MassachusettsQuality Rating and Improvement System

Quality Rating and Improvement System: What is it?

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“A Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS) is a method to assess, define, and communicate the level of quality in early care & education and after-school settings.

QRIS are systemic, addressing multiple aspects of early care and education and out -of -school time programs through a uniform approach that is available statewide.

QRIS are similar to other consumer rating systems, in that they "rate" goods or services to provide customers with a better understanding about the quality of that item.”

Stairsteps to Quality, Anne W. Mitchell (2005)

Purposes of the Massachusetts QRIS

Programs and providers use one streamlined set of standards that are connected to supports and fiscal incentives to help them meet and maintain the standards.

Programs receive feedback and are involved in continuous quality improvement.

Parents have easily accessible information about the quality of early care and education programs.

Policymakers understand where and how to invest additional resources.

High-quality early education and care and out of school opportunities are available throughout the Commonwealth that

demonstrate improved outcomes for children.

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The Massachusetts QRIS a voluntary system an opportunity available to all programs that are part of the

Commonwealth’s mixed delivery system, which includes • child care centers• public preschool programs• private school preschool and kindergarten• family child care homes • after school and out-of-school time programs• Head Start programs

Is linked to Educator and Provider Supports, professional development, mentoring, technical assistance and training opportunities

Is a way of demonstrating and supporting quality that is above and beyond licensing requirements

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QRIS Process

for continuous quality

improvements

Center-based/ School-Based Programs For use by center-based and school-based programs, including license-exempt center-based programs (i.e. public school preschools, Montessori schools, or faith-based affiliated programs serving infants, toddlers, preschool-age children).

Family Child Care For use by Family Child Care homes

Afterschool/Out of School Time Programs For use by After School and Out of School Time programs, serving school-age children and youth (kindergarten and up) outside of the hours of the regular school day. Programs may be located on public school premises.

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There are QRIS Standards for Each QRIS Program Type

MA QRIS Standards are organized in 5 Categories with Subcategories1. Curriculum and Learning:

1A. Curriculum, Assessment, and Diversity1B. Teacher- Child Interactions

2. Safe, Healthy Indoor and outdoor Environments: 2A. Safe, Healthy Indoor and outdoor Environments

3. Workforce Qualifications and Professional Development: 3A. Program Administrators 3B. Program Staff/Educators

4. Family and Community Engagement4A. Family and Community Engagement

5. Leadership, Management and Administration: 5A. Leadership, Management, and Administration 5B. Supervision

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The QRIS Standards are also organized in levels

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“Levels”: There are presently four levels in the QRIS Standards. Each program will need to meet all requirements of the

standards in the proceeding level before advancing to the next level. “Meet Requirements of Level 1 Plus”

A fifth level that builds connections between program quality, educator quality and positive outcomes for children is forthcoming.

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Category 1: Curriculum & Learning Subcategory: 1A Curriculum, Assessment, and Diversity

Example of Center/Based School Based QRIS Standards

QRIS Levels and Standard Criteria

QRIS Standard: This is the criteria that programs must meet. These indicators of program quality are grounded in research and identified as best practice (used in other state’s QRIS, and/or identified MA stakeholders. In the QRIS Program Manager, the standards are organized

and numbered as follows:

(Subcategory. Level. Standard Criteria #)

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1A.2.1Educators demonstrate completion of professional development in curriculum, screening tools, and formative assessment.

Sample: QRIS Application & Self Assessment Reference

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QRIS Measurement Tools: Environment Rating Scales

12http://ers.fpg.unc.edu

QRIS Measurement Tools (Cont.)

13For More Info about APT: http://www.niost.org/content/view/1652/282/

For More Info about PAS and BAS http://cecl.nl.edu/evaluation/pas.htm

QRIS Measurement Tools (Cont.)

14For More Info about CLASS http://www.teachstone.org/ For more Info about the Strengthening Families Self Assessment

Tools:http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net/index.php/online_resources/guide_assess/category/self_assessment/

QRIS Measurement Tools: Environment Rating Scales The Environment Rating Scales are required by all QRIS

participants regardless of program type or accreditation status to ensure consistency among the measurement tools used across the mixed delivery system.

All programs participating in QRIS are required to complete the appropriate ERS tool for each classroom/group setting as a self-assessment for Level 2. ERS self-assessment must be conducted within 12 months of the QRIS Application submission date.

For Level 3 and above, programs will need to request an outside reliable raters visit with their QRIS Application.

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Providing Supporting Documentation:

To demonstrate that programs meet the measurements

Measurement Tools and Scores: ERS, PAS, BAS, APT, and CLASS are reported directly in QRIS Program Manager using the “Add Document – Measurement Tool” for EEC verification.

Evidence in PQ Registry: Several of the QRIS Standards require that programs demonstrate that the program administrator and educators working at each program meet specific qualifications, work experience, and have professional development and/or training in certain topics. This information should all be documented in the Professional Qualifications Registry (PQR) and will be reviewed by EEC as part of the QRIS Application & Self-Assessment.

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QRIS Documentation Required Documentation: Materials that will be reviewed by EEC

as “evidence” of meeting the Standard/ Measurement . This documentation is submitted in hardcopy with the QRIS Application Summary Profile (PDF).

Head Start Documentation: QRIS standards are aligned to specified Head Start Performance Standards. Programs provide a official documentation of their current Head Start program status.

National Accreditation Documentation QRIS standards are aligned to specific national accreditation standards. Programs provide a copy of their current accreditation certificate.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) National Accreditation for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Council of Accreditation for Afterschool Programs. (COA)

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These documents are for reference only

QRIS Application and Self Assessment ReferencesThese documents outline the QRIS Standards, measurement methods, documentation types and titles that can be used to assist programs in responding to questions in the QRIS Program Manager Online Application and Self Assessment

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QRIS Program Manager (QPM) is the web-based interface used by programs to start a QRIS program application and to self-assess their own level of quality. EEC uses QPM to manage the QRIS Rating verification process

Start QRIS Application & Self-Assessment (QPM)

QRIS Participation Data

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QRIS Application Status By Region

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*As of May 5. 2011

Application Status

QRIS Program Type Central MA Metro Metro Boston Northeast Southeast

& CapeWestern

MAGrand Total

DraftAfter School/Out

of School Time 9 27 20 19 3 15 93

Center/School Based 32 74 50 66 68 58 348

Family Child Care 100 17 69 182 60 32 460

141 118 139 267 131 105 901Final - Submitted to EEC

After School/Out of School Time 18 36 32 44 34 30 194

Center/School Based 53 69 81 72 106 92 473

Family Child Care 115 50 108 129 70 39 511

186 155 221 245 210 161 1178

Grand Total 327 273 360 512 341 266 2079

Final QRIS Applications Received by Region and Self-Assessed Levels*

22*As of May 5, 2011

Programs Self-

Assessed Level

Central MA Metro Metro

BostonNorthEast

Southeast and Cape

Western MA

Grand Total

Level 1 163 126 200 219 186 147 1041

Level 2 15 16 16 23 23 13 106

Level 3 7 5 9 1 22

Level 4 1 2 1 1 5

Grand Total 185 148 227 243 210 161 1174

QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant

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FY11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants

Together for Quality (T4Q) QRIS Foundational Training: Trainings designed to assist programs in

QRIS grant application process were provided in each EEC region by the CAYL Institute.

QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants: The United Way issued the request for proposals (RFPs) and is overseeing the administration, implementation, and evaluation of grants.$2.82 million is currently being awarded to selected grantees.

T4Q Field Coach Program (Wheelock): A select number of grantees that indicated interest through their grant application to provide technical assistance and mentoring support. Trained field coaches will provide mentoring and content-focused consultation to programs in professional development, curriculum and instruction, child assessment, and/or program management.

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FY11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants

Over 900 programs and educators applied for funding through this RFP, requesting over $7.7 million in grants.

In total, $2,820,000 in funding was awarded to 416 programs and educators Commonwealth.

Awards were made in all EEC Regions and to all three QRIS program types; After School/Out of School Time, Center and School Based, and Family Child Care.

~ 46% of the programs that applied received FY11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grant Awards 47% Family Child Care 42% After School/ Out of School Time programs 42% Center/ School Based programs

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FY11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement GrantsAward Determinations

Programs may not have been awarded funding for the following reasons:

A high number of proposals from a program type may have been submitted in the region and it was not possible to fund them all.

The proposal scored low on the criteria in the scoring rubric in the RFP. Frequent reasons for low scores included: requested funding for items that are not allowable, contained expenditures

that began or end outside of the grant period did not provide adequate narrative little or no alignment between the program improvement plan in the QRIS

Summary and proposed expenditures or were linked to a standard already met via self-assessment; this would not support a program in moving towards the next level of the QRIS.

Did not submit all required grant supporting documents as directed in the RFP and clarified in the Q&A documents, or submitted documents that were substantially incomplete or incorrect.

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