2021 Early Learning Conference
Equity at the Start
Early Learning for All Children
April 14-24, 2021
Includes PreRecorded and Live Sessions via Zoom
What a year of waiting! We are so excited to share that, due to amazing partnerships with early learning colleagues and the Continuing Education Department at Central Oregon Community College, we are able to announce the 2021 annual Early Learning Conference! We look forward to seeing you in an online, virtual format for more than a week of professional development and networking.
In 2021, we return to the original theme from 2020, Equity at the Start-Early Learning for All Children. This highlights equity-driven and resilience-focused programming, curriculum, and advocacy to support all children and families. In alignment with the NAEYC's most recent position statement, Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education, our regional conference will focus on the ways in which our profession, and our interactions with children and families, can foster opportunities for success for all learners.
In 2021, we return to the original theme from 2020, Equity at the Start-Early Learning for All Children. This highlights equity-driven and resilience-focused programming, curriculum, and advocacy to support all children and families. In alignment with the NAEYC's most recent position statement, Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education, our regional conference will focus on the ways in which our profession, and our interactions with children and families, can foster opportunities for success for all learners.
Please join us as we welcome our 2021 Keynote Speaker, Dr. Rosemarie Allen.
Rosemarie Allen has served as a leader in early childhood education for nearly 40 years. Her life's work is centered on ensuring children have access to high-quality early childhood programs that are developmentally and culturally appropriate. She is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her classes are focused on ensuring teachers are aware of how issues of equity, privilege, and power impact teaching practices. Rosemarie has served in directorship roles with the Colorado Department of Human Services where she was responsible for the State’s child care licensing program, the federal child care assistance program, the redesign of the State’s quality rating and improvement system, the implementation of the State’s professional development plan, and assisted in the creation of Colorado’s early learning guidelines. Rosemarie is a respected keynote speaker and has the distinct honor of being appointed as a “Global Leader” to represent the United States at World Conferences across the globe.
Dr. Allen’s non-profit Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence (IREE) serves as the lead agency for ensuring equity in educational practices throughout the nation. IREE monitors and licenses child care centers using a model she created, “Culturally Responsive Community-Based Licensing”. Rosemarie also served on President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK) initiative, Early Childhood Task Force. In that role, she was the national expert on implicit bias and culturally responsive practices, speaking at conferences across the country. She also serves as a contractor for the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations focusing on equity, implicit bias, and culturally responsive practices in the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children.
Rosemarie earned her B. A. from California State University, Master’s of Education from Lesley University, and a Doctorate Degree in Leadership for Equity in Education from the University of Colorado, Denver.
To learn more about Dr. Allen's work, please visit the Center for Equity & Excellence.
Rosemarie Allen has served as a leader in early childhood education for nearly 40 years. Her life's work is centered on ensuring children have access to high-quality early childhood programs that are developmentally and culturally appropriate. She is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her classes are focused on ensuring teachers are aware of how issues of equity, privilege, and power impact teaching practices. Rosemarie has served in directorship roles with the Colorado Department of Human Services where she was responsible for the State’s child care licensing program, the federal child care assistance program, the redesign of the State’s quality rating and improvement system, the implementation of the State’s professional development plan, and assisted in the creation of Colorado’s early learning guidelines. Rosemarie is a respected keynote speaker and has the distinct honor of being appointed as a “Global Leader” to represent the United States at World Conferences across the globe.
Dr. Allen’s non-profit Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence (IREE) serves as the lead agency for ensuring equity in educational practices throughout the nation. IREE monitors and licenses child care centers using a model she created, “Culturally Responsive Community-Based Licensing”. Rosemarie also served on President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK) initiative, Early Childhood Task Force. In that role, she was the national expert on implicit bias and culturally responsive practices, speaking at conferences across the country. She also serves as a contractor for the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations focusing on equity, implicit bias, and culturally responsive practices in the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children.
Rosemarie earned her B. A. from California State University, Master’s of Education from Lesley University, and a Doctorate Degree in Leadership for Equity in Education from the University of Colorado, Denver.
To learn more about Dr. Allen's work, please visit the Center for Equity & Excellence.
A Shared Commitment to Creating Safe Spaces to Learn and Grow Together
The open exchange of ideas and the freedom of thought and expression are central to the aims and goals of the 2021 Central Oregon Chapter of the Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children conference. Our community commits to providing a harassment-free, accessible, and pleasant conference experience with equity in rights for all. We want every participant to feel welcome, included, and safe at the conference. Moreover, we will do our best to accommodate specific needs such as accessibility. We cannot promise to solve every issue, but will try our best.
We aim to provide a safe, respectful, and harassment-free conference environment for everyone involved regardless of age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, nationality, marital status, military status, veteran status, religious beliefs, dietary requirements, childbirth- and pregnancy-related medical conditions or childcare requirements. We also respect any other status protected by laws of the country in which the conference or program is being held.
We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants. Harassment includes but is not limited to overt and/or covert acts of:
Verbal accusations or bullying Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following both in person and online Harassing photography or recording Sustained disruption of talks or other events Interference with a person’s participation or opportunity for participation Inappropriate physical contact Unwelcome sexual attention Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior We expect all interactions between attendees to be respectful and constructive, including interactions during the review process, at the conference itself, and on social media. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference (without a refund) at the discretion of the conference organizers.
