Transcript Slide 1

QRIS 2011 Program Quality
Improvement Grant RFP
Bidder’s
Conferences
February & March 2011
Wendy Valentine
Director, Community Impact
United Way of Mass Bay and
Merrimack Valley
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Background Information
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EEC formally began developing its Quality
Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) during
the spring of 2008
QRIS is a method to assess, improve, and
communicate the level of quality in early care
and education and after-school settings
Massachusetts has developed a QRIS that was
piloted in 2009-2010 and supported by a first
round of Program Quality Improvement Grants
Revised QRIS Standards issued on 12/14/2010
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Together for Quality Initiative (T4Q)
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Goal is to advance the state’s new QRIS by
supporting programs to engage in focused activities
that enhance the quality of education for children
across the Commonwealth
QRIS 2011 Program Quality Improvement Grant
Training, Grant Administration, and Coaching
T4Q Partners
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Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
(EEC)
Wheelock College
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Community Advocates for Young Learners (CAYL) Institute
Goals
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QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant is
intended to offer funding to support programs
to advance towards a higher level on the
QRIS system
Support programs/educators to engage in a
process of continuous quality improvement
Enhance outcomes for all children in
Massachusetts, especially those populations
most at risk
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Eligible Bidders
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All programs in EEC’s mixed delivery system
Priority will be given to
– any EEC licensed educator/program that was serving at
least one child receiving financial assistance on December
1, 2010
– any non-licensable or EEC license-exempt
educator/program that attests to meeting EEC licensing
requirements and that was serving at least one child
receiving financial assistance on December 1, 2010
Programs must be at a self-assessed QRIS level 1, 2 or 3 to be
eligible to apply
QRIS level 4 programs are not eligible to apply for funding
Programs that received funding in the last round of QRIS
Quality Improvement Grants are eligible to apply for this
funding opportunity
Programs must be in good fiscal standing with the state
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
QRIS Participation
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Programs applying for grant funding are required to participate
in the Massachusetts QRIS
Required to submit a printed copy of their Program
Improvement Plan and copy of the Summary Page from the
online QRIS showing self-assessed level, QRIS number, and
status as “Final-Submitted to EEC” with this grant application.
Programs that do not complete a self-assessment and assign a
rating under the Revised QRIS Standards prior to March 21,
2011 will not be eligible for grant funding under this RFP
QRIS ratings assessed under previous versions of the QRIS
Standards, including ratings given as part of the 2010 QRIS
Pilot, may not be utilized to create Program Improvement Plans
for purposes of this RFP, because the standards have been
updated
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
PQR Participation
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Programs applying for grant funding are
required to participate in the Massachusetts
Professional Qualifications Registry (PQR)
per EEC Licensing Regulations
All educators in the program will need to be
listed on the registry
Access the PQR at
https://www.eec.state.ma.us/PQRegistry
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Required Training
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Will offer insight and best practices for advancing a
program’s quality on the QRIS system
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Programs applying for grant funding are required to
participate in 16 hours of training over two days
Provided in a series of two free trainings offered by
the Community Advocates for Young Learners
(CAYL) Institute
Programs that do not participate in these trainings
prior to April 1, 2011 will not be eligible for grant
funding under this RFP
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Training Content
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Day One
– overview of the QRIS Grant Process
– vision and goals and their connection to program quality
– a review of QRIS Standards
– planning and implementing a program self-assessment
process leading to a program improvement plan
Day Two
– required measurement and observation tools
– choosing developmentally appropriate equipment and
materials
– planning and choosing comprehensive professional
development opportunities for staff
Anticipated Outcome
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Work completed over two days of training will result in long and
short-term goals for QRIS advancement
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Funding
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$2,820,000 of Child Care and Development Fund
(CCDF) quality funds received by the
Commonwealth, through the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Fund use for this initiative must be aligned directly
with the purchase resources that will allow an
educator/program to advance on the QRIS system
All funds from this grant must be expended, and
products/services received by grantees, by July 31,
2011
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Funding Allocation
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Geographic diversity (EEC Regions)
Program/educator type representation (Family Child
Care, After School and Out-of-School Time, and
Center/School Based)
Prioritizing programs where 50% or more of the
children are receiving EEC financial assistance
Grants will be site specific (not classroom specific)
Scored based on identified criteria (RFP pg.8-9)
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
T4Q Field Coaching Opportunity
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Programs that apply for and receive grant funding will be
eligible to participate in a T4Q Field Coach Program that has
been developed by Wheelock College
Programs that are selected will receive four months of high
quality coaching to help advance a level on the QRIS at no cost
to the program
Interested programs will be asked to provide additional
information as part of the online grant application process
Selection of sites to receive coaching will be part of the grant
proposal review process
A limited number of programs, approximately 130, will be
selected for participation
Additional information about this coaching opportunity is
available at: www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Online Grant Application
The online grant application will open on February 25, 2011
Programs will be asked to:
1. Provide program and
financial information
2. Identify program needs
linked to QRIS self
assessment and
standards
3. Propose purchases or
expenditures
4. Identify plan for
implementation
5. Request funds for
purchases or
expenditures
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Timeline
February 17, 2011 First Q&A document posted
February 25, 2011 Online Grant Application Opens
March 15, 2011
Questions submitted in writing by this date will be answered in
the final Q&A document
March 21, 2011
QRIS Online Self Assessment Completion Deadline for Grant
Applicants
March 28, 2011
Final Q&A document posted (Estimated)
April 1, 2011
QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant Proposal Deadline
April 1-21, 2011
QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant Applications
Reviewed
April 22, 2011
Grantees Selected and Notified (estimated)
July 31, 2011
All goods and services purchased by grantees with grant funds
must be received and accepted on or before July 31, 2011
July 31, 2011
Final Financial & Outcomes and Measures Form completed
online
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Submission Instructions
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April 1, 2011 at 4:00 pm is the deadline for
submission of documents and completion of
online grant application
Grant application must be completed online
Submit signed copies of required documents
as directed in the online application
Applicants who do not complete the online
grant application will not be considered for
funding
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Required Forms
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QRIS Program Improvement Plan & Summary Page
Professional Qualifications Registry Summary Page
A signed Commonwealth Terms & Conditions Form
W-9 with DUNS #
Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing
Executive Order 504 Certification
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Contact Information
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RFP - questions may be directed to
[email protected] for Q&A
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Online Grant Application – technical questions may
be directed to [email protected]
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Required Training – technical questions on
registration may be directed to [email protected]
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EEC QRIS Program Manager - technical questions
about the on-line QRIS application and selfassessment may be directed to
[email protected]
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Reminders
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RFP and related documents posted at:
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Final Q&A document posted on or around
March 28, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. on
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Incomplete submissions will not be evaluated
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q
Questions?
Thank you for participating
in the Bidder’s Conference
Documents posted at
www.wheelock.edu/t4q