Thrive by Five Washington: Quality Early Learning
Quality Early Learning
Experts in economics, education, public health and neuroscience agree that high quality early learning experiences give young children the start they need to enter school ready for success.
To help make sure children in licensed child care—whether it’s in a home or in a center—get the best care possible, states are creating quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS). Overall, these systems are intended to:
A QRIS often uses some kind of rating level system to show the varying levels of quality. Quality is commonly determined by looking at professional development/staff qualifications and experience; family involvement; learning environment/curriculum; licensing status; program management; and staff-child ratios. Once QRIS participants are ranked, they then receive incentives to help them improve. Incentives may include financial subsidies and grants, expanded education and training opportunities for staff, and individualized technical support from a professional mentor or coach.
All but one state in the country is implementing, developing or discussing QRIS, and many states are seeing progress. In Pennsylvania, a QRIS helped child care programs improve their overall quality, reversing negative trends evident in the late l990s. In Tennessee, a voluntary rating system helped improve child care quality across the state, and rates of kindergarten readiness are on the rise.
Washington state is currently conducting a nine-month field test of its QRIS, called Seeds to Success. The state Department of Early Learning is overseeing the field test, which ends in June 2009. The two Thrive Communities are among the five communities participating in the field test.
Visit Thrive by Five Washington's Web site to learn more!
To help make sure children in licensed child care—whether it’s in a home or in a center—get the best care possible, states are creating quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS). Overall, these systems are intended to:
- Improve the quality of child care offered to families by offering support and resources to providers who commit to improving their facilities and the care they provide; and
- Offer “consumer report” information to families about child care providers in their communities, so that they can make the best child care choices for their families.
A QRIS often uses some kind of rating level system to show the varying levels of quality. Quality is commonly determined by looking at professional development/staff qualifications and experience; family involvement; learning environment/curriculum; licensing status; program management; and staff-child ratios. Once QRIS participants are ranked, they then receive incentives to help them improve. Incentives may include financial subsidies and grants, expanded education and training opportunities for staff, and individualized technical support from a professional mentor or coach.
All but one state in the country is implementing, developing or discussing QRIS, and many states are seeing progress. In Pennsylvania, a QRIS helped child care programs improve their overall quality, reversing negative trends evident in the late l990s. In Tennessee, a voluntary rating system helped improve child care quality across the state, and rates of kindergarten readiness are on the rise.
Washington state is currently conducting a nine-month field test of its QRIS, called Seeds to Success. The state Department of Early Learning is overseeing the field test, which ends in June 2009. The two Thrive Communities are among the five communities participating in the field test.
Visit Thrive by Five Washington's Web site to learn more!