Jul 19, 2015
IMPROVING QUALITY IN EARLY CARE AND
EDUCATION
• Many approaches
• Combination of strategies
• Ongoing
Exciting to consider the possibilities!
NATIONAL INTEREST IN QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS
• Federal Initiatives to support early care and education
• Brain development research
• Longitudinal studies providing evidence of economic returns on early investment
WHAT IS QUALITY?
• Quality is a process that programs use to constantly strive for excellence
• Based on current research, best practices and observation/ input from educators/families
• Attention to three Areas
• Philos0phy
• Reflective Evaluation
• Support for Educators
QUALITY
• The Quality process never stops, it is an on-going endeavor*
* Please see Alameda County Child Care Planning Council Statement on High
Quality ECE Principles and Standards for further information
IMPROVING QUALITY
• Articulated philosophy
• Addressing diverse needs of families,
educators and the community
• Guides program implementation
and practices
TOOLS AND SUPPORTS THAT ASSIST IN QUALITY
IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
Assessment tools-ERS, CLASS, ASQ,DRDP, CSEFEL
Assistance through professional development programs, advisors, coaches and consultants
Leadership for ECE community
Leadership through Professional Associations and Higher Education
Leadership through individual programs
We are all in this together!
WHAT ARE QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT
SYSTEMS (QRIS)?
• State frameworks outlining
effective evidenced based
strategies for improving
quality in early childhood
programs
QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT
SYSTEMS…
• Create common definitions of quality
• Coordinate early learning standards, professional development, and incentives around shared improvement goals
• Align existing resources
• Expand successful quality improvement approaches
• Strengthen early care and education programs and systems
QRIS SUPPORT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
• Use assessment and ratings
to evaluate a program’s current level
of quality
• Provide multi-level supports to
improve program quality
3 LEVELS OF SUPPORT
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND PROGRAM
• Quality improvement plans
• Training, technical assistance, and mentor coaching
• Identification of resources to improve program quality
• Financial incentives
• Professional development
• Grants for facilities or program improvement
QRIS DEVELOPMENT IN CALIFORNIA
• One of the last states to begin development of a QRIS
• Regional versus statewide approach
• Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Federal Grant
• Funding being used to develop regional QRIS
• Alameda is one of 16 participating counties
RACE TO THE TOP EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE
(RTT-ELC)
Federal grant to improve early care and education programs for young children by supporting states’ efforts to:
• Increase the number of low income and disadvantaged children enrolled in high-quality early learning programs
• Integrate and strengthen learning standards, use of assessment, workforce development and family engagement
California Department of Education received a RTT-ELC grant to assist 16 counties in California to develop a QRIS
Funding through 2015
QRIS RATINGS
• Centers and family child care
• Nationally recognized indicators of quality
• California RTT-ELC Quality Continuum Framework • First year of development• 16 QRIS counties and Department of Education• Collaborative committee process
• Publication of ratings to be determined
RTT-ELC QUALITY CONTINUUM FRAMEWORK
Tool used to measure program performance in 3 core areas:
• Child Development and School Readiness
• Teachers and Teaching
• Program and Environment
QUALITY CONTINUUM FRAMEWORK
• Observational assessments by external evaluators
• Submit documentation
• Ratings based on RTT-ELC Quality Continuum in 3 elements
• Combined points from ratings across 3 elements locate program on a Quality Tier
• Alameda County’s Framework will have 5 Tiers
All programs in the QRIS, from Tier 1 to Tier 5, are making a commitment to quality care.
THE QUALITY ELEMENTS
1. Child Observation
2. Developmental Health and Screenings
3. Ratios and Group Size• Centers only beyond licensing regulations
4. Program Environment Rating Scales• ECERS-R, ITERS-R, FCCERS-R
5. Director Qualifications• Centers Only
6. Minimum Qualifications for Lead Teacher/Family Child Care Homes
7. Effective Teacher-Child Interactions• CLASS Assessments
WHAT IS THE QRIS PILOT?
• Test Sites in Alameda County
• Learn how to implement the rating system
• Determine quality improvement activities
needed and desired
• Gather feedback from participants
WHO WILL BE INCLUDED IN QRIS?
• Family child care
• Title 5 centers
• Title 22 centers
• Head Start centers
HOW WILL PARTICIPATING SITES BE SELECTED?
• Licensed, in good standing
• Serving children with high needs
• Alameda County Early Learning Advisory Committee selection eligibility criteria
• Program Readiness
• Year 1: 20 sites • Year 2: 40 sites• Year 3: 40 sites
CALIFORNIA’S DEFINITION
OF HIGH NEEDS CHILDREN
• Living in low income families
• Special needs or developmental delays
• English Language Learners
• Enrolled in Migrant and Tribal programs
• Infants and Toddlers
• Homeless, in foster care or involved with Child Protective Services
AM I ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN QRIS?
If you are a licensed early care and education center or family child care home YOU are eligible to apply for participation in
QRIS
BENEFITS TO PARTICIPATING PROGRAMS
• Assessments by external evaluators in both the ERS and the CLASS
• Sample of classrooms at each site
• Quality rating on California’s RTT-ELC Quality Continuum Framework
• Create a QRIS quality improvement
roadmap to identify next steps
BENEFITS TO PARTICIPATING PROGRAMS
ACCESS TO:
• Quality improvement resources
• Technical assistance (TA): Rater, navigator and/or coaching
• Professional development advising
• Free or reduced cost trainings
• 2nd rating to document quality post TA
• Quality rating to use in communicating with parents/families and caregivers
BENEFITS FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY
• Participating sites will provide important information about effective quality improvement strategies
• Improved understanding of the Quality Continuum Framework
• Identifying how it works for individual programs
• Learning how it works for the the county overall
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WANT TO APPLY?
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
• Are a majority of the children you serve in the high needs categories listed?
• Are you and your program ready to work as a team and make a 2 year commitment to quality improvement?
• Will you commit to the the extra time it takes to meet with a coach, go to trainings or improve curriculum and environments?
• Do you feel ready and comfortable to have an outside assessor observe and assess your program on an ERS and CLASS?
IF YOU SAID YES TO ALL OF THE CRITERIA:YOU ARE READY TO APPLY!
• Contact the Alameda County QRIS Administrator to
determine your site eligibility
• QRIS staff will contact you for an interview in early
Fall 2014
• Complete the application in Fall 2014 and return
MANY WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
WITHIN ALAMEDA COUNTY
QRIS is one method of participation
Others include:
• Resource and Referral Agency Workshops
• CARES Plus and My Teaching Partner
• Community College Cohorts
• Completing College Course in ECE
• Working with a Mentor Coach
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information please contact:
Mary Anne Doan
QRIS Administrator
First 5 of Alameda County
510-227-6937