The Department of Early Education and Care will join the EOE web portal as part of the Education Community of people. This will enhance search functionality, use of common resources and toolsets as well as sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices. The portal will meet community needs such as User Group, Portal Advisory Board, Portal Enhancement Planning. The portal brings together users, content and context.

EEC is scheduling trainings for family child care and center-based programs across the state. For the trainings that have been already scheduled please visit: http://www.eec.state.ma.us/docs/RegulationMeetingNotice.pdf. This link will be updated regularly as additional trainings are scheduled across the state.

The proposed regulations, and resources to help programs comply with the new requirements they contain, are available at http://www.eec.state.ma.us/licensingRegulations.aspx.

NEW! For a detailed review of the new requirements for family child care providers, view the Family Child Care Provider Regulation Training

NEW! For a detailed review of the new requirements for group and school age child care providers, view the Group and School Age Child Care Provider Regulation Training

NEW!  Medication Administration Training required for all educators who give medications.

NEW!  A PowerPoint on Oral Health in Child Care

The Department of Early Education and Care is pleased to announce awards for the Income Eligible contract bid. EEC received bids from nearly 300 providers requesting more than 24,000 slots across the state. Bids were evaluated and scored in eight different program areas, including assessment, screening, curriculum, child transitions, family engagement, professional development, comprehensive services and collaborations. Programs were also evaluated and scored based on accreditation status, experience with EEC programs, fiscal compliance history, and licensing history. With enough fiscal resources to support 14,000 slots, EEC limited contract awards to the 227 highest scoring bidders from across the state. Click here to view the list of contract awards by region.

EEC is also reposting the contract bid to seek additional responses for center-based and out-of-school-time slots in Athol, Orange, Northampton, Belchertown and Westfield. The initial bids received were insufficient to make contract awards in these towns. This bid is being re-opened for center-based and out-of-school-time providers only. All bids are due back to EEC by August 13, 2009. Click here to learn more.

The Department of Early Education and Care has launched a new web page with information regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and how it relates to EEC activities. Click here for more information.

On March 30, 2009 Governor Deval Patrick performed the swearing in of Sherri Reneé Killins as Commissioner of Early Education and Care for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Education Secretary Paul Reville, Board of Early Education and Care Chair Sharon Scott Chandler and Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester joined the Governor, Legislators and early education and care and after-school providers for the ceremony. Click here to read more.