Strengthening Quality Improvement Systems

On March 17th and 18th 2011, the QRIS National Learning Network, with our partners, Child Trends and the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center, brought together over 150 state QRIS and professional development leaders and leading researchers and technical assistance agencies for a conference on Strengthening Quality Improvement Systems.  Together we explored new ideas and emerging research on delivering effective quality initiatives at scale. 

Below you will find many of the powerpoints and handouts from the meeting.  In the weeks to come, more will be added.

Breakout Sessions

Evaluating Quality Improvement and Professional Development Activities

Session Leader: Ivelisse Martinez-Beck, OPRE, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Presenters: Kimberly Boller, Mathematica Policy Research; Kathryn Tout, Child Trends; Kelly Maxwell, FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-CH; Michel Lahti, University of Southern Maine
In this session, state leaders and researchers will explore key research questions that they would like to see addressed about the effectiveness of their professional development and quality improvement activities.  The session will explore potential quality improvement and professional development outcomes and what data states can begin to collect to prepare for evaluation. 

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Models for Supporting Technical Assistance Providers

Session Leader: Sarah LeMoine, National Association for the Education of Young Children
Presenters: Kate Thegen, Quality Circle; Gail Nourse, Keystone Stars Pennsylvania
This session will help bring common definitions to roles related to assisting early childhood programs in improving quality and to the core competencies needed in different roles. It will also explore a range of models states and local QRIS efforts use to support technical assistance providers.

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Effective Coaching Models

Session Leader: Sheila Smith, National Center for Children in Poverty 

Presenters: Martha Zaslow, Society for Research in Child Development and Child Trends; Katrina Coburn, Keystone Stars Pennsylvania

This session will explore what research is showing us about promising approaches to coaching/technical assistance and professional development.  It will also discuss strategies states are using and might use to collect information that can help them better understand the effectiveness of coaching and technical assistance strategies that are being used.  Participants will share questions and lessons from experiences in their states regarding coaching and technical assistance efforts. 

Targeting Services to Organizations and Individuals

Session Leader: Tamara Halle, Child Trends
Presenters: Shira Peterson, Children’s Institute; Beth Rous, University of Kentucky

This session will focus on emerging strategies/models of professional development and quality improvement, including tiered technical assistance systems, which target services to individuals or organizations based on an assessment of their characteristics.  

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Promoting Quality in Infant/Toddler Care and Enhancing the Socio-Emotional Environment in Early Care and Education Settings

Session Leader: Diana Schaack, Erikson Institute
Presenters: Arlene Paxton, WestEd; Allison Boothe, Tulane University
This session will explore two evidence-based coaching and professional development models in use in two states’ QRIS: the Program for Infants and Toddlers developed specifically to improve infant/toddler child care and a mental health consultation model, designed to improve a caregiver’s capacity to support children’s positive socio-emotional development.  

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Promoting Quality in Family Child Care Settings

Session Leader: Kelly Maxwell, FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-CH
Presenters: Diane Paulsell, Mathematica Policy Research
This session will explore strategies for engaging family child care providers in quality initiatives, training and support formats that are most relevant to providers, consideration of cultural learning and communication styles in training and support efforts, and use of readiness-to-change tools to target quality improvement efforts.

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Evidence-based Professional Development Models to Promote School-Readiness

Session Leader: Kathryn Tout, Child Trends
Presenters: Ginny Vitiello, Teachstone; Barbara Wasik, Temple University
This session will focus on evidenced-based professional development models to improve children’s cognitive development, including literacy coaching and MyTeachingPartner, designed to improve instructional effectiveness, children’s language development and emergent literacy skills.

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QRIS and Two- and Four-year Colleges

Session Leader: Gerrit Westervelt, BUILD Initiative
Presenters: Shira Peterson, Children’s Institute; Fran Kipnis, UC Berkeley, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
This session will explore strategies to increase access to formal degree-granting programs and will discuss ways that QRIS efforts and degree programs can work together to ensure that individuals of diverse backgrounds can get the coursework they need.  Participants will also explore ways to promote successful completion of degrees and enable professionals to apply theory to classroom practices.

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Using Data and Developing Data Systems: Needs, Challenges and Lessons Learned

Session Leader: Kimberly Boller, Mathematica Policy Research
Presenters: Muriel Wong Lundgren, WELS Foundation; Iheoma Iruka, FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-CH; Bobbie Weber, Oregon State University
This session will explore how data collected in state QRIS can be used to for program quality improvement, evaluation, and meeting accountability requirements.  The rationale for building in or adding the potential for these uses as well as examples from states of how this has been done will be discussed.  Participants will learn about the challenges inherent in developing, using, and updating these systems and issues related to linking databases across state systems.  A combination of presentation and facilitated small-group and full-group discussion will culminate in identification of state needs and lessons learned to inform future technical assistance efforts. 

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Pulling it All Together

Session Leader: Peggy Ball, National Child Care Information Center

Presenters: Deb Mathias, Keystone Stars Pennsylvania; Sue Russell, Child Care Services Association North Carolina
In implementing a QRIS, states have had to assess their existing quality improvement efforts –training, technical assistance, professional development, financial supports – and decide how to revise these efforts to align with the new quality criteria expressed in the QRIS.  In doing this, they have used their data to identify evidence of quality improvement strategies that work and to determine the extent of support needed for programs to reach higher levels of quality.  These efforts have helped them to maintain a streamlined set of standards.  Participants will hear the experience of two of the pioneer QRIS states and see the impact of their quality improvement efforts on child care programs in their state.

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Scaling Up

Session Leader: Tamara Halle, Child Trends
Presenter: Melissa Van Dyke, FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-CH
Using implementation science as a backdrop, this session will focus on the challenges of taking research to practice and moving from small, controlled professional development interventions to scaled-up, statewide models with diverse populations and programs.

Quality Improvement Cost Modeling and Sustainability Planning

Anne Mitchell, Alliance for Early Childhood Finance; Lori Connors-Tadros, The Finance Project
This session will demonstrate cost-estimation and sustainability planning tools. The online cost modeling tool can be used to estimate the costs of operating a QRIS providing different types and levels of quality improvement support to programs, accountability measures and financial incentives.  The sustainability planning process and toolkit can assist states with sustainability planning for QRIS and other quality improvement supports.  One copy of a Sustainability Planning Toolkit will be distributed to each state in attendance.

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We would like to thank the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), the Office of Child Care, the Birth to Five Policy Alliance, and the McKnight Foundation for their generous support of this meeting.

Keynote Presentations

On-Site Approaches to Quality Improvement

Dr. Martha Zaslow, Society for Research in Child Development and Child Trends

application/pdf iconOn-Site QI 3-17-11.pdf
Frameworks for Using QRIS Data to Improve Quality: Systems, Programs, and Alignment

Dr. Robert Pianta, University of Virginia

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Quality Benchmarks

Shannon Rudisill, Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Panel: Culturally Responsive Professional Development

Moderator: Davida McDonald, National Association for the Education of Young Children
Panelists: Dr. Aisha Ray, Erikson Institute; Dr. Abby Thorman, Ready Schools Florida

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