18 Miss. Code. R. 5-1-3.3

Current through December 10, 2024

Section 18-5-1-3.3 - Creating Pathways to Excellence for Child Care Programs through Program Quality Improvement Activities (Component #3)

Many States have chosen to use targeted quality funds and other resources to develop a systematic framework for evaluating, improving, and communicating the level of quality in early childhood programs (i.e. QRIS). States and Territories will provide a self-assessment on current program quality improvement activities by responding to questions in this section and then describe their goals for the upcoming Biennium.

For purposes of this section, States and Territories will respond according to a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) framework. QRIS refers to a systematic framework for evaluating, improving and communicating the level of quality in early childhood programs and contains five key elements:

1. Program standards

2. Supports to programs to improve quality

3. Financial incentives and supports

4. Quality assurance and monitoring

5. Outreach and consumer education

While not all States and Territories have developed or implemented a formal QRIS, all are pursuing quality improvement strategies that can be described within this framework (based upon previous CCDF Plans). Using this framework to organize this section allows States/Territories to report on their quality improvement activities systematically whether they have a QRIS or not. Over time, States and Territories are encouraged to work on linking their quality improvement initiatives and strategies across all of these elements, culminating in a comprehensive Quality Rating and Improvement System with adequate support for providers to attain higher levels of quality and transparency for parents and the community regarding the quality of child care.

a) Describe which entities are involved in planning and administering the program quality improvement activities in 3.3, including State/Territory entities and local or community level entities.

The Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System is a star-based QRIS system currently funded by state funds and CCDF Quality funds. The Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute implements this program. The Lead Agency and MSU ECI collaborate on best practices related to this program's administration and implementation.

3.3.1 Element 1 Program Standards

Definition - For purposes of this section, program standards refers to the expectations for quality, or quality indicators, which identify different levels of and pathways to improved quality. Minimum licensing standards and health and safety requirements provided in section 3.1 are also program standards but in this section, we focus on those standards that build upon and go beyond those minimum requirements.

a) Does your State/Territory's have quality improvement standards that include indicators covering the following areas beyond what is required for licensing? Check any indicators, if any, that your State/Territory has chosen to establish.

[] Ratios and group size

[] Health, nutrition and safety

* Learning environment and curriculum

* Staff/Provider qualifications and professional development

* Teacher/providers-child relationships

* Teacher/provider instructional practices

* Family partnerships and family strengthening

* Community relationships

* Administration and management

[] Developmental screenings

[] Child assessment for the purposes of individualizing instruction and/or targeting program improvement

* Cultural competence

[] Other. Describe___

[] None. If checked, skip to 3.3.2.

b) Does your State/Territory have quality improvement standards with provisions about the care of any of these groups of children? Check any provisions your State/Territory has chosen to establish.

[] Children with special needs as defined by your State/Territory

[] Infants and toddlers

[] School-age children

[] Children who are dual language learners

[] None

c) How do your State/Territory's quality standards link to State/Territory licensing requirements? Check any links between your State/Territory's quality standards and licensing requirements.

* Licensing is a pre-requisite for participation

* Licensing is the first tier of the quality levels

[] State/Territory license is a "rated" license.

[] Other. Describe______

[] Not linked.

d) Do your State/Territory's quality improvement standards align with or have reciprocity with any of the following standards? Check any alignment, if any, between your State/Territory's quality standards and other standards.

[] Programs that meet State/Territory pre-k standards are able to meet all or part of the quality improvement standards (e.g., content of the standards is the same, or there is a reciprocal agreement between pre-k and the quality improvement system)

[] Programs that meet Federal Head Start Performance Standards are able to meet all or part of the quality improvement standards (e.g., content of the standards is the same, or there is a reciprocal agreement between Head Start and the quality improvement system)

[] Programs that meet national accreditation standards are able to meet all or part of the quality improvement standards (e.g., content of the standards is the same, or an alternative pathway to meeting the standards)

[] Other. Describe______

[] None

3.3.2 Element 2 Supports to Programs to Improve Quality

Definition - For purposes of this section, supports to programs to improve quality refers to such activities as technical assistance and consultation services for programs to assist in meeting child care quality improvement standards.

a) Check which types of and for what purposes the State/Territory uses supports to child care programs, if any, in the following chart. If none, skip to 3.3.3.

Types and Purposes of Support	Information orWrittenMaterials	Training	On-Site Consultation
[] Attaining and maintaining licensing compliance	[]	[]	[]
* Attaining and maintaining quality improvement standards beyond licensing	*	*	*
[] Attaining and maintaining accreditation	[]	[]	[]
* Providing targeted technical assistance in specialized content areas:
Health and safety	[]	*	*
Infant/toddler care	[]	*	*
School-age care	[]	*	*
Inclusion	[]	*	*
Teaching dual language learners	[]	*	*
Mental health	[]	*	*
Business management practices	[]	*	*
Other. Describe	[]	[]	[]
[] None. Skip to 3.3.3.

b) Methods used to customize quality improvement supports to the needs of individual programs include:

* Program improvement plans

* Technical assistance on the use of program assessment tools

[] Other. Describe______

c) Is technical assistance linked to entering the QRIS or targeted to help programs forward on QRIS?

* Yes. Describe The MS Child Care Resource and Referral Network, Partners for Quality Care, and the Allies for Quality Care program provide onsite technical assistance desigened to improve a licensed program's rating in the QRIS.

[] No

[] Other. Describe______

3.3.3 Element 3 Financial Incentives and Supports

Definition - For purposes of this section, financial incentives refers to the types of monetary supports offered to programs in meeting and sustaining licensing and QRIS or other child care quality improvement standards for programs.

a) Identify which types of financial incentives are offered and to which providers in the following chart. Check which incentives and supports, if any, the State/Territory chooses to offer. If none, skip to 3.3.4.

Types of Financial Incentives and Supports for Programs	Child Care Centers	Child Care Homes	License-Exempt Providers
[] Grants to programs to meet or maintain licensing	[]	[]	[]
[] Grants to programs to meet QRIS or similar quality level	[]	[]	[]
[] One-time awards or bonuses on completion of quality standard attainment	[]	[]	[]
* Tiered reimbursement tied to quality for children receiving subsidy	*	[]	[]
[] On-going, periodic grants or stipends tied to improving/maintaining quality	[]	[]	[]
[] Tax credits tied to meeting program quality standards	[]	[]	[]
[] Other. Describe	[]	[]	[]
[] None. Skip to 3.3.4.	[]	[]	[]

3.3.4 Element 4 - Quality Assurance and Monitoring

Definition - For purposes of this section, quality assurance and monitoring refers to the ways that the State/Territory measures program quality for the purposes of its QRIS or other quality improvement system and the methods for measuring that the child care quality improvement standards for programs are met initially and maintained over time.

a) What tools, if any, does the State/Territory use to measure and monitor the quality of programs? Check all that apply and briefly describe using the chart below, including which programs are required to participate and the frequency of assessments. If none, skip to 3.3.5.

Types of Program Quality Assessment Tools	Child Care Centers	ChildCareHomes	License-Exempt Providers
* Environment Rating Scales (e.g., ECERS, ITERS, SACERS, FDCRS) Describe, including frequency of assessments. Pre/Post	* Infant/Toddler * Preschool [] School-Age	[]	[]
[] Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Describe, including frequency of assessments.______	[]	N/A	[]
[] Program Administration Scale (PAS) for child care centers or Business Administration Scale (BAS) for family child care homes Describe, including frequency of assessments.	[]	[]	[]
[] Customized instrument, including submission of written documentation, developed for State/Territory quality improvement system. This may include instruments developed for quality improvements in 21st Century Learning Center programs Describe, including frequency of assessments.	[]	[]	[]
[] Other. Describe	[]	[]	[]
[] None. Skip to 3.3.5.	[]	[]	[]

b) What steps, if any, has the State/Territory taken to align quality assurance and monitoring across funding streams and sectors in order to minimize duplication?

* Have a mechanism to track different quality assessments/monitoring activities to avoid duplication

[] Include QRIS or other quality reviews as part of licensing enforcement

[] Have compliance monitoring in one sector (e.g., Head Start/Early Head Start, State/Territory pre-k) serve as validation for compliance with quality improvement system (e.g., QRIS) without further review

[] Have monitoring for meeting accreditation standards serve as validation for compliance with quality improvement system (e.g., QRIS) without further review

[] Other. Describe______

[] None

3.3.5 Element 5 - Outreach and Consumer Education

Definition - For purposes of this section, outreach and consumer education refers to the strategies used to promote the child care quality improvement standards to parents, programs and the general public.

a) Does the State/Territory use symbols or simple icons to communicate levels of quality for child care programs beyond what may communicated to parents about licensing status and licensing compliance as reported in 3.1.3? (e.g. stars, or gold/silver/bronze levels).

* Yes. If yes, how is it used?

* Resource and referral/consumer education services use with parents seeking care

[] Parents enrolling in child care subsidy are educated about the system and the quality level of the provider that they are selecting

* Searchable database on the web

* Voluntarily, visibly posted in programs

[] Mandatory to post visibly in programs

[] Used in marketing and public awareness campaigns

[] Other. Describe______

[] No. If no, skip to 3.3.6.

b) Does the State/Territory use any forms of media to reach parents and the public to communicate about levels of quality for child care programs? Check which forms, if any, the State/Territory uses to communicate levels of quality for child care programs.

* Print

[] Radio

[] Television

* Web

[] Telephone

[] Social Marketing

[] Other. Describe______

[] None

c) Describe any targeted outreach for culturally and linguistically diverse families.

The Lead Agency has developed print media to illustrate what a quality child care environment looks like through photographs and very few words. This is designed for non-English speaking parents and low literacy parents.

3.3.6. Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)

a)Based on the five key elements of a QRIS described above in 3.3.1 through 3.3.5, does your State/Territory have a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) or similar quality improvement system in place?

* Yes, the State/Territory has a QRIS or similar quality improvement system that includes linked activities in all five elements operating State/Territory-wide.

* Participation is voluntary for All licensed child care providers.

[] Participation is mandatory for______

[] Yes, the State/Territory has a QRIS or similar quality improvement system that includes linked activities in all five elements operating as a pilot or in a few localities but not State/Territory-wide.

[] No, the State/Territory does not have a QRIS or similar quality improvement system that includes linked activities in all five elements.

[] State/Territory is in the development phase

[] State/Territory has no plans for development

[] Other. Describe______

b) If yes to 3.3.6a, CHECK the types of providers eligible to participate in the QRIS:

* Child care centers

[] Group child care homes

[] Family child care homes

[] In-home child care

[] License exempt providers

[] Early Head Start programs

* Head Start programs

* Pre-kindergarten programs

[] School-age programs

[] Other. Describe______

3.3.7. If the State/Territory has or will have any quality improvement strategies for targeted groups of providers (e.g., relative caregivers or caregivers who are legally exempt from licensing) that are not described in your responses to any question in section 3.3 above, please describe

At this time, the Lead Agency is working with the Mississippi State University Extension Service to pilot a QRIS program for out-of-school programs and for family child care providers.

3.3.8 Data & Performance Measures on Program Quality-

What data elements, if any, does the State/Territory currently have access to related to the quality of programs? What, if any, does the State/Territory use for performance measures on program quality improvement? The purpose of these questions is for Lead Agencies to provide a description of their capacity to provide information, not to require Lead Agencies to collect or report this information. For any data elements checked in (a) below, Lead Agencies may provide an optional description about the data they have access to (e.g., the Lead Agency may have data for only licensed programs, only programs caring for children receiving CCDF subsidies, only providers participating in quality improvement systems, or only for certain age groups (e.g., infants and toddlers or school-age children).

a)Data on program quality. Indicate if the Lead Agency or another agency has access to data on:

* Data on the quality level for individual programs (e.g. QRIS level) as defined by your State/Territory. Describe (optional) ERS software currently tracks all QRIS program activity. This data is housed at the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute.

[] Number of programs that move program quality levels annually (up or down). Describe (optional)______

[] Program scores on program assessment instruments. List instruments:______Describe (optional)______

* Classroom scores on program assessment instruments. List instruments: ITERS-R & ECERS-R Describe (optional)______

* Qualifications for teachers or caregivers within each program. Describe (optional)

This information is maintained by the Professional Development registry housed at the MS Child Care Resource & Referral Network

* Number/Percentage of children receiving CCDF assistance in licensed care. Describe (optional) The Lead Agency houses this information in CCIS.

* Number/percentage of children receiving CCDF assistance who attend care at each of the tiers of the quality as defined by the State/Territory The Lead Agency houses this information in CCIS.

* Number/Percentage of programs receiving financial assistance to meet higher program standards. Describe (optional) The Lead Agency houses this information in CCPS.

[] Other. Describe______

[] None

b)Performance measurement. What, if any, are the Lead Agency's performance measures on program quality?

The Lead Agency supports providers in their efforts to improve program quality. The Lead Agency considers a score of 3.0 on either the ITERS-r or ECERS-R to indicate basic/minimal levels of quality.

c)Evaluation. What, if any, are the State/Territory's plans for evaluation related to program quality? Evaluation can include efforts related to monitoring implementation of an initiative, validation of standards or assessment tools, or looking at outcomes in programs or the system and may be ongoing or conducted periodically.

The Lead Agency is funding the evaluation and validation of the QRIS in the upcoming year. The resulting information will be made to identify strategies to improve QRIS implementation and increase program quality.

3.3.9 Goals for the next Biennium -

In this section, Lead Agencies are asked to identify at least one goal for the upcoming biennium. Lead Agencies are encouraged to include measurable and achievable goals. Lead Agencies may include existing goals (e.g., already identified in a State strategic plan or established by the Governor for a Lead Agency). ACF will target technical assistance efforts to help Lead Agencies achieve their goal(s). Lead Agencies are not required to establish a goal for each sub-section in 3.3. What are the State/Territory's goals for the program quality improvement system in the coming biennium? What progress does the State/Territory expect to make across the five key elements for quality improvement systems?

Goal 1: Assess the overall functioning of the QRIS.

Goal 2: Increase parental knowledge about provider quality ratings.

18 Miss. Code. R. 5-1-3.3