QRIS/Star Rating FCC Participants....

[Blackcat31]

I was at a training last night (non-Parent Aware). They had one of the Parent Aware advocates in prior to the training to pass out cards to push providers to sign up for the Parent Aware info sessions. Your question was asked and the answer was to this effect:

"It is a work in progress, we are just coming up on the five year mark of providers participating and we are handling these situations as they come up"

I felt like it was a non-answer; this program has already changed a lot from when it was first rolled out. I've kind of kept an eye on it just to see if it would be here today, gone tomorrow like many are. This one seems to be staying around, so I'm getting closer to joining a cohort if nothing else but to have input on what they are doing, ! Especially with the education component; I feel that previous experience should count toward something.

That same "unknown" from the people doing this is what is making me so nervous about the whole thing. :confused:

If they don't know then who does?!

Why send a bunch of people out to spread the word and get providers interested and signed on without training them to know the answers and basic framework of the program.

I would think the continued education part of this would be a HUGE area of concern and spawn tons of questions from providers as our time and resources are so limited and to be requred to do a massive amount of continued training or education for something that we don't yet know how it is going to even impact our businesses seems a bit out of place to me.

If you get the opportunity to sign up and be one of the first ones to do this, you should because so far, I think it has it's advantages since the attention from the advisors and coaches seems to be a bit more one on one compared to walking a large group of providers through it together. We only have a couple interested providers right now.

Have htey said anything to you about this grant for Building Quality? I think (?) it is $500 but so far I have heard one provider tell me it is great and one tell me that they tell you how great it is that they are giving you this money but them come back and tell you how you can spend it and the list of ways you are allowed to useit is VERY limited and VERY restrictive.

I definitely don't think that this is something that is going to go away as from what I read and researched so far, this is a nationwide program that will eb in effect by 2015 (? I think) for ALL states and at some point will NOT be voluntary but will be mandatory. I can PM you some links I have come across about QRIS if you want to do some further reasearch yourself. It is interesting but ALOT of reading.

I am currently waiting to hear back from my advisor and coach to set up my next conference with them. I am thinking it will take a while because I have A LOT of questions....

[DCMom]

I backed out of the pilot 5 years ago. I just didn't agree with what they were trying to do ~ the way that I had interpreted the requirements was that in order to achieve 4 stars, I would basically have to turn my in-home daycare into a mini child care center. I has changed a lot, more focused on the parent advocacy and kindergarten readiness. I agree with that focus, but I am the fence about the 'required curriculums' for the kids and I still don't agree with it being mandatory or requiring providers with many years experience (or college degree older than 5 years) to not have some sort of equivalency test or fast track.

So, I may jump in again in time for the January-June cohort. Just to see what has changed and to put in my 2 cents worth about the provider education component. I'm also taking Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care in Nov/Dec this year ~ the only one of the 'approved' curriculum that I think I would be interested in. I'm easing into this...

On the Building Quality grants, it's my understanding that those are for people who are nowhere near ready to be assessed for Parent Aware. They are to prepare your home/program for Parent Aware. Your program and set up seems very similar to mine and I was told by my SEEDS coach last spring that I would be 'a shoe in' for 3 stars (not 4 because of MY education).

Still sitting on the fence, !

[Surfing Queen]

Star Rating Participation in Michigan

I was searching for a discount site for classroom furniture and stumbled on this site...how weird! But I find this conversation interesting because I just finished my SAS and received a 3 star rating! I'm not a five star yet, but I am proud that I implemented practices that are considered quality practices before even learning about the SAS.

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with you that have been doing great work for a number of years because it can be a lot of work! But what interested me was the increase in the child care subsidy because of my rating that helps my parents out. It's not a lot but it's something. So I guess I did it for the parents as well.

Oh, one more thing...we should be thinking of our home-based care just like any other home-based business. The quality should not decrease because you don't have to dress up. Maybe the difference is that I consider myself a provider not a babysitter.

[sunlight]

Portfoilo for QRIS

I am now finally thinking about joining Oregon's QRIS. I did get a call from a local rep who I met with etc. What I am more curious about is this Portfolio. I am trying to find examples, samples, strategic Action Plans regarding how to pass and get your star rating the first time. I find zero out there. Yes my coach says she will look at it guide me etc. But I just want to know what exactly the words are they want to hear from us to pass us.

Any help is much appreciated!!