1. 2014 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants Wendy Valentine, M.Ed. Senior Director, United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley

2. Goal To provide QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants to all eligible programs/educators in the mixed delivery system to make program improvements in pursuit of upward progress on the levels defined in the QRIS system

3. 2013 QRIS Grants Total funding of up to $2,500,000 awarded to programs in two rounds of funding Grantees represented 631 programs and providers in all five regions – 236 Family Childcare programs – 255 Center based programs – 140 Afterschool/Out of School Time programs

4. 2013 Grants Process Applicants Proposed Quality Improvement Related Purchases and Expenditures Grantees Selected; Program Planning OR Durable Goods and Services Funding Awarded (Grants of $3000, $5000 or $7000 Based on Total Enrollment) Grantees Make Proposed Purchases and Expenditures

5. Proposed Changes Modify grant cycle and structure to promote increased long-term, sustainable program quality improvements Increase the infrastructure to provide access to technical assistance prior to proposing grant purchases and expenditures Provide training for program administrators and providers on connecting data results to program improvement planning Provide training for program administrators and providers on integrating program improvement planning and grant-related purchases and expenditures

6. Technical Assistance Model QRIS Technical Assistance & Resource Conference Regional Group Technical Assistance Meetings Technical Assistance Consultation as Needed Program Improvement Plan Approval

7. Emerging Research Suggests A consultant model of professional development support is associated with better outcomes for children When engaged in professional development in a content area, access to a mentor/coach is linked to improvements in practice for educators This benefit is also seen for family child care educators ___________ Schilder, D. Young, J., Anastasopoulos, L., Kimura, S. & Rivera, B. (2011). Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System Provisional Standards Study: Final Report. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. http://www.eec.state.ma.us/docs1/qris/20110307_ma_qris_provisional_study_final_rpt.pdfhttp://www.eec.state.ma.us/docs1/qris/20110307_ma_qris_provisional_study_final_rpt.pdf Schilder, D, Canada, D., Paulk, S., & Smith Leavell, A. (2012) Review of Research on Child Care Quality. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

8. 2014 Proposed Grant Structure Single round of grants Technical Assistance support for grantees integrated into the process Development of Program Improvement Plans a required component of grant Grantees receive both Program Planning Funding (to develop a plan) and Durable Goods and Services Funding (to implement the plan)

9. 2014 Grants Process Grantees Selected – Spring 2014 Technical Assistance and Resource Conference – Spring 2014 Program Planning Funding Awarded – Summer 2014 Ongoing Technical Assistance – Summer and Fall 2014 Program Improvement Plans Developed and Approved – Summer and Fall 2014 Durable Goods and Services Funding Awarded – Summer and Fall 2014 Program Improvement Plans Implemented – Fall 2014

10. Next Steps Vet QRIS Improvement Grant proposed changes – EEC Program Quality Unit (2/6/14) – Online Survey Link Sent to programs and providers (2/7/2014) – EPS Coaches and Mentors (2/18/14) – QRIS Working Group- Program Administrators (2/26/14) – QRIS Working Group- Educators and Providers (2/27/14) Revised Grant Solicitation reflecting changes ECC Legal review of Revised Grant Solicitation

11. Questions?