Strengthening Quality Improvement Systems The North Carolina Approach

Agenda History History Early Childhood Systems in NC Early Childhood Systems in NC Standards & Strategy Integration Standards & Strategy Integration Outputs and Outcomes Outputs and Outcomes Data Data Lessons Learned Lessons Learned

Snapshot: 1990 Lowest standards in the nation Lowest standards in the nation Poorly educated, underpaid, high turnover workforce Poorly educated, underpaid, high turnover workforce Low income children in worse quality Low income children in worse quality No real investment of state funds No real investment of state funds Fledgling QRIS, with two-tiered licensing and reimbursement system Fledgling QRIS, with two-tiered licensing and reimbursement system Disparate governmental bodies managing child care regulation and child care subsidy Disparate governmental bodies managing child care regulation and child care subsidy

History 1986A and AA license created with higher rates 1990T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® piloted 1993Early childhood administration consolidated (DCD) 1994First Smart Start Partnerships funded 1997Five-star license created 2002More at Four implemented 2003CCR&R system regionalized 2007Five-star license revised and upgraded 2010Early Educator Certification required

NC Early Care and Education System

Major Components Division of Child Development Smart Start More at Four

Division of Child Development Vision: Quality for Children, Success for Life! Vision: Quality for Children, Success for Life! Mission: The social and economic future of NC depends upon the success of our children. To that end, we implement quality standards, increase access for families, and collaborate to promote enhanced service delivery of care and education across the state. Mission: The social and economic future of NC depends upon the success of our children. To that end, we implement quality standards, increase access for families, and collaborate to promote enhanced service delivery of care and education across the state. Budget: $590 million that includes 61% federal dollars. Thirty-two percent of the Division’s budget Budget: $590 million that includes 61% federal dollars. Thirty-two percent of the Division’s budget funds Smart Start activities.

Division of Child Development Location within Department of Health and Human Services Location within Department of Health and Human Services Major responsibilities Major responsibilities Regulation of child care facilities Regulation of child care facilities Oversight of subsidized child care program Oversight of subsidized child care program State administrator for CCDF and quality initiatives State administrator for CCDF and quality initiatives

Division of Child Development Areas of Focus Ensure basic health and safety of all children in child care Ensure basic health and safety of all children in child care Increase access to affordable high quality care Increase access to affordable high quality care Increase the availability of high quality care Increase the availability of high quality care Strengthen professional development Strengthen professional development Support needs of special populations for high quality child care Support needs of special populations for high quality child care

Smart Start Mission: Advance a high quality, comprehensive, accountable system of care and education for every child beginning with a healthy birth. Vision: Every child reaches his or her potential and is prepared for success in a global community. Budget: $188.1 million (all state dollars)

Smart Start Organizational Structure State Level/Not-for Profit -- NC Partnership for Children State Level/Not-for Profit -- NC Partnership for Children Board of Directors Board of Directors President President Local Level Separate 501(c) non-profits Local Level Separate 501(c) non-profits Boards of Directors Boards of Directors Executive Directors Executive Directors

Smart Start Areas of Focus ECE Program Quality ECE Program Quality Education of Teachers/Administrators Education of Teachers/Administrators Teacher Compensation and Stability Teacher Compensation and Stability ECE Program Availability ECE Program Availability ECE Program Affordability ECE Program Affordability

More at Four Mission: To provide high-quality academic pre- kindergarten experience for at-risk four-year-olds. Mission: To provide high-quality academic pre- kindergarten experience for at-risk four-year-olds. Define and promote standards for pre-kindergarten that align with and support K-12 standards Define and promote standards for pre-kindergarten that align with and support K-12 standards Coordinate and leverage state and federal funding for pre-kindergarten services (More at Four, Head Start, Title I, Exceptional Children Preschool, Even Start) Coordinate and leverage state and federal funding for pre-kindergarten services (More at Four, Head Start, Title I, Exceptional Children Preschool, Even Start) Budget: $162.4 million ($30.56 million TANF; balance lottery and state funds) Budget: $162.4 million ($30.56 million TANF; balance lottery and state funds)

More at Four Organizational Structure Organizational Structure State Level – OEL/Department of Public Instruction State Level – OEL/Department of Public Instruction State Board of Education State Board of Education Office of Deputy Superintendent Office of Deputy Superintendent Local Level Local Level Local MAF Committees Local MAF Committees Local Contractors Local Contractors Local Education Agency Local Education Agency Local Partnership for Children Local Partnership for Children

More at Four Areas of Focus Set eligibility standards for children at risk for poor school outcomes Set eligibility standards for children at risk for poor school outcomes Ensure use of a curriculum that supports Early Learning Standards that are aligned with K-12 standards Ensure use of a curriculum that supports Early Learning Standards that are aligned with K-12 standards Require and facilitate the development and support of teachers with Birth-Kindergarten licenses Require and facilitate the development and support of teachers with Birth-Kindergarten licenses

Key Collateral Nonprofits NC Institute for Child Development Professionals ( NC Institute for Child Development Professionals ( Created in 1992; incorporated as non-profit 2008 Created in 1992; incorporated as non-profit 2008 Works on building effective professional development system Works on building effective professional development system Child Care Resource & Referral System Child Care Resource & Referral System Reorganized in 2004 with Regional Lead Agencies Reorganized in 2004 with Regional Lead Agencies Managed by CCR&R Council Managed by CCR&R Council Child Care Services Association ( Child Care Services Association ( Created in 1974; operates locally, statewide and nationally Created in 1974; operates locally, statewide and nationally Focuses on workforce issues including workforce studies, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® & Child Care WAGE$ Focuses on workforce issues including workforce studies, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® & Child Care WAGE$

Building Quality

The Heart of the System Rated License Environ ment Teacher

Driving Quality SystemPopulationStandardsTarget for Improvements More at FourAt-Risk 4 yr. olds Teacher/Classro om Teacher, Classroom Smart StartBirth to FiveCommunityWorkforce, Classroom, ECE Programs, Systems Division of Child Development Birth to TwelveECE ProgramWorkforce, Classroom, ECE Programs, Systems

Smart Start ECE Community Accountability ECE Program Quality ECE Program Quality Education of Teachers/Administrators Education of Teachers/Administrators Teacher Compensation and Stability Teacher Compensation and Stability ECE Program Availability ECE Program Availability ECE Program Affordability ECE Program Affordability

Commonly Used Supply-side Strategies Workforce Development Workforce Development T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships and health insurance T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships and health insurance Child Care WAGE$® salary supplements Child Care WAGE$® salary supplements Early Learning Guidelines Early Learning Guidelines Strengthened higher education system Strengthened higher education system Early Educator Certification Early Educator Certification ECE Environments ECE Environments Technical assistance and training Technical assistance and training Grants for classrooms/programs Grants for classrooms/programs Specialized training/support for outdoor learning Specialized training/support for outdoor learning

Uniquely Used Supply-side Strategies Division of Child Development Division of Child Development Highly trained Infant-Toddler (25), Behavior (25) and School- age (18) specialists Highly trained Infant-Toddler (25), Behavior (25) and School- age (18) specialists Output/outcome driven regional CCR&R system Output/outcome driven regional CCR&R system Smart Start Smart Start Professional development coaches/specialists Professional development coaches/specialists Substitutes/AmeriCorps Substitutes/AmeriCorps More at Four More at Four Mentor teachers Mentor teachers Preschool Demonstration Sites Preschool Demonstration Sites Teacher Licensure Unit Teacher Licensure Unit

Demand-side Strategies Information Information Basic and enhanced consumer education and referral Basic and enhanced consumer education and referral Focus on quality and regulated care Focus on quality and regulated care Affordability Affordability Higher rates for better quality Higher rates for better quality Limited access to lower quality Limited access to lower quality Increased access for special populations Increased access for special populations Availability Availability Sanctions for low-performing programs Sanctions for low-performing programs Low interest loans Low interest loans TA and training for start-ups TA and training for start-ups

Integrated System Shared vision for young children Shared vision for young children Larger engagement across systems at local, regional and state levels Larger engagement across systems at local, regional and state levels Public-private synergy Public-private synergy Local and state leadership Local and state leadership More children, families, programs and teachers are served better

NC ECE Outputs and Outcomes

Children from Birth to 12 in 4 or 5 Star Programs

Average Star Rating

Workforce Education

MAF Adjusted Group Means Significance levels: *p<.5, ***p<.001, All measures use standard scores (mean=100, SD=15) except Counting (range=0-40) © 2011 by Ellen Peisner-Feinberg, FPG Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Data

Types of Data Collected Community, educator and program Needs Assessments Community, educator and program Needs Assessments Child Assessments Child Assessments Data on users/usage of services Data on users/usage of services Classroom and/or Program Assessments (ERS) Classroom and/or Program Assessments (ERS) Evaluation data on child, teacher and/or program improvement Evaluation data on child, teacher and/or program improvement Effectiveness evaluations on intervention strategies Effectiveness evaluations on intervention strategies Satisfaction data on consumers of services Satisfaction data on consumers of services

Key Child/Family Data Systems Systems Systems More at Four More at Four DCD Subsidy DCD Subsidy CCR&R CCR&R Not Integrated Not Integrated

Key Workforce Data Systems Systems Systems DCD Regulatory DCD Regulatory Early Educator Certification Early Educator Certification Teacher Licensure Teacher Licensure Partially Integrated Partially Integrated DCD and Certification electronically share data on workforce DCD and Certification electronically share data on workforce

Key Program Data Systems Systems Systems DCD Regulatory DCD Regulatory CCR&R CCR&R Local Smart Start agencies Local Smart Start agencies Not integrated Not integrated

Lessons Learned

Guiding Principles Leadership matters Leadership matters Local control is a blessing Local control is a blessing Community data helps drive change Community data helps drive change Community engagement is critical Community engagement is critical Quality can be leveraged Quality can be leveraged Flexibility is necessary Flexibility is necessary Systemic linkages are mandatory Systemic linkages are mandatory Change begins with the workforce Change begins with the workforce

Challenges Local control is a curse Local control is a curse Data on child outcomes should be collected Data on child outcomes should be collected Innovation has to lead to state-wideness Innovation has to lead to state-wideness Data can be deceiving Data can be deceiving Workforce supports are expensive Workforce supports are expensive The quality of technical assistance can be measured The quality of technical assistance can be measured

Questions Contact: Sue Russell, Child Care Services Association, PO Box 901, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, ,