2
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


3

~ 1027 Entry-Phased QRIS Applications (Draft Applications) as of 9/02/2011
QRIS Program
Type
Center/School
Based
Family Child Care
After School/Out of
School Time
Grand Total
Central
MA
37
133
9
179
Metro
80
22
29
131
Metro
Boston
50
Northeast
Southeast and Cape
Western
MA
71 75 65
Grand
Total
378
94
36
180
154
26
251
73
5
153
52
16
133
528
121
1027
1474 QRIS Applications Submitted as Final as of 9/02/2011
QRIS Program
Type
4
Center/School
Based
Family Child Care
After School/Out of
School Time
Grand Total
Central
MA
61
146
18
225
Metro
80
77
42
199
Metro
Boston
Northeast
Southeast and Cape
Western
MA
Grand
Total
93
118
32
243
80
268
45
393
117
74
38
229
109
45
31
185
540
728
206
1474

QRIS Participation QRIS Self-Assessed Levels by Program Type & Region
Program Type & Self
Assessed Level
Center/School Based
Working Towards Level 1
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Central MA Metro
61
47
6
8
80
61
8
7
Level 4 4
146
141
4
77
75
2
Family Child Care
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
After School/ Out of School
Time
Working Towards Level 1
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Grand Total
1
18
13
5
225
42
31
11
199
Metro
Boston
93
1
32
1
23
7
1
75
9
8
1
118
116
1
243
Northeast
80
1
67
11
1
268
262
4
1
45
36
9
393
Southeast and Cape
117
2
89
24
1
1
Western MA Grand Total
109
1
95
13
540
4
434
71
24
7
74
72
2
45
44
2
728
710
15
1
2
38 31
36
2
229
28
2
1
185
206
1
167
36
1
1
1474
5

6



The Massachusetts Quality Rating & Improvement System is considered a partially voluntary system.
QRIS participation is typically voluntary with some exceptions.
 Programs that are recipients of particular EEC funding opportunities are required to participate in QRIS per terms of the grant and/or contract.
To meet the QRIS Participation requirements programs are expected to:
1. Complete a QRIS Application and self-assessment in the on-line QRIS Program Manager,
2. Submit the QRIS application as final to EEC via the QRIS
Program Manager, and
3. Mail the required documentation to EEC for review and
QRIS verification.

7

Building a Comprehensive Coordinated System of Quality
EEC licensed programs and license exempt programs that are recipients of the EEC funding opportunities listed below are required to participate in QRIS per the terms of the funding opportunity.









FY 12 Head Start Supplemental Grants
(FY12- 33% program participation, FY13 66% program participation, FY14
100% program participation)
FY12 Universal Pre-Kindergarten Grants -100% participation
FY12 Child Care Quality Literacy Support Grant -100% participation
FY 11 Kindergarten Entry Enrichment Program (KEEP) -100% participation
FY 11 REKEEP: KEEP Before & After School Care -100% participation
FY11 PSCCE - Pre School Child Care Education 100% participation
FY 11 Assessment Training Grant - 100% participation (Associated)
FY 11 Quality Program Improvement Grant -100% participation (T4Q)
FY 10 Infant -Toddler Learning Environments - 100% participation (CIF)
 As of May 2012, Family Child Care and Out of School Time programs that received funding for EEC contracted slots will be required to participate in QRIS.

8

9


Between March 2010 and June 2011, $6.08M in QRIS Program Quality and Improvement grant funding has been awarded to 1089 programs
located in 43% of the Commonwealth's 351 towns and cities.
QRIS grant funding has reached programs in 178 communities across the Commonwealth FY10: 134 communities and FY 11: 140 communities (44 new communities reached in FY11)
FY 10 and FY11 Number QRIS Grant Awards by Region
Region
Central MA
Greater Boston
Metro
North East
Western MA
South East, Cape & Islands
Grand Total
FY10
83
58
46
226
105
122
640
FY11
68
95
36
77
76
97
449
Total
151
153
82
301
179
219
1089

10
(ARRA)
Approximately 926 programs and educators applied for funding through this RFP, requesting over $7.7 million in grants.
 In total, $2,8M in funding was awarded to 449 QRIS participants, representing all QRIS program types and regions across the Commonwealth.

 Family Child Care: 356 applications received, 52% awarded
- 186 grants
 Center-Based/School-Based: 401 applications received,
48% awarded- 197 grants
 Out-of School Time/After School: 150 applications received, 44% awarded- 66 grants
Across all QRIS program types: 49% of the programs that applied received funding.

11
FY 11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants
Number of Grantees by Region and QRIS Program Type
QRIS Program
Type
Central
MA
Greater
Boston
Metro
Center-Based &
School-Based
21 41 17
North
East
South
East,
Cape &
Islands
Western
MA
Grand
Total
24 38 56 197
Family Child Care 38 42 8 40 46 12 186
Out of School/
After School
9 12 11 13 13 8 66
Grand Total 68 95 36 77 97 76
449

12
FY 11 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants
Number of Grantees by Region and QRIS Program Type
Center-Based & School-Based
Family Child Care
Out of School/ After School
97
22%
76
17%
77
17%
68
15%
36
8%
95
21%
186
41%
197
44%
66
15%
Central MA
Greater Boston
Metro
North East
South East, Cape & Islands
Western MA

13
Together for Quality (T4Q) Partnership
 QRIS Foundational Training: Trainings designed to assist programs in QRIS grant application process were provided in each EEC region by the CAYL Institute.
 QRIS Program Quality Improvement Grants: The United Way issued the request for proposals (RFPs) and is overseeing the administration, implementation, and evaluation of grants.
$2.82 million has been awarded to 449 grantees.


T4Q Field Coach Program (Wheelock): 25 trained field coaches have been providing mentoring and content-focused consultation to programs in professional development, curriculum and instruction, child assessment, program management, and/or QRIS Implementation
111 grantees that indicated interest through their grant application received technical assistance and mentoring support.

14


Frequency of Use for Improvement Plan Activities
 Center-Based / School Based Programs




Category 1: Curriculum and Learning
Category 2: Safe, Healthy Indoor and Outdoor Environments
Category 5: Leadership, Management and Administration
Category 3: Workforce Qualifications and Professional Development
 Category 4: family and Community Engagement
Family Child Care


Category 5: Leadership, Management and Administration
Category 3: Workforce Qualifications and Professional Development


Category 2: Safe, Healthy Indoor and Outdoor Environments
Category 1: Curriculum and Learning
After School/Out-of School Time Programs
 Category 1: Curriculum and Learning




Category 2: Safe, Healthy Indoor and Outdoor Environments
Category 4: family and Community Engagement
Category 5: Leadership, Management and Administration
Category 3: Workforce Qualifications and Professional Development

15
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16



Requesting an exemption is an option that program may use to qualify for a QRIS self-assessment rating, when programs have identified specific barriers to meeting the standards, at one
particular QRIS Rating Level.
Programs may apply for up to 4 exemptions, per QRIS program type,
on their QRIS self-assessment application to self assess at one particular QRIS level.
a) b)
Three (3) of these exemptions may be applied to standards criteria that programs should have resolved within 12 months of their QRIS application submission date.
One (1) of these exemptions may be applied towards one standard criterion that may require a significant length of time to achieve –
more than 12 months to achieve. (for example Staff obtainment of a
BA degree).
 FY11 Quality Improvement Grants Applicants via T4Q were also offered an the option to request Environment Rating Scale
Exemptions (ERS Exemption Request)

 For each QRIS exemption request programs were asked to provide:
 reason program does not currently meet the standard
 written implementation plan (in QPM)
 timeline for meeting the standard (if the timeline exceeds a
12 month period programs were asked to offer an additional explanation).
 All QRIS exemption requests are reviewed during the
QRIS rating verification process. Each request will either received a determination:
 Exemption Granted,
 Exemption Not Granted, or
 Exemption Pending (if additional information is needed to make the Exemption Determination)

*Based on the 1453 QRIS Applications received as of August 5, 2011


832 QRIS Exemption Requests were received in 15% of the
QRIS applications submitted as final as of August 5, 2011.
 547 requests received in 135 Center-based/School-Based applications
 28 requests received in 26 Family Child Care applications
 256 requests received in 53 After School/ Out of School
Time applications
352 were Environment Rating Scale Exemption Requests



The ERS Exemption request offered programs an opportunity to complete the scale and submit Self-Assessment ERS Scores for each classroom for QRIS Level 2 by June 1 st
The ERS exemption included multiple QRIS Level 2 standards that used the ITERS-R, ECERSS-R, FCCERS-R, SACERS selfassessed score as the measurement method
Approximately 33% of the ERS Exemption requests (115) are eligible for consideration

QRIS Exemption Requests by QRIS Level & Program Type
 480 Exemptions Requests were received for QRIS Standards
Approximately 63% of the 480 exemption requests are eligible for consideration, as the other requests exceeded the program’s
QRIS Self-Assessed Level or were not needed.
QRIS Standard Level
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Grand Total
Center-Based/
School-Based
Family Child Care
After School/Out of School Time
243
51
42
336
26
1
27
3
106
1
7
117
Grand Total
3*
375
52
50
480
*Requests received from one(1) EEC licensed-exempt program
ERS Exemption Requests not reflected above

21
Level 2 Standards
Exemption Requests by QRIS Subcategories (375)
3B. Program Staff /Site Coodinator Qualifications and Professional Development
3A. Program Administrator Qualifications and Professional Development
4A. Family and Community Engagement
2A. Safe, Healthy, Indoor and Outdoor Environments
5A. Leadership, Management, and Administration
1A. Curriculum, Assessment, and Diversity
5B. Supervision
1B. Teacher-Child Relationships and Interactions
18%
14%
13%
8%
11%
36%
5%
4%
2%

QRIS Exemption Requests Trends





Most programs request less than four 4 exemption
10% of the exemption requests will require additional information to make the
Exemption Determination due to missing reason, implementation plan and/or timeline
Several programs requested exemptions related to Environmental Rating Scale item scores received a score below 3, and the program requested time to address via their improvement plan
16% of the exemptions requests were regarding the Bachelor’s degree requirements for Level 2 QRIS standards,
 all programs provided a reason for their requests;
 the majority indicated that more than 12 months would be needed to meet the standard
 the level of completeness of the implementation plans varied, and.
8% of the exemption requests pertained to health consultant agreements and annual visits, and all programs shared implementation plans that were resolvable within a 12 month period.

23

24
 FY12 Quality Program Improvement Grants – Anticipated
$800,000.00 to be awarded in fall.
 QRIS Overview – an on-line course will be developed and translated into 3 languages Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian to enhance QRIS Entry-Phase supports
 Additional on-line course to be developed that support specific standards in-depth in the areas of
 1A Curriculum, Learning and Diversity


3A & 3B Workforce Qualifications and Professional Development
4A Family and Community Engagement