Weekly Highlights
En español abajo
May 27, 2025
Happy Tune-In Tuesday!
This issue includes the following sections:
- Register for Our Newest Self-Paced PD!
- News from DHS
- DHS to Issue SUN Bucks Benefits Beginning June 9
- Comprehensive Background Check Update
- News from RIDE
- RI Pre-K Lottery Is Open
- New! Free Admission to Providence Children’s Museum on June 14
- New! Parenting Groups Available from the Bradley Early Childhood Collaborative
- The 2025 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook is now available!
- New! Resources for You
- Higher Education Pathways
- Share your News and Calendar Events!
Register for Our Newest Self-Paced PD!
Try one of our self-paced courses – you can take them when it’s convenient for you.
Self-Paced PD
Supporting Lactating Families in Early Care and Education (ECE) Programs
This training provides an overview of the benefits of breastfeeding and the recommended practices for supporting lactating families in a child care program.
RI Child Abuse and Neglect Training: Part 2
The course presents a deeper dive into the signs of different types of child abuse and neglect, national and state data related to abuse and neglect, and the role of the early childhood professional. This training is designed to follow the overview course titled, RI Child Abuse and Neglect: Keeping Rhode Island’s Children Safe at All Times.
News from DHS
DHS to Issue SUN Bucks Benefits Beginning June 9
CRANSTON, RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) today announced the upcoming issuance of SUN Bucks benefits for Rhode Island children for the 2024–2025 academic year.
DHS will disburse the first issuance of a one-time benefit of $120 per eligible child on June 9 to help ensure continued access to nutritious meals during the summer months. If you anticipate receiving a benefit on June 9 and are not issued the benefit, please apply through the RI DHS website. The Sun Bucks application remains open on the RI DHS website throughout the summer with a deadline of August 31, 2025.
Formerly known as Summer EBT, SUN Bucks is a food nutrition program designed to help close the meal gap for children from low-income households who receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Eligible children include those who:
– Are between the ages of 6–18 and are part of a household receiving SNAP, Rhode Island Works, or Medicaid benefits (with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level);
– Are classified as foster children, homeless, migrants, Head Start participants, or runaways;
– Attend a school participating in the NSLP or School Breakfast Program (SBP) and qualify for free or reduced-price meals through an application;
– Attend a special provision school and are determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals through an application;
– Attend an NSLP/SBP school and meet income requirements (at or below 185% of the federal poverty level) based on a submitted online or paper SUN Bucks application.
Approximately 106,748 children in Rhode Island are eligible, with total benefits amounting to $12.8 million in federal funding.
Enrollment and Distribution of SUN Bucks
Some children will be enrolled automatically. Those ages 6–18 who are currently receiving SNAP, RI Works, or Medicaid (within income limits), or who live in a household where a child is receiving these benefits, will automatically receive SUN Bucks on their existing EBT card starting June 9.
In addition, families who submitted a school meal application or alternate income form to their school and were determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals will also automatically receive SUN Bucks, issued to a dedicated SUN Bucks EBT card.
Families who believe they are eligible but are not automatically enrolled can complete an online or paper application. To qualify, their child must attend an NSLP/SBP-participating school, and the household income must be at, or below, 185% of the federal poverty level.
Timeline for Benefits
– June 9, 2025: Benefits will be loaded to existing EBT cards for children in qualifying SNAP, RI Works, or Medicaid households.
– Refreshed benefits for 2025 will be issued to the card for returning families who received a SUN Bucks card last year.
– Should a family be interested in SunBucks this year but did not utilize the benefits last year, RI DHS encourages re-application through the RI DHS website.
– For newly eligible children, a SUN Bucks/EBT card will be mailed in advance of June 9.
SUN Bucks Application
Families not enrolled through the automated process may apply online or by submitting a paper application. Applications for the 2024–2025 school year are currently open and will remain available through the start of the next school year. However, application reviews and benefit issuance will begin only after the current school year ends, as SUN Bucks benefits are provided exclusively during the summer months.
For more information, including eligibility guidelines and access to application materials, visit the official SUN Bucks page on the RI DHS website: RI DHS website: https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/supplemental-nutrition-10.
“Today’s announcement marks an important continuation of the SUN Bucks food nutrition program,” said DHS Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito. “We know that a healthy and nutritious diet is key to the developmental success of our children. This program helps ensure access to these critical resources.”
“Year-round access to nutritious food is essential for a child’s growth and healthy development,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “SUN Bucks, a program designed to provide food assistance, ensures that families and children in need do not have to worry about hunger. This initiative allows them to access nutritious food that supports their development and learning, even during school breaks. We are proud to support Rhode Island families with this vital program.”
Families of children already receiving free or reduced-price meals are eligible to receive SUN Bucks benefits, to update addresses or to ensure SUN Bucks fill out the online application. Funds will be issued either to the household’s existing EBT card or to a dedicated SUN Bucks card mailed to the address on file with the child’s school. Each eligible child will receive a separate benefit.
Households that believe they are eligible but have not received the benefit are encouraged to apply using the online or paper SUN Bucks application. DHS has partnered with United Way’s 211 to provide support and answer questions about the program.
For more information, visit the official SUN Bucks page on the RI DHS website: https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/supplemental-nutrition-10
News from DHS
Comprehensive Background Check Update
Valued Providers –
We are issuing the following update today re: the AG’s Office and no cost comprehensive background checks.
We continue to truly understand the staffing crisis in the child care sector and want to ensure there are no major barriers to cost for hiring staff. RIAG will continue to waive all fees associated with the comprehensive background check for child care staff and redirect those costs to DHS to reimburse through quarterly invoices until June 30, 2026.
Child care center staff, family child care providers and household members will still be required to provide a signed Affidavit from their DHS-licensed employer validating their employment prior to having RIAG process the comprehensive background check. The signed affidavit will be the way you are able to receive a comprehensive fingerprint at no cost. If you do not have the affidavit, the RIAG’s office cannot confirm that you are a child care employee.
An important reminder about this process is that when you get your no-cost comprehensive fingerprints completed at the AG’s office, you will receive two separate documents that both count as part of your comprehensive fingerprints.
- Your local BCI will be provided to you real time, which is one of the pieces of your full comprehensive background check. You are responsible for making sure your employer gets a copy of this document.
- Your comprehensive criminal background check will be provided within 48 hours after you go to the AG’s office. It will be emailed to the email address at the bottom of your affidavit, and if you provided an e-mail, it will also be sent to you. This encompasses the remaining items for your full comprehensive background clearance.
Both of these are equally as important when thinking of a full comprehensive background check and you will need both to be considered “compliant” and have a full check.
The waived fingerprint cost is only applicable at the Attorney General’s office. Local police, at their discretion, are still providing comprehensive fingerprints but this waived fee is only available at the RIAG’s office in Cranston, Rhode Island.
As always, if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Child Care Licensing Team at 401-462-3009 and DHS.Childcarelicensing@dhs.ri.gov.
Thank you for your continued hard work,
Nicole Chiello, Assistant Director, Office of Child Care
Sarah Nardolillo, Administrator, Child Care Licensing
News from RIDE
RI Pre-K Lottery Is Open
RI Pre-K, entering its 17th year, provides free, high-quality Pre-K education to eligible 4-year-old children. This year, RI Pre-K will be in 20 communities and serve over 2,800 children. The deadline to apply is June 22, 2025. Apply online here Pre-K Lottery or go to RI Pre-K Lottery Application.
New! Free Admission to Providence Children’s Museum on June 14
BrightStars and DHS are sponsoring a Free Play Day at the Providence Children’s Museum on June 14th!
New! Parenting Groups Available from the Bradley Early Childhood Collaborative
Free virtual groups for parents are starting this summer. Parents can meet with other parents with children between the ages of 3 – 6. The focus of the groups will include: social support from other parents, improving relationships with your children, solving problems like meltdowns and fighting. Call 401-793-8734 or click here for more information.
The 2025 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook is now available!
The Factbook provides a statistical portrait of the status of Rhode Island’s children and families, incorporating the best available research and data. Information is presented for the state of Rhode Island, each city and town, and an aggregate of the four core cities (cities with the highest concentration of child poverty). You can find the full publication here, as well as individual indicators, and the Executive Summary.
Resources for You
New! From Zero2Eight
New! National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning
New! From Early Childhood Investigations
- Considering the Climate of Your Outdoor Spaces: How heat and shade impact health and play, and what you can do about it, June 12
- How to Prepare Your Program for a Successful Sale, June 25
- Nourishing Connections: A Proactive Approach to Mealtimes in Your Classroom, June 26
- Understanding Developmental Screening: A Powerful Tool to Support Young Children and Families, July 17
- What Do Young Children Think About: The development of inquiry and invention, July 23
From the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership
- Practical Strategies for Supporting Your Team’s Mental Health | McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership
- Leading Under Pressure: Stress, Burnout, and Commitment Among Novice ECEC Administrators
La Fuerza-STEM’s Telenovela Nominated for Children’s or Family Viewing Series Emmy La Fuerza de Creer: Dulce Sazón, a science-infused telenovela that is part of La Fuerza-STEM, an EDC initiative that supports Spanish-speaking families in promoting their children’s early science learning, has been nominated for a Children’s or Family Viewing Series Emmy Award.
Higher Education Pathways
Community College of Rhode Island: Learn more about the opportunities CCRI has designed to help students prepare for admission into formal teacher certification programs and other opportunities for success in teaching. A few options included on the CCRI Early Childhood Education Program pathways page are below, take a moment to pause and explore!
- RIECETP 12/24 College Credit Program Application Fall 2025 (Click Here) Application Deadline is June 30, 2025
- CDA Application – Preschool Fall 2025 (Click Here)
- CDA Application – Infant-Toddler Fall 2025 (Click Here)
- CDA Application – Family Child Care Provider Español Fall 2025 (Click Here)
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Registered Apprenticeship Program: Rhode Island Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeship Application. You can contact RIAEYC: info@riaeyc.org or 401-739-6100 for more information.
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T.E.A.C.H. Program: Click here to learn about the T.E.A.C.H. program. You can learn more about scheduling an information session and the benefits of sponsoring a T.E.A.C.H. scholar here.
Share Your News and Calendar Events!
Do you have news for Tune-In Tuesday or calendar events that are relevant to the early childhood community of Rhode Island? You can share them through this form. (Center staff may edit your submission for clarity or decline to post any submission.)
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27 de mayo de 2025
¡Feliz martes sintonizado!
Este boletín incluye las siguientes secciones:
- ¡Regístrate para nuestro DP autoguiado!
- Noticias de DHS
- Actualización completa de la verificación de antecedentes
- Noticias de RIDE
- La Lotería de pre-kínder de RI está abierta
- ¡Nuevo! ¡Día de entrada gratis al Providence Children’s Museum el 14 de junio!
- Guarda la fecha: WEPA 2025
- Recursos para ti
- Recursos de nuestros socios
¡Regístrate para nuestro DP autoguiado!
Tenemos muchos cursos en español que puedes tomar cuando te conviene. ¡Inscríbete ya!
Noticias de DHS
Actualización completa de la verificación de antecedentes
Estimados proveedores –
Hoy estamos emitiendo la siguiente actualización sobre: la Oficina del Fiscal General (Attornery General’s Office) y las verificaciones de antecedentes integrales sin costo.
Seguimos comprendiendo la crisis de personal en el sector del cuidado infantil y queremos asegurarnos de que no haya barreras significativas en el costo de la contratación de personal. RIAG continuará cediendo las tarifas asociadas con la verificación integral de antecedentes para el personal de cuidado infantil y redirigirá esos costos al DHS para reembolsar a través de facturas trimestrales hasta el 30 de junio de 2026.
El personal del centro de cuidado infantil, los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar y los miembros del hogar aún deberán proporcionar una declaración jurada firmada por su empleador con licencia del DHS que valide su empleo antes de que RIAG procese la verificación integral de antecedentes. La única forma en la que podrá recibir la verificación de antecedentes sin costo alguno será con la declaración jurada firmada. Si no tiene la declaración jurada, la oficina de RIAG no puede confirmar que usted es un empleado de cuidado infantil.
Un recordatorio importante sobre este proceso es que cuando complete su verificación de antecedentes sin costo en la oficina del Fiscal General, recibirá dos documentos por separado que cuentan como parte de sus huellas dactilares completas.
- Su BCI local se le proporcionará al momento, ésta es una de las piezas de su verificación de antecedentes. Usted es responsable de asegurarse de que su empleador obtenga una copia de este documento.
- Su verificación completa de antecedentes penales se proporcionará dentro de las 48 horas posteriores a que vaya a la oficina del Fiscal General. Se enviará por correo electrónico a la dirección de correo electrónico que aparece en la parte inferior de su declaración jurada y, si proporcionó un correo electrónico, también se le enviará. Esta segunda pieza abarca los elementos restantes que completarán la documentación de sus antecedentes.
Ambos son igualmente importantes cuando se trata de una verificación de antecedentes completa y exhaustiva para ser considerado “cumplidor” y tener una verificación completa.
La exención de pago que cubrirá los costos de las verificaciones de antecedentes solo es aplicable en la oficina del Fiscal General. La policía local, a su discreción, sigue proporcionando huellas dactilares completas, pero esta tarifa exenta solo está disponible en la oficina de RIAG en Cranston, Rhode Island.
Como siempre, si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en comunicarse con el Equipo de Licencias de Cuidado Infantil al 401-462-3009 y DHS.Childcarelicensing@dhs.ri.gov.
Gracias por su arduo trabajo continuo,
Nicole Chiello, Directora Asistente, Oficina de Cuidado Infantil
Sarah Nardolillo, Administradora, Licencias de Cuidado Infantil
Noticias de RIDE
La lotería de pre-kínder de RI está abierta
El programa Pre-K de RI, que cumple 17 años, ofrece educación preescolar gratuita y de alta calidad a niños de 4 años que cumplen los requisitos. Este año, el programa estará presente en 20 comunidades y atenderá a más de 2,800 niños. La fecha límite para aplicar es el 22 de junio, 2025. Aplique en línea aquí Lotería de Pre-K o vaya a Aplicación de la lotería de Pre-K.
¡Nuevo! ¡Día de entrada gratis al Providence Children’s Museum el 14 de junio!
¡BrightStars y DHS estan patrocinando un dia de juego gratis en el Providence Children’s Museum el 14 de junio!
Guarda la fecha: WEPA 2025
Únete a la sexta Asamblea anual WEPA, que se llevará a cabo el sábado 7 de junio de 2025 de 9:00 a. m. a 2:00 p. m. (la feria de registro y recursos comienza a las 8:00) en Providence Marriott Downtown (1 Orms St, Providence, RI 02904).
Recursos para ti
La Fuerza-STEM’s Telenovela Nominated for Children’s or Family Viewing Series Emmy La Fuerza de Creer: Dulce Sazón, una telenovela con infusión de ciencia que es parte de La Fuerza-STEM, una iniciativa de EDC que apoya a las familias de habla hispana en la promoción del aprendizaje temprano de las ciencias de sus hijos, ha sido nominada para un premio Emmy a la serie infantil o familiar.
De NAEYC:
- Promover la equidad en la educación infantil
- Recursos en español de NAEYC: Globally-Focused and Translated Blogs, Books and Articles | NAEYC
Del Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
- Desarrollo del cerebro mediante el juego: actividades para bebés, niños pequeños y niños – Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
- El juego en la primera infancia: el papel del juego en cualquier entorno (disponible con subtítulos en español)
Recursos de nuestros socios
Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI): Obtenga más información sobre las oportunidades que CCRI ha diseñado para ayudar a los estudiantes a prepararse para la admisión a programas formales de certificación docente y otras oportunidades para tener éxito en la enseñanza. A continuación se incluyen algunas opciones incluidas en la página de vías del Programa de Educación Infantil Temprana del CCRI. ¡Tómese un momento para hacer una pausa y explorar! CCRI Esta aceptando aplicaciones para el Asociado en Desarrollo Infantil (CDA). Puede ver mas información aquí y puede ver el sitio web aquí.
De RIAIMH: Práctica reflexiva en el contexto de la cultura y el lenguaje: Levantando la comunidad es un aprendizaje colaborativo intensivo que explora las dimensiones de la salud mental infantil y de la primera infancia en las comunidades latinoamericanas. Empieza en enero y la registración está limitada a 20 participantes.
La Administration for Children & Families tiene un nuevo Marco de sistemas para apoyar el aprendizaje de dos idiomas en entornos de educación y atención temprana.
El Genesis Center esta ofreciendo un curso gratis de ingles para proveedores de cuidado de niños. Curso gratis de inglés para proveedores de cuidado de niños del Genesis Center / Free English Class for Home Childcare Providers from the Genesis Center – Center for Early Learning Professionals (center-elp.org). Para mas información y como aplicar: visite gencenter.org o envié un correo: info@gencenter.org, mbonilla@gencenter.org & ccuevas@gencenter.org; tel: (401) 781-6110.