ORS tit. 30, ch. 329A, WORKFORCE, TEMPORARY PROVISIONS RELATING to INDEPENDENT STUDY TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO A HIGH QUALITY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE ARE COMPILED AS NOTES FOLLOWING ORS 329A.525
ORS tit. 30, ch. 329A, WORKFORCE, TEMPORARY PROVISIONS RELATING to INDEPENDENT STUDY TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO A HIGH QUALITY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE ARE COMPILED AS NOTES FOLLOWING ORS 329A.525
Sections 1 and 2, chapter 522, Oregon Laws 2023, provide:
Sec. 1. (1) The Department of Early Learning and Care shall commission an independent study to identify barriers to a high quality early childhood workforce, including inefficiencies that may exist within the statewide professional recognition database that records licensing and training of early childhood professionals, and to provide guidance for future professional development specific to the needs of the early childhood workforce in Oregon. In selecting an entity to conduct the independent study, the department shall prioritize either of the following entities that demonstrate experience in applied policy research and analysis and subject matter expertise regarding matters related to early learning:
(a) Community-based nonprofit organizations.
(b) Firms that have received a certification issued by the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity.
(2) At a minimum, the study shall:
(a) Examine barriers and inefficiencies within the existing early childhood workforce registry.
(b) Evaluate challenges faced by current and prospective early childhood professionals.
(c) Review the active efforts that are in place, if any, that promote increased accessibility and transferability of community college credits across post-secondary institutions.
(d) Consider possible accreditation processes for transferring international college credits related to early childhood and child development.
(e) Explore career pathways developed or implemented by entities, including but not limited to community colleges and community-based organizations, that have successfully reduced inefficiencies and barriers for individuals seeking apprenticeships, on-the-job training and other professional training that lead to employment in occupations related to early childhood.
(3) The department shall convene a stakeholder group to review the findings from the study and provide recommendations for:
(a) Strategies to attain more equitable compensation for the early childhood workforce.
(b) Creating a career pipeline for the early childhood workforce that increases opportunities for education, training and credentialing.
(c) The content of administrative rules adopted by the department under subsection (4) of this section.
(4) No later than December 31, 2025, the department shall adopt rules that address barriers that impede entry into the early childhood workforce by early childhood professionals. At a minimum, the rules must simplify and eliminate administrative inefficiencies that exist within the early childhood workforce registry by:
(a) Establishing consistent standards for assessing the professional qualifications and academic experience of early childhood professionals for purposes of determining the appropriate worker classifications and pay rates for such professionals.
(b) Streamlining the processes used to verify or accredit the out-of-state professional or academic credentials of an early childhood professional to determine whether those credentials count towards qualifications that are specific to the early childhood workforce in Oregon.
(c) Providing a foreign language translation feature within the early childhood workforce registry for early childhood professionals to translate relevant documents free of charge.
(d) Establishing standards and processes by which an early childhood professional may provide consent to a hiring agency to access the professional's workforce registry account to provide technical assistance to the professional.
(5) The department shall prepare and submit reports in the manner provided under ORS 192.245, and may include recommendations for legislation, to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to early learning and care as follows:
(a) The first report must be submitted no later than September 15, 2024, and must be a preliminary report that summarizes the findings of the study.
(b) The second report must be submitted no later than December 31, 2024, and must provide:
(A) Comprehensive evaluations on the findings of the study;
(B) The status and the degree to which any rulemaking has occurred pursuant to subsection (4) of this section;
(C) Recommendations for administrative actions and legislative proposals based on the results of the study; and
(D) Recommendations of specific funding sources for implementing or supporting the recommendations made under subparagraph (C) of this paragraph. [2023 c. 522, § 1]
Sec. 2. Section 1 of this 2023 Act is repealed on January 2, 2026. [2023 c. 522, § 2]