Healthy. Safe. Strong.

1. Healthy. Safe. Strong. DM#152299

2. All Resources and Efforts Focus On Achieving The Target • Born healthy • Safe from neglect and abuse • Ready for kindergarten • Have access to quality afterschool and summer programs

3. Building an Early Childhood System of Care Education and Outreach Healthy Beginnings Bridges • Quality Child Care: • Early Education • Afterschool Professional Development Program & System Performance Data Systems

4. Quality Counts • 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.) • 2013, Quality Counts has 210 sites serving approximately 11,000 children

5. 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

6. Theory of Change We assume if appropriate supports and resources are utilized, providers who have the intention and motivation to achieve high quality standards are capable of offering quality environments to children. Motivation and change theory for organizations suggests those who acknowledge the need to change, and are motivated to change, will be more likely to succeed and benefit from the support and resources provided (Owens & Valesky, 2010; Senge, 2006; Berkley, 2004). As pointed out by Zaslow et al. (2010), certain thresholds of early care and education quality need to be met before more positive outcomes for children are seen, which is why we need to set a relatively higher-quality standard for the participating childcare providers.

7. Theory of Change

8. Timeline

9. Vision, Mission, & Goals • 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

10. Guiding Principles

11. Vision For a Coordinated Approach Adapted from the Louisiana We Believe, 2014

12. System Elements Adapted from the Louisiana We Believe, 2014

13. Pre-Entry Requirements • School Readiness Agreement is active • Head Start Agreement is active (if applicable) • In good standing with: -School Readiness -VPK -Child Care Licensing -Early Head Start/Head Start (EHS/HS) *In good standing is defined as no compliance plan/assurance plan within the last 12 months. • 100% of all staff are members of the Registry • Meet CSC Child Safety Licensing Policy (CSLP) • Zero (0) class 1 violations within the last 12 months • No more than two (2) class 2 violations within the last 12 months • Accredited within 3 years of membership (Gold Seal) • *Agreement to use Teaching Strategies GOLD *Those programs using another formative assessment will reviewed on a case by case basis

14. Eligibility Requirements • Avg. Score of 4.0 on identified items of FCCERS-R • Randomized assessments conducted every other year

15. ERS Identified Items (17)

16. Annual Renewal Requirements • Pre-Entry Requirements plus (+) • 75% of all children enrolled are assessed using Gold • 25% cap on denial forms on ASQ • Publically funded • Avg. Score of 4.0 on identified items of FCCERS-R *ERS Assessments will be conducted every other year

17. Professional Development • Career Advising • Education & Training • Informal • Hybrid • Formal • CLASS/ERS Training • Teaching Strategies GOLD • Registry Membership • Scholarships (SEEK) • Salary Supplements (ACHIEVE) • Online/distance/e-learning

18. Targeted Technical Assistance • Teaching Strategies Gold • Infant/Toddler • Observation & Assessment/ Curriculum Planning & Instruction • CLASS • Behavior Management/Special Needs • Accreditation Facilitation Support

19. Valid and Reliable Assessments • Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Revised(FCCERS-R) *Future use of CLASS assessment tools

20. Navigation Supports • Ongoing navigation supports to include linkages to CSC Early Childhood System of Care: • System Supports • Out-of-System Supports • Child/Family Supports • Healthy Beginnings • Bridges

21. Child/Family Supports • Healthy Beginnings System Entry Access • Child Screening & Assessment • Referrals to appropriate services for families • CSC Child Care Scholarships • Bridges Entry Access • Parent/Community Engagement

22. Financial Supports • Tiered reimbursement supplement based on child enrollment at 3 checkpoints throughout the year *between the learning hours of 6am-6pm not to exceed licensing capacity • Entry • 1st week in October • 1st week in April • Paid monthly

23. Tier 1 • Score of 4.0 on identified items of FCCERS-R

24. Tier 2 • Score of 5.5 or higher on identified items of FCCERS-R

25. Family Child Care

26. Emerging and Promising Provider Elements Adapted from the Louisiana We Believe, 2014

27. Emerging Provider • Provider defined as needing additional supports and resources towards increasing the level of quality child care. • Participation in this independent initiative (in development) is voluntary and can be accessed through an application. • Working towards achieving membership for In-Network System • Does not receive tiered reimbursement supplements

28. How to Become an Emerging Provider • Pre-Entry Requirements are not met or • Assessments Scores: □ less than 3.5 average on identified items of the FCCERS-R

29. Promising Provider • Promising provider is defined as needing Targeted supports for a limited time up to a six (6) month period to assist child care providers move to in-network status • Working towards achieving membership for In-Network System • Does not receive tiered reimbursement supplements

30. How to Become a Promising Provider • Pre-Entry Requirements met and • Assessments Scores: □ fall between 3.5-3.99 average on identified items of the FCCERS-R

31. Pipeline To Quality Emerging Promising In-Network Initiative targeted at increasing quality child care in identified areas of need Full access to system resources Targeted supports provided for a limited time to assist child care providers move to in-network status

32. Future Work • More online opportunities • Video Vignettes • Development of an evaluation of the system • Incredible Years Series • Literacy Initiative • Leadership Development • Emerging Provider Initiative

33. Thank you We have come a long way, but have many miles to go. This work is urgent. “A child is becoming today what he will be tomorrow.” -- S. Bruce McDonald, Palm Beach County Leader