Need help before going to a brainstorming meeting!!

[Country Kids]

but if you don't then you are basically a big fat ZERO right???

For our state the highest you would get is a 1.

[Crystal]

For a 1 you just need to meet licensing regs.

for a 2 you need to use an evidence based child assessment or observation tool annually, (think DRDP ), do the inital helath screening at enrollment and then again annually and have 12 units of ECE.

for a 3 you need all of thye same as 2 and work with families to screen children for health and special needs at entry and then as needed based on those results, have 24 ECE units and 16 GE units and particpate in 21 hours of professional development annually.

I won't go on to four and five, but if anyone from California wants the documents I recieved at the meeting, PM me your mailing info and I will send them to you.

[Unregistered]

Wow! I just read this thread all at one sitting. Crystal is all for the rating system(s). Very few others, especially ones who have been providing child care for more than a few years, are. Perhaps those of us with any amount of experience know that the most important thing in child care is NOT the government regulations but rather the child/provider/parent relationships and the individual attention and education providers provide to the children in their care. Perhaps government could limit its over-done regulations to centers, and let family providers be FAMILY providers giving care to children whom they love and raise as if they were members of their own family. Oh, but I get it - family is OUT, GOVERNMENT is IN.

[Heidi]

I am sorry I forgot to answer your PM! I will later, I promise!

For California providers, I say do not start worrying about this right now. It is completely voluntary, a pilot program through December 2015 and only in the counties that are currently funded for it. I am going to try to get a list of those counties for you all.

That being said, even once it is no longer a pilot, it will still be voluntary. You do not HAVE to participate!

BUT....if you take state-funded children, you MUST participate, at least in Wisconsin, and if you are a 2 star, you lost 5 percent of your pay for state-funded kids in July. 2 star means you meet state licensing standards, but choose not to participate in a formal rating.

Eventually, all providers that are regulated will have to participate-they are not hiding that fact.

When you live in a county where there are 11 regulated providers, at least 4 illegal providers, and countless unregulated sahm's, it's a little disheartening to live up to more government scrutiny while competing against "babysitters". In the meantime, shortly after launching this fabulous program, the state decided that family childcare providers should only be paid on attendance, not enrollment.

The centers are paid on enrollment. I am a 3 star program (had enough points for a 4 star, but decided to hold of on the observation), all our centers are 2 star programs, but they get paid quite a bit more than I do per hour, and are paid on enrollment, not attendance. Oh, and FCCERs, their quality rating tool, actually addresses that providers should have paid time off! Kind of funny....really. Funny wierd, not funny ha ha...

OK-I think I've whined enough. I'd like to apologize to Crystal ( I know you're really awesome and I totally respect your hard work and education). I just really, truly don't think that this has been looked at from all angles by those who make the decisions, and I don't think that the"bugs" have been worked out enough yet. Best intentions-poor execution...

[mom2many]

For a 1 you just need to meet licensing regs.

for a 2 you need to use an evidence based child assessment or observation tool annually, (think DRDP ), do the inital helath screening at enrollment and then again annually and have 12 units of ECE.

for a 3 you need all of thye same as 2 and work with families to screen children for health and special needs at entry and then as needed based on those results, have 24 ECE units and 16 GE units and particpate in 21 hours of professional development annually.

I won't go on to four and five, but if anyone from California wants the documents I recieved at the meeting, PM me your mailing info and I will send them to you.

Thanks Crystal for helping to clarify and explain how this will be implemented. It's always better know what the future in this profession may hold, then to be caught off guard! I just may get to retire sooner than I expected...because right now I'm a big fat ONE!

I appreciate what others posted as well and realize every state may be different, but it's helpful to see how it is/will be affecting others too.

Too many times I see government screw things up in a MAJOR way (their involvement does not always make it better!)... so I have to admit, I'm VERY leery of this whole thing! With the economy the way it is and the government being broke, it amazes me that there is money to shell out for them to hire MORE govt employees to regulate this program. Taxes come from us....so it's not "FREE" money!

This does scare the heck out of me...not so much for the impact on my own life & the affect it could potentially have on my livelihood, but for that of my own kids and grandkids too.

[CrackerJacks]

This may be a silly question, but where will parents be able to find our scores? Will they need to call licensing and request them or will they be publicly displayed next to our contact information from our county referral agency?

[Blackcat31]

This may be a silly question, but where will parents be able to find our scores? Will they need to call licensing and request them or will they be publicly displayed next to our contact information from our county referral agency?

In my state, there is a web-site just for parents so they can look up ratings of each provider.

A lot of it is also linked through your local CRR&R agency and their website.

@Heidi...yes, in MN, participation is mandatory if you accept families on assistance and we were told that once all the states implement their systems, participation will be mandatory.

The YMCA in my community would also only get 1, maybe 2 stars and it is because other than the actual lead teacher/provider in the class room, all the assistants and helpers have the bare minimum educational requirements so they lose scoring points for that.

Our YMCA was offered a grant to help them get started but they said the grant was only $500-1,000 and in order to get all their staff the necessary trainings it would cost way more than that so they passed on participating.

The director said requiring the staff to have a CDA would severely limit the number of applicants that would be willing to work for minimum wage since once you earn your CDA, you should be paid more but unless they raise the rates for children/families, the money and the advantages of participating is just NOT worth it for them.

If I remember correctly, the cost of getting a CDA is somewhere near the $2,000 mark but that was 20 years ago for me, so I am not sure how much it costs now days.

ALL Head Start programs are automatically given the hoghest number of stars as they are "The model of success" and ideally what they would like to see all care facilities emulate.

[Country Kids]

In my state, there is a web-site just for parents so they can look up ratings of each provider.

A lot of it is also linked through your local CRR&R agency and their website.

@Heidi...yes, in MN, participation is mandatory if you accept families on assistance and we were told that once all the states implement their systems, participation will be mandatory.

The YMCA in my community would also only get 1, maybe 2 stars and it is because other than the actual lead teacher/provider in the class room, all the assistants and helpers have the bare minimum educational requirements so they lose scoring points for that.

Our YMCA was offered a grant to help them get started but they said the grant was only $500-1,000 and in order to get all their staff the necessary trainings it would cost way more than that so they passed on participating.

The director said requiring the staff to have a CDA would severely limit the number of applicants that would be willing to work for minimum wage since once you earn your CDA, you should be paid more but unless they raise the rates for children/families, the money and the advantages of participating is just NOT worth it for them.

If I remember correctly, the cost of getting a CDA is somewhere near the $2,000 mark but that was 20 years ago for me, so I am not sure how much it costs now days.

ALL Head Start programs are automatically given the hoghest number of stars as they are "The model of success" and ideally what they would like to see all care facilities emulate.

What is a CDA?

[Heidi]

This may be a silly question, but where will parents be able to find our scores? Will they need to call licensing and request them or will they be publicly displayed next to our contact information from our county referral agency?

It's on the state Youngstar website (I posted the link earlier), and we get a cling-sticker for the front door! Yay!!! happyface

[Blackcat31]

What is a CDA?

Child Development Associate diploma/certificate

http://www.cdacouncil.org/

Usually the first step for ECE workers. Alot of centers and child care facilities require staff to have a CDA.

[Country Kids]

Child Development Associate diploma/certificate

http://www.cdacouncil.org/

Usually the first step for ECE workers. Alot of centers and child care facilities require staff to have a CDA.

If that is the two year degree I'm thinking about, it would be about $12,000 for me to get mine at our local community college. That is why I'm so hesitant about spending that type of money at my age to work in my home. For some reason, I can see everything changing in 5 years and there will be a new improved way to do this. I wouldn't even be able to do more then one or two classes a term so it would take me forever to get done. A friend of mine was trying to get something in business and it took him 10, yes 10 years to get it doing it online. He was so relieved to get it done finally.

[Unregistered]

regular member logged out...

Ok, this is a matter of public record, so I don't feel wrong sharing it. But look at this...

http://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov/provider/providerdetails.aspx?ProviderNumber=2000559662&LocationNumber=1&q=6B-F5-63-04%3aMHwwfHx8fHx8MHxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxUcnVlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfFRydWV8RmFsc2V8VHJ1ZXxUcnVlfFRydWV8VHJ1ZXwtMXwtMXxGYWxzZXwwfGF8MHww

This person is a 5 star because she went through accreditation. These are just the violations in the last 2 years!

[Blackcat31]

If that is the two year degree I'm thinking about, it would be about $12,000 for me to get mine at our local community college. That is why I'm so hesitant about spending that type of money at my age to work in my home. For some reason, I can see everything changing in 5 years and there will be a new improved way to do this. I wouldn't even be able to do more then one or two classes a term so it would take me forever to get done. A friend of mine was trying to get something in business and it took him 10, yes 10 years to get it doing it online. He was so relieved to get it done finally.

No, this is just a certificate...I think it takes less than a yr to get it. I can't remember as it was a while ago that I did it but it is like a 16 credit certifcation and has to be renewed after 3 yrs and then again every 5 yrs by taking additional course work.

Our local CRR&R for a while offered grants for providers to receive their CDA. I would look on your local CCR&R website and see what they offer.

Getting the CDA is easy, although the work is considerable, I think it is a good thing to have. I honestly feel that it is the bare minimum a child care provider should have.

[Blackcat31]

regular member logged out...

Ok, this is a matter of public record, so I don't feel wrong sharing it. But look at this...

http://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov/provider/providerdetails.aspx?ProviderNumber=2000559662&LocationNumber=1&q=6B-F5-63-04%3aMHwwfHx8fHx8MHxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxUcnVlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfFRydWV8RmFsc2V8VHJ1ZXxUcnVlfFRydWV8VHJ1ZXwtMXwtMXxGYWxzZXwwfGF8MHww

This person is a 5 star because she went through accreditation. These are just the violations in the last 2 years!

there are no words......

5 stars for what?

[Meeko]

regular member logged out...

Ok, this is a matter of public record, so I don't feel wrong sharing it. But look at this...

http://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov/provider/providerdetails.aspx?ProviderNumber=2000559662&LocationNumber=1&q=6B-F5-63-04%3aMHwwfHx8fHx8MHxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxGYWxzZXxUcnVlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfEZhbHNlfFRydWV8RmFsc2V8VHJ1ZXxUcnVlfFRydWV8VHJ1ZXwtMXwtMXxGYWxzZXwwfGF8MHww

This person is a 5 star because she went through accreditation. These are just the violations in the last 2 years!

Wow! Wonderful example of how great a 5 star daycare is, huh?!

Wonder how many parents passed by a wonderful 2 star facility to put their child here???