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Office of Early Childhood & Out-of-School Learning |
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Join an Advisory Group Meeting
The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) has established Licensed Child Care Center, Licensed Child Care Home, and Unlicensed Registered Child Care Ministry advisory groups. These groups allow OECOSL to hear directly from providers about the specific challenges and opportunities each program type faces.
OECOSL is currently seeking board and voting members for each group. Voting members must be part of a current regulated child care program. If you are interested in either role, email OECOSLproviderinquiry@fssa.IN.gov.
Advisory groups meet quarterly at the Indiana Government Building, Harrison Hall conference room 30. You can also join virtually via Microsoft Teams. Information about upcoming meetings is below.
Child Care Home | Tuesday, February 18 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET
Child Care Ministry | Wednesday, February 19 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET
Child Care Center | Thursday, February 20 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET
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Opt-In for Early Learning Assessment Opportunity
Are you looking for a tool to identify children's strengths, uncover gaps, and support instructional plans to prepare children and families for kindergarten? The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is providing the Indiana Student Performance Readiness and Observation of Understanding Tool (ISPROUT) early learning assessment to any interested early childhood program.
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Attend an Upcoming Child Care Provider Fair
Successfully opening, running, and advancing a child care program can be a rewarding and sometimes challenging process. Get help with your program at your local Child Care Provider Fair.
Child Care Provider Fairs are one-stop-shop events to help you connect with resources and partners that can support your program needs. All provider types are encouraged to attend.
Attend an upcoming provider fair:
- Vincennes: Saturday, February 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET
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Terre Haute: April 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET
- Muncie: April 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET
- Indianapolis: May 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
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Plainfield: August 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
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Discover Calm by the Numbers
The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) and SPARK Learning Lab are proud to partner with Calm to offer premium subscriptions to all child care employees in Indiana.
In 2024, providers across the State achieved:
- 3,230,530 mindful minutes
- 33,257 mindful days
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13,916 meditation sessions
You stayed present and mindful as you immersed yourself in Calm meditations, soothing sleep sessions, relaxing music, and more. Whether you were unwinding after a long day, finding your focus, or simply taking a mindful pause, you showed up for yourself in the best way possible.
Have more mindful minutes in 2025 by redeeming your Calm subscription today. Complete the interest form and use the unique code on the confirmation page to access your premium subscription.
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Use the Pay by Enrollment Roster Clean-Up Form
Use the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL)'s new submission form to make all child care voucher roster update requests.
Changes can be requested for up to ten (10) children on one form. Submissions are sent directly to your eligibility office. This will assist in processing those requests faster and easier. Bookmark or favorite the form link in your web browser to save it for easy access.
- Request children be removed from your program (never started or disenrolled)
- Request funds from improper payments be recouped from a future payment
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Request a gap in care for a child not using vouchers temporarily
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Report a change in start date for a child
- Change absences that were recorded in error when a child was not attending
For more Pay by Enrollment provider support, call the SPARK Help Desk at 1-800-299-1627 or visit the SPARK website. Families can get support by calling Indiana 211 or their local eligibility office.
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Don't Miss Out: SPARK Group Coaching Deadlines
These sessions provide hands-on learning, expert guidance, and a supportive community to help you grow — from Active Supervision to Infant Toddler, and more. Take your program to the next level with SPARK Group Coaching.
Mark your calendar for these upcoming registration deadlines:
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Infant Toddler for Facilities: Wednesday, February 19
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PTQ Level 3 Advancement for Homes: Sunday, February 23
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PTQ Level 3 Advancement for Facilities: February 24
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Infant Toddler for Homes: February 24
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Active Supervision for Homes: February 26
Register now at IndianaSpark.com/cohorts for the Group Coaching sessions. Have questions about SPARK Group Coaching? Contact the SPARK Help Desk at 1-800-299-1627, help@indianaspark.com or use the 'Chat with an Expert' feature on IndianaSpark.com.
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Attend Upcoming SPARK Learning Lab Trainings
Explore upcoming training opportunities through SPARK Learning Lab. See a full list of upcoming face-to-face training, live webinars, and live resources, plus read training descriptions and find registration instructions at IndianaSpark.com/training.
In-Person Training
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