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An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

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Page 1: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early

Learning Keys to QualityRebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Page 2: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Background and Inception of PA’s System

• Created in 2002 as a quality rating system and operated within fixed number of providers through a case management system;

• Since the inception of Keystone STARS, the performance standards have been the bedrock of the program;

• They are guided by the principle that quality early learning programs are the foundation for children’s success, and that investment in the early care and education of PA’s children is an investment in the future;

• The Keystone STARS Performance Standards reflect research-based practices to improve outcomes for children;

• They are organized into 4 STAR levels that build upon each other in order to support continuous quality improvement – Accreditation is the top tier of the System (NAEYC, NAFCC, NAA, COA and NACCP).

Page 3: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Governance: A System-Oriented Reorganization

• Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) created in September 2004;

• The goal of OCDEL is to create a seamless system to serve young children and their families;

• OCDEL, through its volunteer committees, analyzed all programming and decided to develop the Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality;

• The new structure brought programs for children and families from the Departments of Public Welfare and Education under one umbrella;

• PA Early Learning Keys to Quality launched in July 2005.

Page 4: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

PA Early Learning Keys to Quality

VisionAll Pennsylvania families will have access to high-quality early care and education and school-age child care opportunities for their children that foster success in school and in life.

MissionTo create a quality improvement system in which all early learning programs and practitioners are encouraged and supported to improve child outcomes. Improvements in programming are designed to increase the capacity to support children’s learning and development; increase educational attainment among practitioners; enhance professional skills and competencies in support of children’s learning and development.

Page 5: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Goals to Define Work

1. Establish new early learning programs;

2. Build the capacity of child care as partner for school readiness;

3. Improve professional preparation & development of teachers & administrators;

4. Assure access for most disadvantaged;

5. Engage parents and other stakeholders;

6. Fully coordinate efforts of Welfare & Education Departments –Office of Child Development and Early Learning.

Page 6: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Aligning the System with Vision, Mission, and Goals

• STARS – Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources and Supports;

• Bring Professional Development and Program Quality together into the 6 Regional Keys with partners PA Key and OCDEL (lesson learned);

• Create a SYSTEM - all resources (financing etc.) examined to insure alignment with State objectives and linkages to STARS quality program improvement within DPW and PDE;

• STARS Advisory Committee reviews standards and recommends protocol/program changes.

Page 7: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

System Administration: A Regional Approach

Page 8: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Regional Key Responsibilities: Professional Development System-Building

• Provide integrated PD and TA to support facility and practitioner participation and movement in STARS;

• Provide PD and TA to support practitioners and facilities to maintain Certification compliance;

• Facilitate access to PD and TA to assist practitioner movement along the career lattice;

• Coordinate regular communication and purposeful collaboration to facilitate the integration of PD and TA opportunities & build long-term cross-system and interagency relationships.

Page 9: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Professional Development System

• Conduct Professional Development and Technical Assistance inventories to determine the region’s needs and resources;

• Develop early childhood education professional development and technical assistance plans and administer funds in the region directly and via subcontracts;

• Develop credit-bearing offerings and promote articulation agreements to assist in transferring credits from two-year to four-year colleges.

Page 10: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

System Coordination: PA Key/ OCDEL

• Responsible for statewide coordination of system components such as:

o Management of statewide professional development credential programs, reimbursement strategies, registry;

o Provision of technical assistance to community engagement groups in Regional Keys;

o Facilitate Early Childhood Mental Health Project housed in Regional Keys;

o Coordinate Environmental Rating Scales;o Statewide workgroups and advisory groups (e.g. Cross-

systems Technical Assistance workgroup).

Page 11: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

System Coordination: PA Key/ OCDELcontinued

• Responsible for statewide coordination of other Quality Initiatives that are built on the STARS Program:

o Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts;

o Head Start Supplemental Programs.

Page 12: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Financing the QRIS System

Significant Commonwealth Investment up-front;

o CCDF: $180,205,000o Federal TANF Transfer to CCDF: $168,534,000;o Direct Federal TANF Spending on Child Care: $24,499,000;o State CCDF Maintenance of Effort Funds: $46,629,000;o State Matching Funds: $52,933,000;o Total Funds Available: $472,800,000;o Other funding sources - e.g. Accountability Block Grant for Pre-

K Counts;o 21% Quality Set-Aside.

Page 13: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Paying for STARS SFY 06/07

• $6,527,422 – Regional Keys (STAR Management);

• $5,072,729 – Professional Development and Technical Assistance (through Regional Keys);

• $2,128,986 – Community Engagement (58 Community grants through the Keys);

• $22.5 million - Payouts to providers;

• $10,674,907 – PA Key (PD, ERS, TA to Keys);

• $46,753,937 – Total 06/07 for Keystone STARS.

Page 14: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

STARS Supports SFY 07/08

Family Day Care Home

Group Day Care Home

Small (up to 45 children)

Medium (46-99 children)

Large (100 to 180 children)

Very Large (181+)

Start with

STARS –

1 X Award

315 420

435 580

945

1,260

1,890 2,520

2,835 3,780

4,725 6,300

STAR 1 –

2 X Award 450 600

630 840

1,418 1,890

2,835 3,780

4,253 5,670

7,088 9,450

07/08 2 tiers 5-25% subsidy and 26%+

Page 15: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

STARS Merit Awards SFY 07/08

Family Day Care Home

Group Day Care Home

Small (up to 45 children)

Medium (46-99

children)

Large (100 to 180

children)

Very Large (181+)

STAR 2 – 3X Award

788 1,050

1,575 2,100

4,725 6,300

9,450 12,600

14,175 18,900

23,625 31,500

STAR 3 – Ongoing

1,181 1,575

2,363 3,150

7,088 9,450

14,185 18,900

21,263 28,350

35,438 47,250

STAR 4 - Ongoing

1,575 2,100

3,150 4,200

9,450 12,600

18,900 25,200

28,350 37,800

47,250 63,000

07/08 2 tiers 5-25% subsidy and 26%+,

Page 16: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Education and Retention Award

Director - BA in ECE

Staff - BA in ECE

Staff - AA in ECE

Staff -CDA

STAR 2 $3,090 $2,320 $1,545 $525

STAR 3 $3,605 $2,705 $1,805 $615

STAR 4 $4,120 $3,090 $2,060 $700

07/08 - 07/08 - Over 5 % Subsidy in the program to qualifyOver 5 % Subsidy in the program to qualify

Page 17: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Keystone STARS/ Child Care Works Subsidy Add- On

Daily Increase for

STAR 2 STAR 3 STAR 4

Full-time $0.25 $0.75 $1.00

Part-time $0.15 $0.40 $0.50

Programs with STAR 2 and above receive a per child add-on to Child Care Works Subsidy Rate as of September 2007

Page 18: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Outreach and Community Engagement

• Engage local stakeholders, planning groups, certification representatives, institutions of higher education, parents, school district representatives, and the community at large in early care and education;

• Oversee the work of the Community Engagement contractors in each of the local areas;

• Develop opportunities for increased financial resources & partnering to support quality ECE within the region.

Page 19: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children

Page 20: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

PA’s Promise for Children

Page 21: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Lessons Learned

System versus Silo

Page 22: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Lessons Learned, cont’d

• Think about accountability – what if there is a “burned out” STAR? How do you review, suspend, remove STARS? Could be legal considerations;

• How much does it cost, or take, for programs to make the improvements you require? How does this relate to financing? (substitutes, PD/TA costs, materials, etc.);

• If the program is a statewide QRS, how do you maintain statewide consistency, while allowing for regional flexibility?

Page 23: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

• Working on CQI in higher ‘at risk’ programs, supporting quality in diverse early learning settings– thinking about new strategies;

• Leadership at all levels;

• Supporting people doing the work;

• Accountability – better data and statistics for decision making at the program level and the state level;

• Continuous Quality Improvement for the Continuous Quality Improvement System.

Page 24: An Overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s QRIS System – PA’s Early Learning Keys to Quality Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key

Contact Information

• Rebecca E. Gomez, M.Ed. Southeast Regional Key1500 S. Columbus Blvd. Floor 2Philadelphia, PA [email protected]