Building the Future By Investing Early
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Governor Doyle’s Commitment to Wisconsin’s Children • Expansion of four-year-old kindergarten • Providing more school breakfast programs • Created the Wisconsin Covenant • Launched BadgerCare Plus • Created Department of Children and Families
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
The Road to Improving Child Care Safety
• Background checks • Dangerous programs
• Links to drug trade
Fraud
• Millions of dollars of fraud
• Assess quality indicators
• Fictional jobs
• Provide support to child care programs
• Fictional child care
• Reward quality programs • Better assist families find child care
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
What is “high” quality? Research suggests: • Teachers with four-year college degrees • Teachers well-compensated, have ongoing training • Smaller teacher-child ratios • For three- and four-year-olds, use of a curriculum • Interventions with families such as home visits • Monitoring and site visits
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Why is Quality Important? • • • • • • • • • •
Higher school readiness Improved cognitive ability and social skills Lower use of special education classes Lower rates of grade retention Higher labor force participation Higher high school graduation rates Lower use of welfare Higher wages earned --> higher tax contributions Lower juvenile delinquency and lifetime participation in crime Lower rates of teen pregnancy and out-of-wedlock births Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Development of YoungStar • Proposal is grounded in 2005 Quality Cares for Quality Kids proposal • Reflects input from 15+ listening sessions held statewide since July 1, 2008 • Several changes reflective of feedback: – – – –
Micro-grants Training and Technical Assistance Resources Quality link to reimbursement rates Incorporation of health and wellness points
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Elements of Strong QRIS Systems • Clear Goals and Expectations
• Incentives for meeting standards, consequences for not meeting standards • Monitoring of performance
• Evaluation of program performance • Encouraging improved performance through quality improvement support, technical assistance and financial incentives. Rand Corporation, 2009
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
YoungStar will… • Support child care providers in WI • Help parents make child care choices • Align Shares payments with quality • Prevent fraud Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Wisconsin Is Building on Strength Quality Improvement
Training & Education
T.E.A.C.H. Scholarships
Courses & Credentials
Supporting Families Together Association
REWARD Stipends
Child Care Information Center
The Registry
Strengthening Families
Child Care Food Program
DHS Physical Activity Initiative
Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations
Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards
Regulation: Licensing & Certification
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Regulated but not in compliance
23-32 Points
11-22 Points
33-40 Points
0-10 Points
Regulated and in regulatory compliance
Regulated programs Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Support Child Care Providers with… • Training • Technical Assistance • Grants
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Regional Service Delivery • DCF will select six regional entities to administer YoungStar • Entities will be expected to build partnerships and connections to support providers and parents • Emphasis will be placed on entities that can leverage additional resources and have strong partnerships in place to deliver services • Regional entities will be responsible for: – Child care assessments – Administration of quality microgrants – Training and technical assistance – Assisting parents find child care – Working with DCF and other key partners for YoungStar
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Service Delivery Areas
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Child Care Quality Indicators • Educational Qualifications • Learning Environment and Curriculum • Health and Well Being of Children
• Professional Business Practices Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Quality Indicator Point Totals Possible Points Category for Earning Points
Family
Group
Education Qualifications - Family Provider
0-14
N/A
Education - Group Teachers
N/A
0-9
Education of Group Director
N/A
0-6
Learning Environment and Curriculum
0-14
0-13
Professional Practices (business practices, staff benefits, parent involvement
0-7
0-7
Health and Wellness
0-5
0-5
0-40 points
0-40 points
Total
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Educational Qualifications • Teacher or provider education is one of the strongest predictors of providing high quality early care and education.
• Center director education is also linked to quality. • The Group and Family Child Care models provide opportunity for recognition of education levels, credit based work beyond high school, and credentials. Group Center director’s education is also an opportunity to acquire points. • Wisconsin will work with The Registry to verify educational credentials.
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Learning Environment and Curriculum • Quality Improvement Plan • Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale
• Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards • Improving Child Outcomes
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Business and Professional Practices • Child Care Business Practices • Practices to support teaching staff and provider • Benefits for Program Staff • Involving Parents in Program Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Child Health and Well-Being • Nutrition • Physical Activity • Strengthening Families and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect • Supporting inclusion of all children • Promoting social and emotional health
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Participating in YoungStar • Programs who receive Wisconsin Shares will be required to participate • YoungStar contract with program will be required to participate • All programs must agree to timely and accurate reporting of Wisconsin Shares to participate • For programs not in Wisconsin Shares, participation is voluntary Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Participating in YoungStar • How do programs accumulate points? • What are options for gradually increasing points?
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Example 1: Emily’s Family Child Care • The provider has the InfantToddler Credential • Program has signed YoungStar contract and has established timely and accurate reporting of Wisconsin Shares – required for participation (no points earned) • She participates in the Food Program
Category
Points Earned
Provider qualifications
3
Health and Wellness
1
Total
4
Stars
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
How program could move to 3 Star For Emily’s program to move to a 3 star program from original 4 points, she could: • Develop a quality improvement program* – self assessed. (1 pt) • Incorporate Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards into programming (1 point) • Demonstrate that she’s received WMELS training (1 point) • Demonstrate physical activity standards in program (1 point) • Document yearly budget planning and program financial assessment (1 point)* • Document strong parental involvement (2 points) *Required for 3 Star
Three Stars Education
Infant Toddler Credential*
Learning Environmen t
Quality Improvement Plan in place (self assessment) – adds 1 point* Curriculum aligned with WMELS – adds 1 point Full WMELS training received – adds 1 point
Health and Wellness
Food Program Demonstrate that program meets physical, health and wellness standards (+1 points)
Business and Professiona l Practices
Budget planning - adds 1 point* Parent involvement – demonstrate 3 or more practices - adds 2 points
Total Points
7 new points added to original 4 = 11 points for level 3
Star Level
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
How program could move to 4 Star For Emily’s program to move to a 4 star program starting from 11 points, she could add to her portfolio: • Administrator Credential – adds 6 points) • Use a research-based instrument for quality improvement plan (1 point) • Have an independent entity verify quality improvement plan (2 points) • Score an average of 5 on Family Child Care Environmental Rating Scale with no subscale less than 3. (3 points) • Document parent handbook spelling out policies for vacation, holidays and sick leave for program staff and related family attendance policies. (1 point) *Required for 4 Star
Four Stars Education
Receive Administrator’s Credential* – adds 6 points
Learning Environmen t
Quality Improvement Plan using research based tool – adds 1 point Quality Improvement Plan verified by outside entity – adds 1 point FCCERS Assessment Score – adds 3 points*
Health and Wellness
Receives Strengthening Families training – adds 1 point
Business and Professiona l Practices
Family handbook – adds 1 point*
Total Points
13 plus original 11 = 24 points
Star Level
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Example 2: 3 Star Licensed Group Center – Category Points Earned Rainbow Preschool Education 12 teachers: 6 teachers have 6 credits and 6 teachers have AA degrees Director has a related Associate Degree and an Administrator’s credential Learning Environment Quality Improvement Plan has been developed.* Curriculum is aligned with WMELS Business and Professional Practices Ongoing yearly budget review* Demonstrates 3 of or more best practice for professional development (2 points) Health and Wellness Participates in CAFCP (1point)
Teacher qualifications Director Qualifications
6 4
Learning environment and curriculum: WMELS
1
Quality Improvement Plan
1
Business and Professional practices
2
Health and Wellness
1
Total
15
Stars
* Required for 3 Star
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Moving to 4 Star The chart on the left shows two different paths for accumulating points to move the center from a 3 to a 4 Star tar program. Required criteria for 4 Star include: • ECERS Score • Written copy of employment policies and procedures • Lead Teachers with infant/toddler or inclusion credentials for 50% of classrooms
Path 1 – starting with 15 points
Path 2 – starting with 15 points
Education
Director with Bachelor’s Degree – adds 2 6 teachers with credits receive credential – adds 1
Director with Bachelor’s Degree – adds 2 6 teachers with credits receive credentials – adds 1
Learning Environment
ECERS score of 5 with no subscale less than 3 – adds 3* Program has identified ways to improve child outcomes – adds 1
ECERS – adds 3*
Professional Practices
Employment policies and procedures manual – adds 1*
Employment Policies Manual – adds 1* Documents strong parental involvement policies - adds 1
Health and Wellness
Strengthening Families and protective factors training adds 1
Inclusion training or equivalent –adds 1
Additional Points
Adds 9 points bringing total to 24
Adds 10 points bringing total to 25 points
Stars
* Required for 4 Star
Quality Improvement Plan verified uses research-backed tool – adds 1
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
How will parents get information? • Individual child care provider ratings will be posted on-line • Information on quality child care will be provided by regional entities and Child Care Resource and Referral agencies in their community • www.dcf.wisconsin.gov
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
Additional Resources • More detailed information is available on-line – www.dcf.wisconsin.gov • Updates will be ongoing to website as implementation occurs • Questions can be director to the Wisconsin Child Care Information Center – ccic@dpi.wi.gov
• 608-224-6173 or 1-800-362-7353
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
www.dcf.wisconsin.gov