Transcript QRIS Quality Rating Improvement System

Miami-Dade County, Florida
January 2010
Why Quality Rating
Improvement System-QRIS?
Cost, Quality, Child Outcomes Study 1995
• 4 states - 400 centers
• Only 8% infant care and 24% preschool care rated high quality
• Some so bad as to endanger children’s well-being
Children of the Cost-Quality Study Go to School 1999
• Higher quality child care correlated with better child outcomes
in school (800 children thru 2nd grade)
• Cognitive, language, social-emotional
National interest in QRIS
• Incentivize and support quality in private, tuition-based industry
• Voluntary standards above licensing
Quality Counts
Goals
• Ensure high quality ECE through voluntary
higher standards
• Enhance quality through supports and
incentives
• Help families make good choices with a
trustworthy rating system
History
• FL Early Learning Coalitions formed 1999
• Advocates studied elegant models from other states
– NC, PA, OK, TN
• FL Coalitions and CSCs got going (state ECE is very
decentralized):
– Palm Beach, Tampa, Jacksonville, Pinellas, Broward,
Miami-Dade
• Voluntary Multi-County QRIS Collaborative to align
standards
• Children’s Trust convened stakeholders to design a local
system
– 5 Star QRIS
– ECE Professional Development
Standards
5 incremental steps (5 Stars) in 6 areas
•Learning Environment
– Health & Safety, Learning Activities, Interaction
•Staff Qualifications
•Ratios-Group Sizes
•Family Engagement
•Program Administration
•Curriculum
Steps in the Process
• Introduction, Application, Selection (aim for
representative cross-section each cohort)
• Link to TA and Career Advisor
• Extensive Self-study
• Formal assessment for baseline, detailed report
• Quality improvement plan
• Apply for supports
– Scholarships, WAGE$, Grants
• Work on quality improvement
• Renewal
– Annual Update; 3 year cycle for Star Rating
Partners
Designed and funded by
Children’s Trust, Early Learning Coalition (ELC), Early Childhood
Initiative Foundation/Ready Schools Miami
Implementation via ELC
– Florida International University
– Family Central Inc.
– University of Miami Mailman Center
– The Children's Forum
– Devereux Florida
– National Institute for Innovative Leadership
– United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education
Additional funding leveraged
– Miami-Dade CAA Head Start/Early Head Start
– Miami-Dade County Public Schools – Ready Schools
– Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA)
– Miami Dade College
Components & Providers
Quality Rating Improvement System
• “Hub” project management- ELC
• Technical Assistance- FIU, FCI, UM
• Formal Assessment- Devereux FL
• Support Grants-Achievement Awards- ELC
Professional Development
• Career Advisors & Registry- Children’s Forum
• Wage$ Incentives- Children’s Forum
• Targeted In-service Training- United Way
• College Course Development- Miami Dade College
Data Management
Continuous Quality Improvement
Web-based Early Learning System-WELS
– Track & analyze all QRIS data
– Customize supports; help determine which supports make
biggest difference
ECE Professional Development Registry
– Database of the ECE workforce education & experience
• Teachers, trainers, trainings
– Identify needs, engage partners to address needs, track
progress over time
Independent evaluation –FPG Institute at University of
North Carolina
System Building
All sectors working together as a coherent early care &
education system
393 programs reaching 21,720 children by Year 2
72 Head Start
Programs
6,800 children
225 Child Care
Centers
13,500 children
20 MDCPS
Classrooms
400 children
70 Family Child Care
Homes
420 children
6 RCMA Centers
600 children
Baseline Rating Analysis
Quality Counts Baseline Ratings in 2008
for initial 197 programs
(child care centers and family child care homes)
75
50
25
0
# Programs
Star 1
Star 2
Star 3
Star 4
Star 5
26
73
72
21
5
Star Rating after Baseline
Changes in level 1 – 5 from Baseline to first Star Rating
N = 35
Increased
by 2 levels
1
Increased
by 1 level
6
Maintained
levels 1 – 3
Maintained
levels 4 or 5
Decreased
by 1 level
9
16
3
Publicizing Stars
Moving slowly
 Economic intervention in market “industry”
 Be careful that dis-incentives don’t outweigh incentives
 Celebrate 3, 4, 5 Stars
-Don’t drive out 1, 2s with negative publicity
Need critical mass of ~60% of total number rated
Promotional angle:
Our program cares so much about quality for your child
that we are participating in Quality Counts
More Information
The Children’s Trust
www.thechildrenstrust.org
Click For Providers. Click Quality Counts
Jesse Leinfelder
[email protected]
305.571.5700