Quality First Assessment

Overview

<p>First Things First is designed to meet the diverse needs of children and families in Arizona communities. The statewide First Things First Board and regional partnership councils in local communities across the state share the responsibility of ensuring that early childhood funds are spent on strategies that will result in improved development, health and education outcomes for young children. Local regional partnership councils are comprised of community volunteers, with each member representing a specific segment of the community that has a role in ensuring that Arizona’s<br>children grow up to be ready for school and set for life: parents, leaders of faith communities, tribal representatives, educators, health professionals, business leaders and philanthropists.</p> <p>The intent of Quality First Assessment is for assessors reliable in the suite of Environment Rating Scales, third edition (ERS-3) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) tools to collect objective classroom data on ECE program quality in order to calculate a quality rating. The<br>successful applicant is required to implement policies and procedures that will assure the fidelity, reliability and integrity of the Quality First Assessment process in alignment with the Quality First Assessment Standards of Practice (SOP) as this is a key factor in measuring the standards which will move the early childhood system forward in the state.</p> <p><strong>Scope of Work</strong></p> <p>Launched in 2009, Quality First, Arizona’s voluntary Quality Improvement and Rating System (QIRS) is one of FTF’s signature strategies. Intended to support the development of a statewide high-quality early childhood system, Quality First currently partners with more than 1,100 regulated child care and preschool providers to improve the quality of early learning across Arizona. The QIRS assesses ECE providers on evidence-based indicators of quality, funds supports to help providers enhance their program’s quality and publicly rates providers on a five-star scale of quality. Quality First’s components include assessment, coaching, child care health consultation (CCHC) and financial incentives.</p> <p>Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) are implemented nationwide as a systematic approach to assess, improve and communicate the level of quality in ECE programs. The first QRIS began in 1997 and as of fall 2019, 41 states plus the District of Columbia have established a QRIS<br>to improve the quality of their ECE providers through the alignment and coordination of local ECE initiatives and supports. By participating in a QRIS, an ECE program sets on a path of continuous quality improvement (CQI) designed to provide them with the knowledge and skills to provide<br>high-quality early learning opportunities for young children that establish a solid foundation for success in kindergarten and beyond. A core element of all QIRS is measuring ECE providers on a set of identified state standards. In Arizona, measuring the implementation of program standards is the role of Quality First Assessment. Consistent and accurate measurement of the identified standards ensures that quality rating means the same thing across the state, that ECE programs have confidence in the assessment results and that families can rely on ratings when seeking a quality experience.</p>