Statewide Quality First Academy

Overview

The intent of this RFGA is to fund the Quality First Academy (QFA) strategy to provide professional development to Quality First Coaches, Quality First Coordinators, Quality First Assessors, Care Health Consultants, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants, Inclusion Coaches and the Supervisors of Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) to move towards consistent foundational knowledge of Quality First, adult learning principles, early childhood pedagogy, and the early childhood system in Arizona. Additionally, the QFA will focus on practices that support the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach among TAPs serving Quality First participants.

The successful applicant will deliver professional development to the system of TAPs serving Quality First participants that increases their:

• knowledge of Quality First, the Arizona Early Childhood System and early childhood pedagogy
• skills in implementing TA using adult learning principles; and 
• practices that support them in coordinating and collaborating with and across TAP disciplines.

The Quality First Academy builds upon, but does not replace discipline-specific training and ongoing professional development required in the First Things First Standards of Practice and Scope of Work for each respective TAP. The successful applicant must clearly demonstrate the capacity and competency to fulfill the following requirements of the Quality First Academy: 

1. Revise and deliver the Onboarding professional development module;
2. Develop and provide ongoing professional development through Community of Learners Cohorts;
3. Implement an evidence based or evidence informed model of professional development to increase the knowledge, skills, and practices of the TAPs supporting Quality First participants;
4. Promote and support participation in the Onboarding module and Community of Learners (COL) sessions;
5. Identify and implement a continuous quality improvement process to inform planning and implementation;
6. Utilize the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry;
7. Participate in meetings and continued communication with FTF and other TAP agencies; and
8. Hire staff that meet the instructor and supervisory standards.

Total Funding Available:  $800,000 (Year 1)

                                        $500,000 (Years 2-5)

The estimated grant term is July 12, 2023 through June 30, 2024

Grant applications must be received by First Things First on or before June 22, 2023 by 12:00 PM (Arizona MST) at the following location:

First Things First, RFGA # FTF-STATE-24-0823-00

4000 North Central Avenue, Suite 800

Phoenix, Arizona 85012

A Pre-Application Conference to discuss this RFGA will be virtually on: 

May 18, 2023 at 1:00 PM (Arizona MST)

Join Zoom Meeting here.   

Meeting ID:  853 2810 4548

Passcode:  211650