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State licensing division details microcenter pilot, exceptions used to ease small childcare operations
Summary
The Department of Early Learning and Care told senators a June 2024 pilot lets small programs request exceptions to licensing rules to operate as ‘microcenters.’ DELC reported 44 applicants, three active pilot sites and no safety issues so far; workforce shortages and permitting remain key barriers.
The Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health on March 6 received an update from the Department of Early Learning and Care on Oregon’s microcenter pilot, established under Senate Bill 1040 to test a licensing path for small‑capacity childcare programs serving up to 30 children.
Alicia Gardner, director of the Child Care Licensing Division at DELC, told the committee the pilot began in June 2024 and uses DELC’s existing exception and waiver process to let small programs tailor licensing requirements to their operations while maintaining health and safety oversight. “This individualized approach better supports programs in smaller…
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