National Overview of QRIS

1. National Overview of QRIS Presented by Sheri Fischer, NCCIC Information Specialist December 8, 2009 Office of Special Education Programs National Early Childhood Conference

2. What is a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)? • A method to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care settings • May also be called a quality rating system (QRS)

3. What Does QRIS Look Like? • Builds on foundation of licensing and adds multiple steps between licensing standards and higher quality standards • Offers supports/incentives for reaching higher levels • Provides easily recognized symbols for higher levels

4. Why Develop a QRIS? • The overall goal of QRIS is to improve the quality of programs through systemwide improvements • Opportunity to do the following: • Increase quality of care for children • Increase parents’ understanding and demand for higher quality care • Increase professional development of child care providers

5. Why Develop a QRIS (con.)? • Create alignment between licensing, subsidy, and quality and across child care, prekindergarten, and Head Start • Link support and initiatives to a quality framework • Provide an accountability measure for funding

6. Prekindergarten Head Start Licensing Subsidy Professional Development System QRIS Infant/ Toddler/ School-Age Grants to Providers Scholarships Early Learning Guidelines Resource and Referral Connecting Existing Initiatives

7. Phases of Development • No activity • Exploring/Developing • Piloting • Implementing

9. Common QRIS Elements • Standards • Accountability • Program and practitioner outreach and support • Financial incentives specifically linked to compliance with quality standards • Parent/Consumer education

10. Determining Quality Standards • States choose standards that research has shown to have significant impact on quality: • Classroom structure: Child-staff ratios and group size • Staff qualifications: Caregivers’ and administrators’ education, training, and experience • Program dynamics: Curriculum, learning environment, and parent engagement

11. Rating Assignment • Building blocks • All standards in a level must be met to move to the next level • DC, DE, IN, KY, MD, ME, MT, MS, NH, NM, OH, OK, PA, TN (Child Care Evaluation and Report Card Program) • Points systems • Standards are assigned a point value, which are calculated to determine ratings • CO, NC, TN (Star-Quality Child Care Program), VT • Combination • A combination of building blocks and points used to determine ratings • IA, LA

12. Common Categories of Standards Source: Data compiled by NCCIC as of October 2009.

13. QRIS Special Needs Standards • 6 have standards for the care of children with special needs • DE: 3-hour inclusion course; support individual education plans/individualized family service plans (IEPs/IFSPs) • NH: Modifications and reasonable accommodations are required • NM: 6-hour inclusion course; adaptations to learning environment • OH: Developmental screenings • PA: Collect IEPs/IFSPs from parents • VT: Describe how children are served

14. Accreditation and QRIS • Accreditation is included in 16 of the 19 statewide QRIS • How accreditation is included varies: • At the highest rating (or level) of the QRIS • Separate category of quality standards • One of the criteria for reaching the highest “step” within the standards • Criterion for which points are awarded

15. Classroom Assessments • 15 of the 19 statewide QRIS are requiring an environment rating scale (ERS)* assessment • Variations in using ERS with QRS: • Frequency of assessment • Percent/Number of classrooms observed • How scores are used • Averaged • Required score for a particular level within the quality standards *Most of the States that require a classroom assessment to evaluate program quality currently use the ERS developed by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These scales are the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R); Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ITERS-R); School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale (SACERS); and Family Child Care Rating Scale (FCCRS).

16. Use of ERS Assessments • ERS scores are used to determine rating levels • DC, DE, KY, MD, MS, NM, PA, TN • Programs can earn rating points for ERS scores • CO, IA, LA, NC • Programs must be assessed with ERS, but do not tie particular scores to ratings • NH, OK • In OH, self-assessments are required, but programs can use an ERS or Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Tool, and scores are not tied to ratings

17. QRIS Resources For more information about QRIS, visit NCCIC’s Web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/topics/topic/index.cfm?topicId=44. Links to all QRIS Web sites at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/qrs-defsystems.html

18. Sources • Mitchell, A. (2005, July). Stair steps to quality: A guide for states and communities developing quality rating systems for early care and education. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from www.earlychildhoodfinance.org/ArticlesPublications/StairStepstoQualityGuidebook_FINAL.pdf. • Data compiled by NCCIC as of October 2009 from State documents and Web sites.

20. The Document

21. Definition Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential.

22. 3 Key Features guide the development of standards/indicators for including young children with disabilities: ACCESS PARTICIPATION SUPPORTS

23. Defining Features Access – means providing a wide range of activities and environments for every child by removing physical barriers and offering multiple ways to promote learning and development.

24. Elements of Access to Consider The learning environment, typical routines, and activities are accessible to children with a wide range of abilities. Simple modifications, removal of physical and structural barriers, instruction in multiple and varied formats, and/or technology are used to ensure that every young child has access.

25. Defining Features Participation – means using a range of instructional approaches to promote engagement in play and learning activities, and a sense of belonging for every child.

26. Elements of Participation to Consider Adults promote belonging, participation, and engagement of children with and without disabilities using a variety of approaches, ranging from embedded, routines-based teaching to more explicit interventions. Social-emotional development and behaviors that facilitate participation are key goals for each and every child.

27. Defining Features Supports– refer to broader aspects of the system such as professional development, incentives for inclusion, and opportunities for communication and collaboration among families and professionals to assure high quality inclusion.

28. Elements of Supports to Consider Effective and ongoing professional development is available for practitioners and families on recommended inclusive practices. Regular opportunities are provided for program staff and families to communicate and collaborate to address goals and priorities for individual children and families. Specialized services and therapies are coordinated and integrated with general early care and education services. Resources are pooled to increase children’s access to high quality inclusive opportunities.

29. SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION For your assigned feature (access, participation or supports), identify: Three existing state examples of standards and/or indicators AND Two new potential standards and/or indicators Be prepared to shareback one exiting standard/indicator and one new potential standard/indicator that addresses your key feature of early childhood inclusion.

30. Resources Conversation about position statement with guest bloggers Jerlean Daniel (NAEYC) and Sarah Mulligan (DEC) http://community.fpg.unc.edu/discussions Conversation about program quality and inclusion with guest bloggers Abby Cohen, Eva Carter, Desiree’ Riddick-Head, & Susan Rohrbough (NCCIC) http://community.fpg.unc.edu/resources/articles/why-program-quality-matters DEC/NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute. http://community.fpg.unc.edu/resources/articles/Early_Childhood_Inclusion