Transcript Impact of Elimination of non-QRIS Programs Fiscal Committee March 4, 2013 What Is QRIS? A Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a method to.

Impact of Elimination of
non-QRIS Programs
Fiscal Committee
March 4, 2013
What Is QRIS?
A Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a
method to assess, improve, and communicate the level
of quality in early education and after-school settings
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Benefits of QRIS Implementation
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
Young children are better supported in their health
and development resulting in positive child
outcomes.

Providers engage in continuous quality
improvements resulting in higher quality early
education settings.

Consumers are better educated and supported in
choosing high quality early education settings.

Employers will benefit from a higher quality future
workforce.

Policymakers have access to tools to improve quality
across systems, states, and regions.
Key Components of a QRIS
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Standards
Accountability and Monitoring
Educator and Program Supports
Incentives
Family and Consumer Engagement
History of the MA QRIS
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•
EEC formally began developing QRIS in
Massachusetts during the spring of 2008.
•
Stakeholders (including early educators and
researchers) across the Commonwealth contributed
to the development of the system.
•
Massachusetts piloted a QRIS in 2009-2010 that was
supported by the first round of Program Quality
Improvement Grants.
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Revised QRIS Standards were issued on December
14, 2010.
MA QRIS Standards
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Developed for all programs and educators that are
serving children and youth across the
Commonwealth’s mixed delivery system.
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Grounded in the Massachusetts’ Licensing Regulations
and based on child development, early education, and
afterschool program quality research,
QRIS Standards for
Three Program Types
There are three sets of customized standards:
• Center-based/ School-based
• Family Child Care
• After School Programs/ Out of School Time
Access the QRIS Standards on the EEC website:
http://www.mass.gov/edu/birth-grade-12/earlyeducation-and-care/qris/massachusetts-qrisstandards.html
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QRIS Financial Support

FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
FY2012
FY2012
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GRAND TOTAL
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Income Eligible
ARRA CCDF
ARRA CCDF
UPK
Infants and Parents
$3,297,543.05
$3,328,229.00
$
71,771.00
$ 276,531.00
$ 730,969.00
$7,705,043.05
Presuming an average award of approximately
$5,000, we estimate that we have provided
assistance to over 1,500 programs.
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Entry Into QRIS
We have required entry or participation in QRIS in the following
places:
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IE RFR 3/2009: This RFR “will focus on strengthening the
quality of contract providers by selecting providers based on
quality evaluation criteria, phasing in an accreditation
requirement, and aligning minimum contract standards with
the forthcoming QRIS. All contract providers will be expected
to participate in this process.”
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12/17/10 Email:
 Center based programs serving I/T/PS children must have
begun the accreditation process with the National
Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
by 8/31/12.
 Center based programs serving SA children only and
Family Child Care (FCC) providers affiliated with a System
must be participating in QRIS by 8/31/12.
Entry Into QRIS, Continued
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
1/19/12 Email: Center based programs and FCC providers
serving I/T/PS/SA children must be participating in QRIS by
8/31/12, as evidenced by submitting to final their QRIS
Application.

9/2012 IE Contract Renewal:
 Center based child care programs must apply to QRIS by
submitting to final their QRIS application by 8/31/12.
 FCC Systems agree that all FCC providers affiliated with
their System must submit to final their QRIS application
by 8/31/12.
 Any FCC provider that affiliates with a System after
8/31/12 will have one year to submit to final their QRIS
application.
Summary of QRIS Entry Notifications

All center-based child care programs must apply to QRIS by
submitting to “final” their QRIS application by 8/31/12.
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FCC Systems agree that all FCC providers affiliated with
Family Child Care Systems must submit to “final” their QRIS
applications by 8/31/12.

All FCC providers in Systems must be at self assessed
Level 2 by 12/31/13.
ALL center based programs and FCC providers serving
subsidized children must now be in QRIS.
ALL FCC providers must be at self assessed Level 2 by
12/31/13.
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QRIS Tied to Increased Payment
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8/31/12 Email: Providers of infant and toddler subsidized
child care that are self-assessed at Level 2 or higher in QRIS
will receive a rate increase equal to 3% of their current
subsidized rate.
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Providers self-assessed at Level 2 or higher by 8/31/12
received the increase retroactive to 7/1/12.

Providers self-assessed at Level 2 or higher between
9/1/12 and 9/31/12 received the increase effective
October 1, 2012.
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Providers self-assessed by 12/31/12 received the
increase effective 1/1/13.
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Providers self-assessed at Level 2 or higher after 1/1/13
will receive the increase on six month increments.
QRIS Specific Level Required
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3/30/12 UPK RFR: All programs must be at least a
Level 3 in QRIS. Current UPK programs that do not satisfy
Level 3 in QRIS may be grandfathered in for only one year.
The grandfathered UPK programs will not be eligible to
apply for the FY14 UPK grant if they fail to attain Level 3 in
QRIS by the end of the FY13 grant period.
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9/13/12 RTTT QRIS RFR: In order to be eligible to
apply for the FY 13 – FY16 Durable Goods and
Services/Program Planning Quality Improvement Grants,
programs must satisfy the following criteria:
 Have completed and submitted a QRIS self assessment
form;
 Have achieved Level 1 QRIS for the Program Planning
Grant;
 Have achieved a Level 2 or 3 QRIS for the Durable
Goods and Services Grant.
 It is the goal of this initiative that within 12 months of
receiving grant funds programs will advance at least
one level on the QRIS.
QRIS Specific Level Required
EMB FY2013-01 dated 12/14/12: In order for a
camp with a DPH certificate from its local town or city
to be eligible to receive summer only vouchers, the
camp must be administered by an EEC licensed or
approved school age program that is self-assessed at
Level 2 or above in QRIS. A program that is not selfassessed at QRIS Level 2 or above may submit a
letter of intent to the appropriate CCR&R by March 30,
2013, stating its intention to submit to Level 2 by May
15, 2013.
 2/17/13 Email: Released to all Contract Providers
and CCRRs relative to the delivery of substitute care
when children at a Level 2 provider receive care from
a Level 1 provider, we stated all FCC providers in
Systems must be at self assessed Level 2 by
December 31, 2013.
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Status as of March 1, 2013
Program Type
QRIS
Not in QRIS
Family Child Care
QRIS
Contract And Voucher
March 1, 2013
Has Contract and Voucher
104
Has Contract Only
230
Has Voucher Only
367
Sub Total
701
Has Contract and Voucher
2122
Has Contract Only
340
Has Voucher Only
633
Sub Total
3095
Total Family Child Care
Not in QRIS
Large Group and
School Age Child Care
QRIS
Has Contract and Voucher
26
Has Contract Only
11
Has Voucher Only
242
Sub Total
279
Has Contract and Voucher
530
Has Contract Only
56
Has Voucher Only
801
Sub Total
1387
Total Large Group and School Age
Total
15
3796
1666
5462
Consequences
ALL center based programs and FCC providers serving
subsidized children must now be in QRIS.
 All those not in QRIS will receive letters indicating that
their access to new contract slots and/or vouchers is
frozen.
 All those receiving letters will have 60 days to submit
applications to final in QRIS.
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