STRONG MINDS NETWORK INFORMATION SESSION DM 163080
Dec 14, 2015
STRONG MINDS NETWORKINFORMATION SESSION
DM 163080
AGENDA
Welcome Introductions Presentation:
Children’s Services Council Strong Minds Network
Questions
Children’s Services Council: Who We Are
Children’s Services Council, a special district created by Palm Beach County voters in 1986, provides leadership,
funding, evaluation, program and system development on behalf of the county’s children
so they grow up healthy, safe, and strong.
CSC Guiding Principles
• Primary prevention and early intervention
• Targeting the earliest developmental stages
• Theoretical integrity• Minimal sufficiency• Data driven and evidence-
based• Continuous learning and
improvement• High return on investment
Building an Early Childhood System of Care
Quality Child Care:
• Early Education• Afterschool
BRIDGES
Healthy Beginnings
Professional Development
Program & System Performance
Data Systems
Education and Outreach
Palm Beach County’s QRIS Journey
• 1998, Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS) considered best practice
• 2002, Palm Beach County pilot, 6 sites• 2003, the system was named Quality Rating System, 40 sites• 2006, Palm Beach County and 11 other counties in Florida, formed
the Multi-County Collaborative to align the standards in Florida◦ System renamed Quality Counts (tri-county; Palm Beach County,
Miami-Dade County, and Broward County.)• 2014, Quality Counts had 210 sites serving approximately 11,000
children
Why a New System?
• New evidence & research• Focus on child outcomes• Return on investment (ROI)• Feedback from national experts• Feedback from stakeholders• Most intentional high quality providers
Strong Minds Network
Strong Minds Vision and Mission
Vision:Children will have quality early educational experiences that will increase their chances of achieving school success and becoming productive members of society
Mission:To use research and data to increase the quality of early care and education programs through integrated supports and resources offered to the early learning community, children and their families.
Goals:Children are ready for school• To improve children’s learning and development• To improve teacher-child interactions• To improve parent engagement
Who’s Included
• Children: Birth-Five in Palm Beach County• Practitioners: working with children Birth-Five in Palm Beach
County• Programs: publicly-funded
◦ Includes: School Readiness, Early Head Start, Head Start◦ System Partners: Early Learning Coalition, Early Head
Start/Head Start, Palm Beach State College, School District of Palm Beach County, Literacy Coalition, Family Central, The Children’s Forum, Healthy Beginnings, & Bridges
System Elements
Pre-Entry/Eligibility/Annual Requirements
Navigation Support
Registry
Valid and Reliable Child & Program Assessments
Targeted Technical Assistance & Career Advising
Professional Development Opportunities (Formal, Informal, ACHIEVE, Scholarships)
Tiered Reimbursement Supplement
Pre-Entry Criteria School Readiness Agreement or Head Start/Early Head Start
Contract In good standing* with: SR Agreement VPK Agreement HS/EHS Contract Licensing
*In good standing is defined as no quality assurance/compliance plan within the last 12 months
No Class 1 and no more than two of the same Class 2 licensing violations in the past 12 months
Pre-Entry Criteria
Agree to use GOLD Child Assessment System
Gold Seal Accreditation within three years of achieving In-Network status
All professional staff are active members of the Palm Beach County Early Childhood Registry
Application
Online application will be available beginning March 2, 2015 at: http://earlylearningpbc.org
Notification by email within 15 days regarding status: Ineligible Assessment Pending
The Early Childhood Registry
The Registry is a professional development approval system that has been created to support and promote
quality assurance, formal and informal courses, and assure trainer content knowledge.
The Registry helps track formal and informal education and provides a basis for planning future professional
development.
Active Registry Membership Before applying to Strong Minds
User Manual available at
https://www.pbcregistry.org/index.php/forms
Documents (Direct Care Program Registration User Manual) Register your site in the Registry system
http://www.pbcregistry.org/
Make sure all current staff join the Registry
Make sure the viewable list of staff along with career level, position title, and registry status is accurate and up to date
Contact: Kimesha House or LaCandice James 561-374-7650
Program Assessments
Program Assessment Program Assessments for Strong Minds
Preschool CLASS – classrooms with children 3-5 Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale(ITERS-R)–
classrooms with children 0-2 ½ Toddler CLASS – optional for classrooms with
children 2 ½-3 Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS-R) – for
Family Child Care Centers www.forumpac.com for more information
Program Assessment
Program Assessment Protocol
50 % of preschool classrooms assessed
50% of infant / toddler classrooms assessed
Classrooms randomly drawn by assessment staff prior to arrival at the site
Network Status
In-Network
Promising
Emerging
In-Network Status
Minimum Assessment
Scores
(Tier 1)
Minimum Assessment Scores
(Tier 2)
Available Supports
4.0 on identified items of ITERS-R/FCCERS-R
*CLASS Domains:
5.0 Emotional Support
4.0 Classroom Organization
1.5 Instructional Support
*not applicable to FCCH
5.5 on identified items on ITERS-R or FCCERS-R
*CLASS Domains:
6.5 Emotional Support
5.5 Classroom Organization
3.0 Instructional Support
*not applicable to FCCH
Targeted Technical Assistance
Professional Development
Career Advising
ACHIEVE Salary Supplement
Full access to SEEK Scholarship
Tiered Reimbursement Supplements
Promising Status
Minimum Assessment Scores Available Supports3.5-3.99 on identified items of ITERS-R/FCCERS-R
*CLASS Domains:
4.5-4.99 Emotional Support
3.5-3.99 Classroom Organization
1.0-1.49 Instructional Support
*not applicable to FCCH
Limited targeted technical assistance
Professional Development
Career Advising
ACHIEVE Salary Supplement
SEEK Scholarship
Emerging Status
Assessment Scores Available Supports
Less than a 3.5 on identified items of ITERS-R/FCCERS-R
*CLASS Domains:
Less than 4.5 on Emotional Support
Less than 3.5 on Classroom Organization
*not applicable to FCCH
Limited targeted technical assistance
Professional Development
Career Advising
SEEK Scholarship
Technical Assistance
Technical Assistance TA Specialists provide technical assistance to programs with In-
Network and Promising status in the following targeted areas:
◦ Accreditation◦ Assessment and Documentation◦ Behavior Management / Special Needs◦ Curriculum, Planning and Instruction◦ Interactions
TA supports can be offered on site, via phone, virtually, and in groups
Career Advising To provide individual professional development guidance
and support to the Early Childhood Workforce of Palm Beach County
Strong Minds Network programs are assigned a Career Advisor
Appointment, extended hours, walk-in during business hours, on-site
One on one, face to face, through technology and group settings
Tutoring services
Professional Development
Registry approved community based training Informal/non-credit courses College Credit Certificates AS Degree in Early Childhood Education Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education Master Degree in Early Childhood Education Early Childhood degrees at other institutions of Higher Education
SEEK ScholarshipsAvailable to staff* in licensed Early Childcare Sites GED Test Fee Translation/Evaluation of Foreign Higher Education degrees PBSC Test Fees (PERT, TABE, COMPASS) ECPC/FCCPC coursework ▪ Director Credential coursework Non-Credit Coursework (HEO) ▪Community Based Training Associate Degree in ECE
(including Prep, General Education and Language course)
Required books/materials for coursework
*Specific Eligibility requirements must be met
SEEK ScholarshipsIn addition the following are also available to Strong Minds programs (any status)
Bachelor Degree in ECE Master’s Degree – up to 12 ECE Credits
Handbook, Deadlines and Application Forms available at www.palmbeachstate.edu/IEECE
*Specific Eligibility requirements must be met
ACHIEVE Salary SupplementsAvailable to staff*in Strong Minds sites-In-Network and Promising Status only
*Specific Eligibility requirements must be met
What is Tiered Reimbursement?
Strong Minds Tiered Reimbursement Supplement Program issues differential payments to programs that participate in the county’s voluntary quality child care
network and meet In-Network Status.
The purpose of the Tiered Reimbursement Supplement is to assist in offsetting the cost of quality for high performing
programs.
Tiered Reimbursement Supplement
Tier 1(Daily reimbursement Rate)
Tier 2(Daily reimbursement Rate)
High Needs Area 6%($1.74)
8%($2.32)
Not in High Needs Area (Publicly Funded)
6%($1.74)
8%($2.32)
Not in High Needs Area (Private Pay)
4%($1.16)
6%($1.74)
High Needs= High Poverty Zip Code & High Poverty Census Tract Area
GOLD Child Assessment System
WHAT IS IT?
-Teaching Strategies GOLD is an authentic and formative early childhood assessment tool.
-TS GOLD requires early education practitioners to observe, document, and assess the demonstrated abilities of children from birth to Kindergarten across several areas of development.
- It is designed to support a cycle of ongoing observation, documentation, assessment, planning, and reporting.
GOLD Child Assessment SystemWhat supports are available for the GOLD Program participants?
• GOLD Program – application available to programs with In-Network status at: www.elcpalmbeach.org/child-assessment-pilot
• GOLD Introductory Training and ongoing TA provided upon request by the Assessment Team at the ELCPBC. Additional supports offered by ELCPBC: Webinars, Newsletters, GOLD Provider Meetings, Video Tutorials, and Online Resources.
• Technology Support - Provided by NonProfits First
• Informal trainings at Palm Beach State College
• Ongoing TA provided upon request by Strong Minds Technical Assistance Specialists.
For More Information
Please visit the website of the Children’s Services Council at: www.cscpbc.org Information Session PowerPoint Presentation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Strong Minds Network Provider Manual
Please Contact Strong Minds Navigators at: [email protected] 561-374-7521 561-374-7532