Delaware Stars TQRIS
Verna Thompson Delaware
Department of Education
Mary Sonnenberg
University of Delaware
QRIS Development in
Delaware
Historical perspective - 2011
 Delaware Governor Markell and General
Assembly appropriated $22 million
 Boost the state’s child care subsidy system
 Fund the administration of Stars
 Fund a tiered reimbursement component
 December 2011 – RTTT-ELC awarded
 As part of the Early Learning Challenge, public
schools could now participate in Delaware Stars
 Revision of Stars Standards
 Practice Principles: Continuity, Inclusion,
Intentionality
619 Participation in Delaware Stars
2012
619 Workgroup
Decision made to use same system for all early care and
education
 Completed alignment document
 Stars standards and 619 federal regulations; state procedures
 Revised 619 Procedures Manual to align to DE Stars standards
 Will lead to clearly defined procedures for 619 programs
 Will lead to improved inclusive settings for 619 programs
RTTT ELC Target for participation and # children with disabilities
 In 2012, 7 of the 16 school district 619 programs volunteered to
participate
 619 programs recruiting community programs to apply to DE
Stars
619 Participation in Delaware Stars
Requirements to Promote Inclusion in 2012
May achieve Star Level 3
 If they have less than 50% typically developing peers in
classrooms
 If they have required documentation listed in 619 Procedures
Manual
 Score at least a 3 on Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale –
Revised (ECERS-R)
May achieve Star Level 4 or 5
 If they have at least 50% typically developing peers in all
classrooms
 If they have required documentation listed in 619 Procedures
Manual
 Score at least a 4 or 5 on Early Childhood Environment Rating
Scale - Revised (ECERS-R)
Good idea…but not quite there
 Barriers to being able to move forward…
 Limited slots for state-funded preschool
 School districts limited resources to support typically developing
peers
 ERS assessment
 Part-day programs
 During this time one program moved forward and became
a Star Level 4
Back to the table…
 Cross-sector work group reconvened
 Looked at challenges and ways to meet them and develop
options for inclusion
 Work group committed to school districts being part of QRIS
 Looked at different ways to meet standards
 Created Alternative Pathway for 619 programs
 Revised crosswalk
 Guidelines for programs with multiple funding streams
 Portfolio review
 Inclusion planning document
Moving in the right direction…
 Today what we are seeing…
 11 of the 16 school district 619 programs in Delaware Stars
 Multiple sites per school district
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7 now rated Star Level 4 under Alternative Pathway
4 new applications
Programs requesting assessment for Star Level 5
Increased interest in participation
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Blended programs, braided funding streams
Co-teaching in four school districts
Increase in itinerant teachers
Collaborative training with community based providers
Individualization of strategies in increase inclusive practices that work for
the districts
 Inclusion Planning Document
What a difference…
Seven districts have quality classrooms meeting standards for Star 4
Four districts going through major restructuring of their programs to
improve inclusion while participating in Delaware Stars
Three districts are completely inclusive
Work in progress
 Dealing with funding streams and structures
 Continue to be challenges
 Different regulations and procedures
 Creative strategies for increasing inclusion
 Developing
 Collaboration with community-based providers
 Survey results - supports and resources addressed
 Implementation
 QRIS Standards
 For all children
 ERS
 Curriculum
 Accommodations