QRIS Portfolio Clarifications

More questions asked by providers:

i) Professional Qualifications Domain
(1) Do the training hours need to be on specific topics?
(2) Can first-aid and CPR be counted as part of the training hours?
(3) Can the directors provide the training hours?
(4) If the provider brings in an outside trainer, does the trainer have to have certain qualifications or being registered with CSC?

ii) Ratio / Group Size Domain
(1) When a classroom has a mixed age group, the youngest ratio prevails. Please clarify rather the youngest or oldest group size prevails.

Space between cribs

Question posed by a provider:

If cribs have Plexiglas on both narrow ends, thus creating a solid barrier like that mentioned in the ITERS-R, can the small ends be placed next to each other? The reasoning behind this technique is to create more floor space in a small baby room.

Would they still meet Broward county licensing rules and regs requirements?

Thank you!

Handbook for Early Childhood Administrators website

A Google search of the title led me to this site. It is the companion site for the Handbook, through the Ablongman publishing company.(I hope it works for you!)

http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_reno_handbook_1/

Permanent playground cushioning

From Kathy Walters: If a program uses "permagrass" or any other type of permanent cushioning that is professionally installed, i.e. not to be replenished like sand or mulch are, the CCLE Licensing Monitors and the Child Care Quality Technicians need to be shown the specifications from the manufacturer or the installer. We need to know what is under the permanent surface, to ensure that there is enough cushioning for the safety of children. Tell the facilities to have this paperwork readily accessible for our visits. Thank you.

Notes on Curriculum from 8/21/08 QRIS meeting

CURRICULUM
8/21/08
Notes From Joint QRIS meeting
Level 1
Attachment E – add a list of the currently approved curricula and instructions about how to get a program’s curriculum approved. For now we will use the list of approved curricula and the DAP approval guidelines form to decide whether or not to accept a curriculum.
Level 2
Lead teachers – inservice hours or CEU’s will be accepted. Must be within the last 12 months and updated annually; may be on or off site; may be done by the director or their designee, but they must show evidence of what makes the trainer qualified to give this training. We will want to see a sign-in sheet and agenda or a certificate. Current lesson plans should be posted. Three months of lesson plans available for review. There must be a sample lesson plan in the portfolio. Question – whether Level 2 should be general curriculum training and Level 3 specific to the curriculum?
Level 3
Same as Level 2. Question – should we require trainers to be registered with CSC’s training registry? Can and will ELC provide train the trainer specific to each major curriculum.
Level 4
As written in manual: Scores of 4.5-5.49 in the subscales for activities, language and reasoning/listening and talking, and program structure, OR lesson plans reflecting benchmarks set by curriculum standards or age appropriate Florida state standards. Six weeks of lesson plans will be reviewed for each classroom. The plans may come directly from a purchased curriculum or be written by the program’s staff.
Review observations/assessments for 30% of children in each class.
Level 5
Lesson plans reviewed for explanation of small group or individual variations. Review evidence of communication with individual families about child’s progress, i.e. conference sign-in sheet; notes about conversation with parents;

QRIS Portfolio

A provider would like to know the answers to the questions below:

a) If a staff member only works with after care, does the school need to complete a professional development form for that staff member?

b) How many weeks of lesson plans should a school place in the professional portfolio? Should more be included if the school will not be using the ERS scores?

c) If a school uses a combination of their own curriculum and the Creative Curriculum, but only lists Creative Curriculum at the 1 star level, does the training at the 2 and 3 star levels need to be specifically on the Creative Curriculum or can it be a combination of their curriculum and the Creative Curriculum?

d) When a school is using their own curriculum and needs to submit the proper from and documentation, who should everything be submitted to? How long will it take for it to be reviewed?

Adequate space

When this item is scored, do you count the number of children present at the time, the number that are currently enrolled to use that space, the maximum number that the center would be willing to enroll in that space, or the amount that licensing will allow in the space?