was recognized nationally by Excelencia in Education as one of three finalists at the Associate Degree level for its early childhood education program’s intentionality in serving Latino students through culturally relevant, evidence-based practices.

It's graduation time for many students! Listen to the inspiring journey of a PDO-funded "dual/concurrent enrollment" Tunkhannock Area High School student who graduates this spring with both a high school diploma and an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education!

It's that time of the semester when stress levels are up because final exams and final assignments are coming due! Dr. Beth Powers, a seasoned ECE professor at Millersville University, offers some tried-and-true tips and strategies to help students prepare for finals while lowering stress.

Available at NO COST to early childhood educators, this 12-module lesson plan collection offers a turnkey solution for summer programming. Aligned with learning standards and developed by educators at The Learning Lamp, a nonprofit organization based in Johnstown, PA , these easy-to-use resources were funded, in part, by the ECEPDO@PASSHE. Join The Learning Lamp CEO Dr. Leah Spangler and Playland Daycare Director/Owner Desirae Leonard as they share their excitement about this in-demand series of lesson plans, which are downloadable here. https://thelearninglamp.org/shared-services-child-care-providers/best-day-ever/

No matter what intentions or resolutions we set for ourselves, there will be days and even weeks when we don’t live up to our expectations. That’s human. When we learn that those are simply opportunities to begin again, and again, with loving kindness for ourselves, the likelihood of being successful increases. But that isn’t always easy and doesn’t come naturally to many of us. Mindfulness and self-compassion have the potential to teach us how to forgive and love ourselves, embracing our humanness.

Cuando valoramos la cultura hispana e integramos de manera autentica sus tradiciones en la sala de clases de educación temprana, estamos dando el primer paso para crear una sociedad que acepta y celebra la diversidad cultural y lingüística. Para conocer un poco mas sobre este tema, puedes escuchar a cinco maestros hispanos dialogando sobre el impacto de tener maestros hispanos en los primeros años de vida.

When we value Hispanic culture and authentically integrate its traditions into the early education classroom, we are taking the first step in creating a society that accepts and celebrates cultural and linguistic diversity. To learn a little more about this topic, you can listen to five Hispanic teachers talking about the impact of having Hispanic teachers during the first years of life.

When an early education center or program feels like home for children and staff, rewarding synergies are created. Building that culture can result in staff who experience the purposefulness of their work and are more likely to stay in early education.

Tune into this month's PDO podcast, "Opportunity Realized," where we feature perspectives from an early education center owner, director, and teacher who is a PDO-sponsored student.

Listen to this high school student describe how she's earning no-cost college credits while she's in high school through the ECEPDO@PASSHE Concurrent Enrollment Pilot Program! 

Many of us who spend so much of our lives caring for others are not nearly as good at self care as we should be. PDO students are encouraged to take advantage of confidential, no-cost counseling support services available through our partner program, Growing Edges. Listen to learn more about how you can access this free self-care support!

The new year offers us a chance to hit the “reset” button, including early childhood educators.This podcast, “Rearranged Resilience,” features two PDO students who share ways they have bolstered their abilities to juggle work, school, and home life during the pandemic. Get recharged; this can be your year to shine!

The COVID pandemic has made evident the critical role quality early childhood education and care plays in both the development of our youngest children and the economy. Many people simply cannot get back to work without quality care for their young children. The Early Childhood Education Professional Development Organization has made that possible for thousands of Pennsylvanians and continues to build a supportive community of practice for those working in this field and who want to build their career pathways in this all-important profession.