What are Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs)?

Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRCs) provide a single point-of-contact for families, early childhood education professionals, and communities to get information and access services that support high-quality child care and early learning programs.

Services for Families

ELRCs can help families find the best early childhood education program for their children. ELRCs offer links to services like:

  • Child Care Works
  • Keystone STARS
  • PA Pre-K Counts and Head Start
  • Early Intervention Services and Supports
  • Pennsylvania’s Home Visiting Services

Services for Early Childhood Education Professionals

Through the ELRC, early childhood education (ECE) professionals can get supports in building quality outcomes for children by working with quality coaches to achieve Keystone STAR 3 and 4 status. ECE professionals can build connections with community partners, and support children and families in accessing additional services, like PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, home-visiting, and Early Intervention.

Find your ELRC by searching by county or zip code from the Raise Your STAR home page!

ECE Programs and Supports

Keystone STARS

Keystone STARS rates child care programs from one to four STARS on things you care about. Programs meet regulations for safety, and offer a kid-friendly atmosphere with good teachers that partner with families to help children learn.

Child Care Works

It is a significant challenge for families to afford reliable, quality child care. Child Care Works makes it possible for low-income families to find reliable, quality child care near their home or work and provides financial assistance to help them afford it.

PA Pre-K Counts

Quality pre-kindergarten can give a child a strong start in school and in life. Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts provides free half-day or full-day pre-kindergarten for at-risk children throughout Pennsylvania.

Head Start & Early Head Start

Head Start programs are federally-funded programs that serve three and four-year-old children. Programs may be based in centers, schools, or family child care homes. Services include education, as well as health, nutrition, social and other services.

Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children from birth to age 3. It operates like preschool Head Start. The program may be offered as center-based or home-based services and is free.

Early Intervention

Early intervention consists of services and supports designed to help families with children from birth to age five who have developmental delays or disabilities. Early intervention seeks to help children grow and develop through individualized services and supports, which may be provided at home, in child care, in private or public preschools, Early Head Start and Head Start, or combinations of these.