EEC Annual Legislative Report February 14, 2012. Context Legislative language requires EEC to report on Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK), Mental Health.

EEC Annual Legislative Report

February 14, 2012

Context• Legislative language requires EEC to report on

Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK), Mental Health initiatives and the Workforce Development System

• FY2012 Budget Language requires a feasibility study of the MA Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies

• Report seeks to provide an update on EEC’s five-year Strategic Plan and will frame this year’s accomplishments and future planned activities by the Board’s Strategic Directions and Indicators of Success

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What EEC Must Report (at a Minimum)

Progress in achieving goals and implementing programs authorized under M.G.L. c. 15D;

Progress made towards universal early education and care for pre-school aged children;

Progress made toward reducing expulsion rates through developmentally appropriate prevention and intervention services;

Behavioral health indicators;

Rules and regulations promulgated by the Board related to civil fines and sanctions, including the types of sanctions and the amount of the fines; and

Findings and recommendations related to the study on the programmatic financing and phase-in options for the development and implementation of the Massachusetts universal pre-kindergarten program.

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EEC Strategic Directions

EEC System Components and Strategic Directions: Legislative Report

Framework of Report

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FY2012 Context will include:

Conclusion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Funding

Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Funding

Work of the Board of Early Education and Care

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Example: Strategic Direction: Quality

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and ImprovementSystem (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’s communitypartners and EEC staff.

Accomplished This Year FY2011 Launch of On-line System for Programs to

Manage QRIS Participation As of January 2012, of the 10,910 total programs

licensed by EEC, 16.3% (1,778) of programs have submitted final applications to participate in the QRIS.

Of the 1,778 programs, 1,660 programs have a subsidy agreement with EEC (which indicates that 28.3% of the 5,741 subsidy providers participate in QRIS.

Continued on next slide

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and ImprovementSystem (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’s communitypartners and EEC staff.

Accomplished This Year FY2011 Launch of On-line System for Programs to

Manage QRIS Participation As of January 2012, of the 10,910 total programs

licensed by EEC, 16.3% (1,778) of programs have submitted final applications to participate in the QRIS.

Of the 1,778 programs, 1,660 programs have a subsidy agreement with EEC (which indicates that 28.3% of the 5,741 subsidy providers participate in QRIS.

Continued on next slide

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Example: Strategic Direction: Quality

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’s community partners and EEC staff.

Accomplished This Year Implementation of FY2011 and FY2012 (in progress)

QRIS Program Improvement Grants In FY2011, 100 FY2010 grantees were monitored; over 1,100

providers were trained on advancing on the QRIS; and 445 program level grants to early education and care and after school programs.

In FY2012, 376 applications were submitted for this grant (including 73 after school programs, 159 center and school based programs and 144 family child care programs).

Verification of Programs The verification process for the 2,255 QRIS applications has

begun (expected to be completed by Early March 2012)

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’s community partners and EEC staff.

Accomplished This Year Implementation of FY2011 and FY2012 (in progress)

QRIS Program Improvement Grants In FY2011, 100 FY2010 grantees were monitored; over 1,100

providers were trained on advancing on the QRIS; and 445 program level grants to early education and care and after school programs.

In FY2012, 376 applications were submitted for this grant (including 73 after school programs, 159 center and school based programs and 144 family child care programs).

Verification of Programs The verification process for the 2,255 QRIS applications has

begun (expected to be completed by Early March 2012)8

Example: Strategic Direction: Quality

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’scommunity partners and EEC staff.

Planned for Next Year

Evaluation of the QRIS Standards Over 4 years, EEC plans to hire a vendor to validate

the tiered QRIS, ensuring program quality matches assigned tiers and leads to improved child outcomes.

Move Toward Universal Participation in the QRIS and Quality Improvement Through RTT funding, MA proposes to fund program

supports, online professional development training, and technical assistance for early childhood programs to increase both program participation and level advancement on the tiered QRIS.

Indicator of Success: MA Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) has been developed, validated, funded and implemented with full involvement of EEC’scommunity partners and EEC staff.

Planned for Next Year

Evaluation of the QRIS Standards Over 4 years, EEC plans to hire a vendor to validate

the tiered QRIS, ensuring program quality matches assigned tiers and leads to improved child outcomes.

Move Toward Universal Participation in the QRIS and Quality Improvement Through RTT funding, MA proposes to fund program

supports, online professional development training, and technical assistance for early childhood programs to increase both program participation and level advancement on the tiered QRIS.

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Example: Strategic Direction: Quality

Indicator of Success: Programs seeking to improve their quality have access to a range of resourcesand supports.

Accomplished This Year Professional Development Programs

FY2011 Educator and Provider Support RFP Institutions of Higher Education Mapping Project Targeted Professional Development Resources Early Educator Scholarship Program: In FY2012, 1,004

applicants approved by EEC Professional Qualifications Registry (as of December

2011, 49,670 educators were entered) Assessment Supports (In FY2011 896 educators were

trained in 29 differentiated trainings (introductory, intermediate and advanced levels) and 694 child assessment tools and 5,101 on-line licenses (needed per child) were given out.

Indicator of Success: Programs seeking to improve their quality have access to a range of resourcesand supports.

Accomplished This Year Professional Development Programs

FY2011 Educator and Provider Support RFP Institutions of Higher Education Mapping Project Targeted Professional Development Resources Early Educator Scholarship Program: In FY2012, 1,004

applicants approved by EEC Professional Qualifications Registry (as of December

2011, 49,670 educators were entered) Assessment Supports (In FY2011 896 educators were

trained in 29 differentiated trainings (introductory, intermediate and advanced levels) and 694 child assessment tools and 5,101 on-line licenses (needed per child) were given out.

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Example: Strategic Direction: Quality

Indicator of Success: Programs seeking to improve their quality have access to a range of resourcesand supports.

Planned for Next Year Educator and Provider Support: using data gathered

during the first two years of the 3 year grant, EEC continues to refine the requirements for continuation grants.

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Mapping Project: EEC is funding a part time position at DHE beginning focus on implementation of the Early Education Compact and supporting educators in completing their degrees.

Targeted Professional Development Resources for the Field: EEC will work with EPS grantees and their Readiness Center partners to make resources available through the Readiness Center Network.

FY2012 Assessment Grant: it is anticipated that a total of 800 educators will benefit from training and 225 programs will receive assessment and/or screening tools.

Indicator of Success: Programs seeking to improve their quality have access to a range of resourcesand supports.

Planned for Next Year Educator and Provider Support: using data gathered

during the first two years of the 3 year grant, EEC continues to refine the requirements for continuation grants.

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Mapping Project: EEC is funding a part time position at DHE beginning focus on implementation of the Early Education Compact and supporting educators in completing their degrees.

Targeted Professional Development Resources for the Field: EEC will work with EPS grantees and their Readiness Center partners to make resources available through the Readiness Center Network.

FY2012 Assessment Grant: it is anticipated that a total of 800 educators will benefit from training and 225 programs will receive assessment and/or screening tools.

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Key Initiatives Advanced in FY2012

Highlights of the FY2011-2012 initiatives that advanced the work of EEC include:

Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Reform Redefining Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Comprehensive Child Data System Early Childhood Information System (ECIS)– Access to

Parental Consent Forms at a Variety of Access Points ASQ – Access to Children Beyond Formal Child Care

Settings Alignment of Quality with a Rate Reform Initiative Availability of On-line Resources

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CCR&R Reform

Over the past year, EEC has received input from a variety of sources that point to a need for reform of our CCR&R System.

As a result of analysis and discussion (NACCRRA, CAYL, SAC Family Survey, CCR&R staff and Board members), EEC plans to move forward with a reform effort in four phases, which will ultimately result in a new CCR&R model through a competitive bid that implements new standard policies, procedures and protocols starting January 1, 2013.

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Redefining Definition of UPK

EEC’s Board, and its Committees, allocated time in FY2012 to discuss the further development and definition of UPK, including refinement to the structure, purpose, funding mechanism and alignment with QRIS.

Some topics discussed relative to advancing the UPK program include: Connecting UPK participation to level 3 in QRIS Serving “high needs children” as defined in the RTTT-ELC

grant and through the use of formative assessments and screenings

Submission of individual child data Movement toward median compensation Program matches PreK-3 alignment Fund use

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Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge

Securing $50M over the next four years will allow Massachusetts to continue strengthening our current system of early education and care and allow many initiatives to go to scale.

Specific projects will be carried out by both public and private sector partners and will result in full implementation of the Massachusetts Early Learning Plan. The projects are either direct community investments or are statewide infrastructure investments with secondary gains for communities.

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Comprehensive Child Data System

EEC has continued work on the new IT Unified system web-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Financial

Assistance system that will help manage EEC business practices and promote a more unified and efficient system of early education and care

The system will help: streamline statewide early education business

processes improve child and family data manage annual financial assistance

HCL America was chosen as the apparent winning bidder. The project began in early December 2011

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ECIS: Access to Parental Consent Forms at a Variety of Access Points

EEC’s goal is to provide opportunities for families to complete parental consent forms at a variety of access points.

EEC began a pilot with CFCE grantees designed to get their input on EEC’s first draft of a Parental Consent form that will be used as part of the ECIS;

The parental consent form is a tool that allows CFCE information that will enhance their capacity to identify and provide the most appropriate resources /referrals to families.

One UPK FY2012 grant objectives (continued from FY11) includes an agreement to provide child level data, with parent consent, allowing children to be assigned a State Assigned Student Identification (SASID).

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Ages and Stages QuestionnaireAccess to Children Beyond Formal Child Care Settings

As part of implementation of Help Me Grow, EEC is currently piloting the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) screening tool in 15 CFCE programs, with the goal of integrating this into the CFCE model across the Commonwealth. Help Me Grow is a prevention program designed to identify

children at risk for developmental or behavioral problems and to connect these children to existing community resources.

The ASQ creates a structured opportunity for grantees to talk with parents about child development, with specific attention to the needs of their children. An integral part of the screening process is linking families to local resources to support their child’s development.

Next Year, through RTT funding, the purchase of ASQ) screening toolkits will be provided to 107 CFCE grantees to engage families in their child’s development, norm-referenced assessments to support individualized instruction of licensed and licensed exempt early education and care programs.

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Alignment of Quality with a Rate Reform Initiative

EEC has initiated an analysis of the current cost of providing quality, whole child education and care reimbursement in the Massachusetts mixed delivery system.  This approach will be the first step in the reform of the child care rates for subsidized child care that takes into account all costs associated with quality programs.    The study will explore different costs per child according to the ages of children and settings of child care to establish items in the business of early childhood program delivery.  Ideally, EEC will have an interactive model that will present current “settings” in the Massachusetts child care system and allow users to adjust settings for a range of components tied to the state’s QRIS standards to see the cost implications.  The cost model will also allow users to examine the effects of various methods of allotting money, including modeling the cost implications of changing child care reimbursement rules.  The model will present results at the county, regional, or state level and will estimate the costs for providers based on provider characteristics.

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Availability of On-line Resources

Targeted Professional Development Resources: EEC developed a series of on-line courses on the Preschool Guidelines, the Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers, the Core Competencies, and Early Literacy.

On-Line Professional Development Calendar: collects data on opportunities offered throughout the state 847 courses listed in 2011

• 482 of those were funded in part or in total by EEC• 351 Courses were evaluated and 7,730 Educators attended

the evaluated professional development offerings

Improved Access to Care: development of an on-line waiting list application links all waiting list activities to the enrollment and placement of children in programs (August 2011 rollout).

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Timeline: 2012

January 10, 2012 EEC Board Meeting Discussion

January 19, 2012 Board Planning and Evaluation Committee Meeting – Discussion

February 7, 2012 Send draft of the near final report to the Governor’s Office for review

February 14, 2012 EEC Board Meeting – Vote

February 15, 2012 Report Due