OAR 414-580-0000. Definitions

The following definitions apply to Division 580 of Chapter 414: (1) “Department” means the Department of Early Learning and Care. (2) “Early Childhood Care and Education Program” or “Early Learning and Care Program” means any of the following entities and their staff: (a) A child care facility that is required to be certified under ORS 329A.280 or a provider that is required to be registered under ORS 329A.330; (b) Any program receiving state public funding for early learning and care services, in which a Young Child could face potential expulsion; (c) Providers of the Preschool Promise program described in ORS 329.172; (d) Providers of the Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten program described in ORS 329.175 ; (e) Providers of the infant and toddler care program described in ORS 417.784; and (f) Providers of the Relief Nursery program described in ORS 417.788. (3) Every Child Belongs is Oregon’s Early Childhood Suspension and Expulsion Prevention Program, as established by ORS 329A.600. The goal of Every Child Belongs is to help Early Learning and Care Programs keep Young Children in care by offering responsive support when challenges arise. (4) “Every Child Belongs Connect” or “ECB Connect,” means an online access point for Early Learning and Care Programs to submit a request for support in maintaining a Young Child’s enrollment in the child care program." (5) “Exclusionary Practices” means any action taken by an Early Learning and Care Program that limits the enrollment, participation, or attendance of a Young Child due to the Young Child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior. (6) “Expulsion” or “Expel” means to permanently end a Young Child's enrollment in an Early Learning and Care program due to the Young Child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior. (7) “Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation” or “IECMHC” means a prevention-based approach that pairs an infant and early childhood mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and Young Children in the different settings where they learn and grow, such as child care, preschool, home visiting, and early intervention. It employs a culturally responsive and Trauma-Informed lens and involves providing consultation to child care and Early Learning and Care Programs that helps promote healthy social-emotional development, and which builds on child, family and provider strengths to ensure inclusive, supportive care for all Young Children. (8) “Planned Transition” means the transition of a Young Child’s enrollment from one Early Learning and Care Program to a different Early Learning and Care Program due to a Young Child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior. For a change of enrollment to be considered a Planned Transition, the plan must be developed collaboratively with the family, the staff of the Early Learning and Care Program, and a professional consultant or support specialist. The Early Learning and Care Program receiving the Young Child may be involved in creating the transition plan, when appropriate. (9) “Regional Service Provider” means an entity that provides IECMHC services to Early Learning and Care Programs and coordinates IECMHC services with other early childhood technical assistance providers, to promote Early Learning and Care Program access to resources, training, and other technical assistance opportunities. (10) “Soft Expulsion” means actions taken by an Early Learning and Care Program due to a Young Child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior that make the program an unviable arrangement for the family or Young Child and leaves the family with little choice but to withdraw the Young Child from the program. (11) “Supported Break” means a brief, time-limited period that a Young Child spends apart from the early care and education environment, or from a specific activity within the environment, for the purpose of a supportive co-regulation or sensory break. A Supported Break occurs with the active engagement of an adult in the Early Learning and Care Program. (12) “Suspension” means reductions in the amount of time a Young Child may be in attendance of an Early Learning and Care Program, such as requiring the Young Child to cease attendance for a temporary period of time or reducing the number days or hours that the Young Child may attend due to the child’s ability, specialized need, or behavior. A suspension may occur either as In-Program Suspension or Out-of-Program Suspension. (a) “In-Program Suspension” means temporarily removing the Young Child from the classroom or group setting due to the child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior by sending the Young Child to a different location within the program or building. A Supported Break is not an in-Program Suspension. (b) “Out-of-Program Suspension” means dismissing or sending the Young Child home early, prohibiting them from returning to the program for one or more days, or reducing the hours the Young Child spends per week in the program due to the child’s ability, specialized needs, or behavior. (13) “Technical Assistance Provider” means a person or entity who provides training, consultation, coaching, or other professional development supports to Early Learning and Care Programs. (14) “Young Child” means any child who is six weeks of age until eligible to be enrolled in kindergarten on or before the first day of the current school year.