California is developing a system to rate and improve child care quality—to help parents choose care and to help programs improve. Teachers, providers, and parents are invited to give input.

“Input from programs, providers, and families is valuable,” says Roberta Peck, staff to the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System (CAEL QIS), the state committee developing the system. Important parts of the improvement system “are polished with the ideas and input of our stakeholders,” she adds (see below: California Early Learning Quality Improvement System).

Family child care providers are making their voices heard. Some parents of young children are also participating in the planning process, as advocates and at parent focus groups.

Your voices were heard

When CAEL QIS members recommended smaller adult-to-child ratios in family child care programs, providers spoke out about how their programs would be impacted. Providers active in Child Care Providers United (CCPU), the California Child Development Corps, and family child care associations attended CAEL QIS meetings and gave input in other ways.

Smaller adult-to-child ratios could have required Nancy Wyatt, a Reseda family child care provider, to hire two more employees, she says, and pay $37,500 more a year to keep her program open ten hours a day. Research showed family child care programs did not need smaller ratios, adds Wyatt, also a leader in CCPU. She has attended two CAEL QIS meetings, emailed concerns and suggestions, and participated in two LA input forums. But it is difficult to get to meetings because she needs to hire a substitute for her program—and she relies on CCPU funds for travel.

Alameda family child care provider Marva Lyons mobilized providers around the state to give input about the proposed change in ratios. “[We] got letters together, sent faxes, emails, calls,” adds Lyons, who is also a leader in the Corps and the CAFCC.

“[We] should have input into decisions that determine how our businesses will be conducted,” adds Janeen Rockwell, a family child care provider in Antioch and member of both the Corps and CCPU. Rockwell spoke out at a local forum and met with Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, a member of the CAEL QIS Advisory Committee.

“Your voices were heard!” said CAEL QIS Design Subcommittee Vice-Chair Consuelo Espinosa at a child care policy meeting in Sacramento, where she also thanked Lyons for mobilizing providers. The subcommittee will propose keeping the current (Title 22) family child care ratio requirements.

Providers see benefits—and challenges

“We want our programs to be the best they can [to] help [children] learn and prepare them for happier and more successful lives,” says Wyatt. Teachers and providers could benefit from a quality improvement system in many ways, she adds. They could make their programs more developmentally appropriate, get more professional development, and maybe take ECE courses in more languages.

But many teachers and providers are not participating in the development of the improvement system. Providers would like to see more outreach about CAEL QIS and more evening and weekend meetings. “When I go to [CAEL QIS] meetings, I don’t see a lot of family child care providers and center-based teachers,” says Lyons. “[But] teachers and providers need to be involved.”

“[CAEL QIS] is making intensive efforts to reach out across California,” responds Peck. Advisory Committee meetings are broadcast at four regional sites and subcommittee meetings are held around California. CAEL QIS has also partnered with local child care planning councils and other advocacy organizations to host forums and input sessions around the state, including evening and weekend meetings.

Another concern is whether teachers and providers will be compensated for meeting higher education requirements. “Pro-viders want to be involved” in a quality improvement system, but they need support, says Lyons. “It’s so expensive in terms of money and time” when providers pay for classes, books, a substitute, and then go to class after working a 14-hour day.

CAEL QIS has had “multiple discussions that this quality improvement program cannot happen unless people receive adequate compensation for the additional cost to provide quality care,” says Cliff Marcussen, chair of the CAEL QIS finance subcommittee. But the committee is still working on its recommendations—and these could be overturned later by the governor or legislature. “I encourage people to get involved and stay involved,” he adds.

Parent perspectives important

“Parents want to [know] why we need an [CAEL QIS]. Why is it important to parents, to children?” says Isela Turner, mother of five in Fresno. She has spoken out at CAEL QIS meetings about what parents want to know and how the committee can reach out to parents.

“Parents’ focus is on convenience, cost…a safe and nurturing environment,” says Turner. A quality improvement system could help parents learn more about child care quality and what to look for when choosing care. “Our children can learn so much in a quality program that has an educated and experienced child development staff, enriching environment, and ways we can teach our children at home through play.”

“The voices of parents are very important,” adds Carlise King, Research Manager for the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. The Network co-sponsored three parent focus groups with LA resource and referral agencies. Parents talked about their experiences looking for child care, what could help, and what was important to include in a quality improvement system.

“Overall, parents want as much information as they can get,” adds King. “They are concerned about what [a quality improvement system] would mean for their current providers. They want providers to [have] an opportunity to improve.” The Network plans to present the results at the July 15 CAEL QIS meeting and post the report on its website. It might sponsor additional focus groups if funding is available.

“[CAEL QIS wants] to know what parents want and need,” adds Peck. “The goal is to develop a helpful and realistic system to improve outcomes for young children by improving programs that serve them. We need all the expertise and commitment of families, programs, and providers to accomplish that goal. I invite [Children’s Advocate] readers to join also.”

“It’s going to take all of us, all the voices coming together,” says Lyons, who also took letters from parents in her program to CAEL QIS meetings. “I hope everyone will have some say. United we can do anything!”

California Early Learning Quality Improvement System

CAEL QIS is planning a system for rating and improving the quality of child care in programs serving children under five. The state will probably test the system through a pilot with federal funding—and participation in the final system may be voluntary. Subcommitees are still working out the details of how programs will be rated, using five tiers of quality for each of these components:

Family involvement: from informing families in Tier 1 to engaging families in higher tiers.

Ratios and group size: smaller adult-to-child ratios in centers, Title 22 ratios for family child care programs.

Staff education and training: formal education (including degrees at higher tiers), demonstrated competency, and professional growth.  There may be a system to challenge courses based on demonstrated competencies.

Teaching and learning: assessed using “ECERS-family” and CLASS tools (used to evaluate programs, including teacher-child interaction) and state infant/toddler and preschool foundations.

Program leadership: criteria being developed.

Overarching: integrate cultural and language competence, children with special needs, and nutrition, health, and physical activity.

CAEL QIS will hold public hearings on the draft recommendations in September and present final recommendations to the governor and legislature in December. Subcommittees also meet regularly. Updates and upcoming meetings are posted at www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/sb1629committee.asp

Extra resources from the Children’s Advocate bulletin

• The National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center offers several resources on quality rating and improvement systems. Topics include statewide systems, implementation guidelines, standards and rating systems, regulations, and monitoring.
  
  
• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Early Care and Education, from Child Trends, reviews essential elements of a QRIS, summarizes evaluations of its impact on quality early care and education, and identifies key considerations for developing QRIS.
  
  
• Quality Rating System Assessment, from the Administration for Children and Families, is a compendium that profiles 26 QRIS systems, including Los Angeles. Topics include which early care and education programs participate, how rating systems are structured, as well as incentives and outreach.
  
  
• QRIS National Learning Network, from the BUILD Initiative and Smart Start National Technical Assistance Center, discusses the development and effective use of QRIS. Includes state resources, reports, and resources.
  
  

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