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Why is Quality Important Research tells us that eighty-five percent of a child’s brain is fully developed by age three and both in-home and out-of-home experiences can positively or negatively impact that development. The relationship between children and their caregivers profoundly impacts children learning and healthy development. This is why early care and education caregivers and experiences are so important to the future of young children. Participation in a quality early care and education program means children are engaged in activities with responsive, nurturing adults that stimulate development and learning and prepare children to successfully enter kindergarten. Quality First – Coaching and Assessment The goal of Quality First, Arizona’s Quality Improvement and Rating System for Early Care and Education Programs, is to improve the early care and education in Arizona so young children can begin school safe, healthy, and ready to succeed. Quality First also provides families with information on selecting a quality early care and education setting for their young children. Participation in Quality First is voluntary, and regulated center child care and family/home-based providers are eligible to apply for services. Quality First has two doors into its system. The first door is the Quality Improvement option which offers: coaching, assessment, financial incentives, child care health consultation and T.E.A.C.H. ® Early Childhood Arizona scholarships to support program improvement. The second door, is the Star Rating Program which includes program assessment and review that leads to the assignment of a rating indicating a level of overall quality. The pilot for the Star Rating Program will begin in 2010. As a participant in Quality First, homes and centers receive personalized support from a coach whose role is to assist a program to achieve and maintain quality. Coaches support enrolled child care providers in their efforts to achieve quality milestones. Quality First Coaches will provide:
All programs enrolled in Quality First participate in a process of program assessment. The tools used in the assessment process help to assess the quality or climate of the classroom or home environment/program. In addition, the assessment process offers information about the presence of indicators that are predictive of positive child outcomes. Southwest Human Development is the grantee for this service throughout Arizona. Assessment of Child Care Centers and Homes Lead Agency: Southwest Human Development Partnering Agency: The Association for Supportive Child Care Geographic Scope: State Wide Coaching and Incentives in Central and Northern Arizona Lead Agency: Valley of the Sun United Way Partnering Agency: Southwest Human Development, Association for Supportive Child Care and Central Arizona College Geographic Scope: Maricopa County If you are interested in becoming a Quality First program, you can find more information and an application on line at www.azftf.gov. If you would like more information about the Quality First Assessment or Coaching services offered by Southwest Human Development, please contact Eileen Mozlen at emozlen@swhd.org or (602) 266-5976.
Quality First! is brought to you by First Things First (www.azftf.gov). First Things First (FTF), approved by Arizona voters, works to ensure that our youngest children have access to quality early childhood experiences so they will start school healthy and ready to succeed. Across the state, FTF regional partnership councils – in collaboration with local leaders – identify educational and health needs of children from birth through age 5 in their communities and fund strategies to address those needs.
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