Strengthening Strengthening Quality Quality

Improvement Improvement SystemsSystems

The North Carolina The North Carolina ApproachApproach

AgendaAgenda

HistoryHistory

Early Childhood Systems in NCEarly Childhood Systems in NC

Standards & Strategy Standards & Strategy IntegrationIntegration

Outputs and OutcomesOutputs and Outcomes

DataData

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Snapshot: 1990Snapshot: 1990

Lowest standards in the nationLowest standards in the nation

Poorly educated, underpaid, high turnover Poorly educated, underpaid, high turnover workforceworkforce

Low income children in worse qualityLow income children in worse quality

No real investment of state fundsNo real investment of state funds

Fledgling QRIS, with two-tiered licensing and Fledgling QRIS, with two-tiered licensing and reimbursement systemreimbursement system

Disparate governmental bodies managing Disparate governmental bodies managing child care regulation and child care subsidychild care regulation and child care subsidy

HistoryHistory

19861986 A and AA license created with higher ratesA and AA license created with higher rates

19901990 T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® pilotedT.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® piloted

19931993 Early childhood administration consolidated Early childhood administration consolidated (DCD)(DCD)

19941994 First Smart Start Partnerships fundedFirst Smart Start Partnerships funded

19971997 Five-star license createdFive-star license created

20022002 More at Four implementedMore at Four implemented

20032003 CCR&R system regionalizedCCR&R system regionalized

20072007 Five-star license revised and upgradedFive-star license revised and upgraded

20102010 Early Educator Certification requiredEarly Educator Certification required

NC Early Care NC Early Care and Education and Education

SystemSystem

Major ComponentsMajor Components

Division of Child Division of Child DevelopmentDevelopment

Vision: Quality for Children, Success for Life!Vision: Quality for Children, Success for Life!

Mission: The social and economic future of Mission: The social and economic future of NC depends upon the success of our NC depends upon the success of our children. To that end, we implement quality children. To that end, we implement quality standards, increase access for families, and standards, increase access for families, and collaborate to promote enhanced service collaborate to promote enhanced service delivery of care and education across the delivery of care and education across the state.state.

Budget: $590 million that includes 61% Budget: $590 million that includes 61% federal dollars. Thirty-two percent of the federal dollars. Thirty-two percent of the Division’s budget Division’s budget funds Smart Start activities.funds Smart Start activities.

Division of Child Division of Child DevelopmentDevelopment

Location within Department of Location within Department of Health and Human ServicesHealth and Human Services

Major responsibilitiesMajor responsibilities Regulation of child care facilitiesRegulation of child care facilities Oversight of subsidized child care Oversight of subsidized child care

programprogram State administrator for CCDF and quality State administrator for CCDF and quality

initiativesinitiatives

Division of Child Division of Child DevelopmentDevelopment

Areas of FocusAreas of Focus Ensure basic health and safety of all Ensure basic health and safety of all

children in child carechildren in child care Increase access to affordable high quality Increase access to affordable high quality

carecare Increase the availability of high quality careIncrease the availability of high quality care Strengthen professional developmentStrengthen professional development Support needs of special populations for Support needs of special populations for

high quality child carehigh quality child care

www.ncchildcare.net

Smart StartSmart Start

Mission:Mission:Advance a high quality, comprehensive, Advance a high quality, comprehensive, accountable system of care and education accountable system of care and education for every child beginning with a healthy for every child beginning with a healthy birth. birth.

Vision:Vision:Every child reaches his or her potential and Every child reaches his or her potential and is prepared for success in a global is prepared for success in a global community.community.

Budget: $188.1 million (all state dollars)Budget: $188.1 million (all state dollars)

Smart StartSmart Start

Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure State Level/Not-for Profit -- NC Partnership State Level/Not-for Profit -- NC Partnership

for Childrenfor Children

Board of DirectorsBoard of Directors

PresidentPresident

Local Level -- 78 Separate 501(c) non-Local Level -- 78 Separate 501(c) non-

profitsprofits

Boards of DirectorsBoards of Directors

Executive DirectorsExecutive Directors

Smart StartSmart Start

Areas of FocusAreas of Focus

ECE Program QualityECE Program Quality

Education of Teachers/AdministratorsEducation of Teachers/Administrators

Teacher Compensation and StabilityTeacher Compensation and Stability

ECE Program AvailabilityECE Program Availability

ECE Program AffordabilityECE Program Affordability

www.smartstart-nc.org/

More at FourMore at Four

Mission: To provide high-quality academic Mission: To provide high-quality academic pre-kindergarten experience for at-risk four-pre-kindergarten experience for at-risk four-year-olds.year-olds.

Define and promote standards for pre-Define and promote standards for pre-kindergarten that align with and support K-12 kindergarten that align with and support K-12 standardsstandards

Coordinate and leverage state and federal Coordinate and leverage state and federal funding for pre-kindergarten services (More at funding for pre-kindergarten services (More at Four, Head Start, Title I, Exceptional Children Four, Head Start, Title I, Exceptional Children Preschool, Even Start)Preschool, Even Start)

Budget: $162.4 million ($30.56 million Budget: $162.4 million ($30.56 million TANF; balance lottery and state funds)TANF; balance lottery and state funds)

More at FourMore at Four

Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure State Level – OEL/Department of Public State Level – OEL/Department of Public

InstructionInstruction State Board of EducationState Board of Education Office of Deputy SuperintendentOffice of Deputy Superintendent

Local Level Local Level Local MAF CommitteesLocal MAF Committees Local ContractorsLocal Contractors

Local Education AgencyLocal Education Agency Local Partnership for ChildrenLocal Partnership for Children

More at FourMore at Four

Areas of FocusAreas of Focus Set eligibility standards for children at risk for Set eligibility standards for children at risk for

poor school outcomespoor school outcomes Ensure use of a curriculum that supports Early Ensure use of a curriculum that supports Early

Learning Standards that are aligned with K-12 Learning Standards that are aligned with K-12 standardsstandards

Require and facilitate the development and Require and facilitate the development and support of teachers with Birth-Kindergarten support of teachers with Birth-Kindergarten licenseslicenses

www.ncprek.nc.gov/MoreFour/index.asp

Key Collateral Key Collateral NonprofitsNonprofits

NC Institute for Child Development Professionals NC Institute for Child Development Professionals (www.ncicdp.org)(www.ncicdp.org) Created in 1992; incorporated as non-profit 2008Created in 1992; incorporated as non-profit 2008 Works on building effective professional development Works on building effective professional development

systemsystem

Child Care Resource & Referral SystemChild Care Resource & Referral System Reorganized in 2004 with Regional Lead AgenciesReorganized in 2004 with Regional Lead Agencies Managed by CCR&R CouncilManaged by CCR&R Council

Child Care Services Association Child Care Services Association (www.childcareservices.org)(www.childcareservices.org) Created in 1974; operates locally, statewide and Created in 1974; operates locally, statewide and

nationallynationally Focuses on workforce issues including workforce studies, Focuses on workforce issues including workforce studies,

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® & Child Care WAGE$T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® & Child Care WAGE$

Building Building QualityQuality

The Heart of the The Heart of the SystemSystem

Driving QualityDriving Quality

System Population Standards Target for Improvements

More at Four At-Risk 4 yr. olds

Teacher/Classroom

Teacher, Classroom

Smart Start Birth to Five Community Workforce, Classroom, ECE Programs, Systems

Division of Child Development

Birth to Twelve

ECE Program Workforce, Classroom, ECE Programs, Systems

Smart Start ECE Smart Start ECE Community Community

AccountabilityAccountabilityECE Program QualityECE Program Quality

Education of Education of Teachers/AdministratorsTeachers/Administrators

Teacher Compensation and StabilityTeacher Compensation and Stability

ECE Program AvailabilityECE Program Availability

ECE Program AffordabilityECE Program Affordability

Commonly Used Commonly Used Supply-side StrategiesSupply-side Strategies

Workforce DevelopmentWorkforce Development T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® scholarships and

health insurancehealth insurance Child Care WAGE$® salary supplementsChild Care WAGE$® salary supplements Early Learning GuidelinesEarly Learning Guidelines Strengthened higher education systemStrengthened higher education system Early Educator CertificationEarly Educator Certification

ECE EnvironmentsECE Environments Technical assistance and trainingTechnical assistance and training Grants for classrooms/programsGrants for classrooms/programs Specialized training/support for outdoor learningSpecialized training/support for outdoor learning

Uniquely Used Uniquely Used Supply-side StrategiesSupply-side Strategies

Division of Child DevelopmentDivision of Child Development Highly trained Infant-Toddler (25), Behavior Highly trained Infant-Toddler (25), Behavior

(25) and School-age (18) specialists(25) and School-age (18) specialists Output/outcome driven regional CCR&R systemOutput/outcome driven regional CCR&R system

Smart StartSmart Start Professional development coaches/specialistsProfessional development coaches/specialists Substitutes/AmeriCorpsSubstitutes/AmeriCorps

More at FourMore at Four Mentor teachersMentor teachers Preschool Demonstration SitesPreschool Demonstration Sites Teacher Licensure UnitTeacher Licensure Unit

Demand-side Demand-side StrategiesStrategies

InformationInformation Basic and enhanced consumer education and Basic and enhanced consumer education and

referralreferral Focus on quality and regulated care Focus on quality and regulated care

AffordabilityAffordability Higher rates for better qualityHigher rates for better quality Limited access to lower quality Limited access to lower quality Increased access for special populationsIncreased access for special populations

AvailabilityAvailability Sanctions for low-performing programsSanctions for low-performing programs Low interest loansLow interest loans TA and training for start-upsTA and training for start-ups

Integrated SystemIntegrated System

Shared vision for young children Shared vision for young children

Larger engagement across systems Larger engagement across systems at local, regional and state levelsat local, regional and state levels

Public-private synergy Public-private synergy

Local and state leadershipLocal and state leadership

More children, families, programs and teachers are served better

NC ECE NC ECE Outputs and Outputs and

OutcomesOutcomes

Children from Birth to 12 in 4 or 5 Star Programs

Average Star Rating

Workforce EducationWorkforce Education

MAF Adjusted Group MAF Adjusted Group MeansMeans

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. http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~mafeval/pdfs/year_9_key_findings.pdf

DataData

Types of Data Types of Data CollectedCollected

Community, educator and program Needs AssessmentsCommunity, educator and program Needs Assessments

Child AssessmentsChild Assessments

Data on users/usage of servicesData 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 Evaluation data on child, teacher and/or program improvementimprovement

Effectiveness evaluations on intervention strategiesEffectiveness evaluations on intervention strategies

Satisfaction data on consumers of services Satisfaction data on consumers of services

Key Child/Family Data Key Child/Family Data SystemsSystems

SystemsSystems More at FourMore at Four DCD SubsidyDCD Subsidy CCR&RCCR&R

Not IntegratedNot Integrated

Key Workforce Data Key Workforce Data SystemsSystems

SystemsSystems DCD RegulatoryDCD Regulatory Early Educator CertificationEarly Educator Certification Teacher LicensureTeacher Licensure

Partially IntegratedPartially Integrated DCD and Certification electronically share DCD and Certification electronically share

data on workforcedata on workforce

Key Program Data Key Program Data SystemsSystems

SystemsSystems DCD RegulatoryDCD Regulatory CCR&RCCR&R Local Smart Start agenciesLocal Smart Start agencies

Not integratedNot integrated

Lessons Lessons LearnedLearned

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

Leadership mattersLeadership matters

Local control is a blessingLocal control is a blessing

Community data helps drive changeCommunity data helps drive change

Community engagement is criticalCommunity engagement is critical

Quality can be leveragedQuality can be leveraged

Flexibility is necessaryFlexibility is necessary

Systemic linkages are mandatorySystemic linkages are mandatory

Change begins with the workforceChange begins with the workforce

ChallengesChallenges

Local control is a curseLocal control is a curse

Data on child outcomes should be collectedData on child outcomes should be collected

Innovation has to lead to state-widenessInnovation has to lead to state-wideness

Data can be deceivingData can be deceiving

Workforce supports are expensiveWorkforce supports are expensive

The quality of technical assistance can be The quality of technical assistance can be measuredmeasured

QuestionsQuestions

Contact: Sue Russell, Child Care Contact: Sue Russell, Child Care Services Association, PO Box Services Association, PO Box 901, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919-901, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919-967-3272, suer@ipass.net967-3272, suer@ipass.net