Pennsylvania Enterprise to Link Information for Children Across Networks (PELICAN) was an integrated child and early learning information management system. In addition to automating and centralizing many of the functions required to administer the subsidized child care program (Child Care Works), it expanded to automate the inspection and certification (licensing) process of child care providers, the administrative processes and data collection efforts for the PA Pre-K Counts and Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality (Keystone STARS) initiatives, and the data collection and analytics to support the Early Learning Network (ELN), which is a longitudinal database and tracking system for children in Pennsylvania early learning programs. PELICAN users included Child Care Information Service agencies, County Assistance Offices, Regional Keys (the administrators of the Keystone STARS program), PA Pre-K Counts grantees, as well as teachers and administrators for Head Start state supplemental programs, school districts that provide prekindergarten, providers of child care, and others. Families were also able to screen themselves for potential eligibility for child care subsidies, search for providers, and apply for services online. This initiative allowed the Office of Child Development and Early Learning and the Regional Keys to track providers, manage STARS, identify resources that were deployed at a program, and manage STARS grant information in the Keystone STARS rating system. A next phase of development would focus on how to integrate the existing trainer and training registry, the Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System, into PELICAN and make it accessible from the PA Key website.
An overview of the ELN is available in A Look at Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Data System.