Supporting Infants and Toddlers

Through the QRIS Framework

Laura J. Johns, Ph.D.

Director and System Architect Early

Education Empowerment Zones;

Bright from the Start: Georgia

Department of Early Care and Learning

Maria Victoria Mayoral

Director, Transcultural Innovation

ZERO TO THREE

Kerrie Schnake

Director; South Carolina Program

for Infant/Toddler Care

Agenda

• Session Goals

• Early Care and Learning Landscape in the US

• ZTT’s Supporting Babies Through QRIS Series

• Overview

• State Examples

• Table Discussions

• Georgia & South Carolina

• Quality Initiatives

• Partnership

• Projects

• Teacher Mentor Training

• Discussion and Questions

Session Goals

• Identify ways to support infants and

toddlers through QRIS standards.

• Evaluate some examples of QRIS

standards that have been included across

the nation and that are specific to infants

and toddlers.

• Share experiences in connecting QRIS to

other systemic supports and analyze how

these can help promote high-quality

learning experiences for infants and

toddlers.

• Share examples from Georgia and South

Carolina on how partnerships can help

enhance the quality of care for infants and

toddlers.

Who’s here?

ZERO TO THREE (ZTT)

National, nonprofit organization that provides

parents, professionals, and policymakers

the knowledge and know-how

to nurture early development

Our mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers

have a strong start in life.

www.zerotothree.org

ZERO TO THREE’s Policy Framework

QRIS provides

an opportunity

to influence and

include all

of these

components!

ZTT’s Early Childhood System Equation

QRIS provides

an opportunity

to influence and

include all

of these

components!

Early Care and Learning Landscape:

Leveraging Policy, Systems & Partnerships

• Strong Start for America’s Children Act of 2013 www.rally4babies.org Legislation/

Policy

• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) www.zerothree.org/qris State-

Systems Building

• Early Head Start- Child Care Partnerships

www.zerotothree.org/ehs-ccpartnerships Federal Initiatives & Partnerships

ZERO TO THREE Series:

• Implementation Status and Tools in US States and Other

Jurisdictions

• Inclusion of Infant and Toddler Quality Standards

• Self-Assessment Tool

www.zerothree.org/qris

QRIS: Policy Lever &

Systems-Building to Promote Quality

45 states and jurisdictions had taken steps to implement a QRIS

QRIS Implementation Status

QRIS tools for all modalities including infants and toddlers

– Center-Based Care

– Family Child Care

– Unlicensed Registered and/or License-Exempt

Standards

– Standalone

– Linked to external tools and instruments (e.g. ERS, CLASS, etc.)

– Linked to external systems (e.g. State Trainer Registry)

QRIS Tool & Standards

Teaching & Learning

– Daily Interactions & Relationships

– Teaching & Learning: Physical Learning Environment

– Developmental Screening & Assessments

– Curriculum

– Children with Special Needs

Family Engagement

Professional Development and Staff Qualifications

Health and Safety

– Environmental Safety & Physical Health

– Nutrition

– Physical Activity

Inclusion Infant & Toddler Quality Standards

Let’s Get Interactive!!!

Special Consideration for Infants and Toddlers

Daily plans, curriculum, and professional development reflect and/or are

aligned with the Infant and Toddler Early Learning Guidelines (I/T-

ELGs)

State Example

MN: “Uses a curriculum that is aligned with the Minnesota Early

Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIP), and all lead child care

providers have completed at least eight hours of training on

implementing curriculum.”

(Required for all age groups to achieve 3 stars or higher – Family Child

Care)

Inclusion Infant & Toddler Quality Standards

Special Consideration for Infants and Toddlers

Policy requiring providers to engage with families and/or primary

caregivers to understand the changing needs of infants and toddlers

(e.g., implementation of Early Head Start’s Parents as TeachersTM or

daily reports and regular parent-caregiver meetings)

State Example

PA: “Individual child information is shared in written form with

families on daily basis for infants and toddlers.”

(Requirement to progress into Star 2 Level under “Community

Resources/ Family Involvement” – Child Care Centers)

Inclusion Infant & Toddler Quality Standards

Special Consideration for Infants and Toddlers

Policy limits or prohibits TV/screen time (as per American Academy of

Pediatrics recommendation for children under 2 years old)

State Example

MD: “No screen time for children under 2 years of age, and limited

use of television or computers when not directly related to learning

experiences.”

(Requirement for Level 2 under “Developmentally Appropriate

Learning and Practice” – Child Care Center standards; Level 1 is

considered equivalent to meeting licensing standards)

Inclusion Infant & Toddler Quality Standards

Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and some QRIS

standards are designed to help promote the unique developmental needs of

infants and toddlers and include supports specific to their care and learning,

including:

• Infant-toddler-specific professional development for caregivers

• Approved curricula or learning approaches specific to infants and toddlers

• Better adult-to-child ratios and smaller group sizes for infants and toddlers

• Physical space requirements to promote infant and toddler physical

development and provide sensory and learning experiences

• Regular communication with parents regarding routines such as feeding

and sleeping

• Assignment of a primary caregiving system, as well as policies and

procedures that promote continuity of care

• Partnerships with the state’s Part C Early Intervention system

Inclusion Infant & Toddler Quality Standards

Table Discussion Questions

• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

• Does your QRIS intentionally address the specific needs of infants

and toddlers? How?

• Standards?

• Continuous quality supports?

• Financial supports?

• Engagement, outreach and promotion?

• Planning, monitoring and accountability?

• Has your QRIS helped increase the quality of infant and toddler

programs in your area/state/territory? How do you know?

• What are some of the challenges and how are they being addressed?

• How is your QRIS aligned/ not aligned with other quality

improvement efforts?

Kerrie Schnake Director, South Carolina Program for Infant/Toddler Care

Laura J. Johns, Ph.D.

Director and System Architect Early Education Empowerment Zones Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

Supporting Infants and Toddlers through the QRIS

Framework

Quality Initiatives • Both projects focus on quality improvement based on

shared adoption of national model – The Program for Infant and Toddler Care

• Support Professional Learning and Technical Assistance as part of the State’s QRIS

Initiatives Overviews

GAPITC

Vision: Georgia will be a national leader in recognizing and committing to accountable early learning systems for the state’s infant and toddler population.

Mission: Support infants and toddlers by providing Georgia’s families and early care and education professionals with multi-faceted and culturally responsive resources that support children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development.

SCPITC

The mission of the SCPITC is to provide resources, training, coaching and mentoring to the care teachers who shape the futures of our youngest children. These SCPITC services support infant/toddler caregivers’ understanding of child development and build skills in providing relationship-based care using six essential policies as a framework: primary care, individualized care, continuity of care, inclusion of children with special needs, small group sizes and cultural responsiveness.

A Unique and Lucrative Partnership

•Cross State Match of CCDF • SC • GA • VA

•Shared Staff Member

•Shared Initiatives

Projects

•Professional Learning for Teacher’s and Administrators

•Technical Assistance

•Teacher Mentor Project

•Infant Toddler Specialist Certification

•Model Centers

•Professional Learning for Infant and

Toddler Specialists

Projects

•Website

•Online Learning System

Questions?

Contact Information

Laura J. Johns, Ph.D.

laura.johns@decal.ga.gov

María V. Mayoral

mmayoral@zerotothree.org

Kerrie Schnake

Kschnake@sc.edu