IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE FISCAL YEAR 2014 SECTION  ONE:  OVERVIEW  OF  QUALITY  FIRST,  ARIZONA’S  QUALITY   IMPROVEMENT  AND  RATING  SYSTEM     History                     Vision         Mission         History  of  First  Things  First   History  of  Quality  First       First  Things  First:    Structure     Regional  Partnership  Councils     School  Readiness  Indicators                                                               6   6   6   6                 8                 10                                                  11                                  11             12   Philosophy     What  Is  Quality  and  Why  Is  It  Important?       What  Does  A  Quality  Child  Care  Center  Look  Like?         Quality  First  Component  Overview             SECTION  TWO:  PARTICIPATION  GUIDELINES     Participant  Eligibility   Applicants  (Pre-­‐Enrollment)     Participant  Selection   Application  Submission       Application  Statuses     Enrollment  Types                       13                                             15   15   16                           17   17                                                               19   20   20   20   21   Regulatory  Status   DHS  Licensed  Center  and  Group  Homes   DES  Certified  Homes         Star  Ratings   Initial  Star  Rating     Quality  First  Rating  Scale   Rating  Renewal     Posting       Termination                           SECTION  THREE:  PROGRAM  PROCEDURES     Pre-­‐Enrollment  Outreach     Coaching  Outreach     Assessment  Outreach           Program  Assessments     Confidentiality  of  Program  Assessment     Assessor  Communication                               23   23                           24   24   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  1                     Assessment  Timeline       Environmental  Rating  Scales     Classroom  Assessment  Scoring  System   General  Assessment  Procedures     Calculating  Average  Program  Scores   Frequency  of  Assessment       Quality  First  Point  Scale       Quality  First  Point  Scale  Procedures   Rescheduling  Assessments                                                                                                                   25   25   26   27   30   30   31   31   40                 41                                 42   42                                                   44   45   46                                 47   48   48                                                                                                   50   50   51   52   52   53   54   54                                                               55   55   56   56   56     Assessment  Request  Clarification     Orientation     Purpose           Orientation  Process     Coaching  Visits     On-­‐Site  Visits         Documentation     Continuity  Plan       Quality  Planning  Development     Quality  Improvement  Plan  (QIP)  Planning  Process         Quality  Improvement  Plan  (QIP)  Completion     Quality  Rating  Plan  (QRP)         Quality  First  Financial  Incentives     Access  to  Incentives                   Quality  Bonus  Policy       Financial  Monitoring       Tax  Liability         Funding  Requests  for  Incentives     Documentation  and  Record  Keeping     Quality  First  Scholarships         Assistance  with  Payment  of  Licensure  Fees     Program  Closure     Unscheduled  Program  Closure               Extended  Program  Closure   Home-­‐Based  Programs  Only   Incentives  Redistribution     Change  of  Ownership                             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  2   SECTION  FOUR:  ADMINISTRATIVE  PRACTICES     Confidentiality                   Mandated  Reporting         Quality  First  Incident  Reporting     Policy  Statement             Teachable  Moments   Reporting  an  Incident                     58                 59                                             60   60   61                           63   63                                                               65   65   65   66   67                                                   68   68   69   69                                       70   70   70     Informal  Dispute  Resolution  Policy     Policy  Statement           Informal  Dispute  Process         Corrective  Action  Process     Policy  Statement                   Procedures         First  Notification         Development  of  Corrective  Action  Plan   Recommendation  of  Termination     Appeals  Process     Policy  Statement             Review  of  Appeal     Administrative  Hearing   Board  Approval                     Multi-­‐Site  Owner  Guidelines     Definition  of  Multi-­‐Site  Owners         Accommodations  of  Multi-­‐Site  Owners   Quality  First  Support  Team  Meetings     SECTION  FIVE:  QUALITY  FIRST  SUPPORT  TEAM     Quality  First  Support  Teams   Assessor                 Qualifications  of  Quality  First  Assessors         Coach                 Qualifications  of  Quality  First  Coaches         Exemption  Review  Process  for  Assessor  and  Coach  Qualifications   Child  Care  Health  Consultation           Other  Quality  First  Support  Services           Collaboration  Guidance               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13                                                   71   71   72   72   73   73   75         76   Page  3   SECTION  SIX:  EXTRANET     Extranet     Invitation  and  Log  In  Information           Dashboard   Examples                                                   77   77   79       92   SECTION  SEVEN:  APPENDIX   Appendix                                                                                 Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13           Page  4   SECTION  ONE:    OVERVIEW  AND  HISTORY       HISTORY       VISION     All  Arizona’s  children  are  ready  to  succeed  in  school  and  in  life.     MISSION     First  Things  First  is  one  of  the  critical  partners  in  creating  a  family-­‐centered,  comprehensive,   collaborative  and  high-­‐quality  early  childhood  system  that  supports  the  development,  health  and  early   education  of  all  Arizona’s  children  birth  through  age  five.     HISTORY  OF  FIRST  THINGS  FIRST     In  November  2006,  Arizona  voters  passed  proposition  203,  a  citizen’s  initiative  that  funds  quality  early   childhood  development  and  health.  The  Proposition  created  a  new  state  level  board,  the  Arizona  Early   Childhood  Development  &  Health  Board,  also  known  as  First  Things  First.     First  Things  First  was  established  to  help  provide  greater  opportunities  for  all  children  birth  through  five   in  Arizona  to  grow  up  healthy  and  ready  to  succeed.  Through  the  dedicated  work  of  the  Board,  staff,   volunteers  and  Regional  Partnership  Council  members,  state  agency  partners,  community  providers  and   early  childhood  champions,  more  and  greater  opportunities  to  achieve  success  will  be  provided  for  each   Arizona  child  in  the  coming  years.     HISTORY  OF  QUALITY  FIRST     Quality  First,  Arizona’s  Quality  Improvement  and  Rating  System,  was  launched  in  2009.    The  program   was  implemented  in  3  phases:     1. Quality  Improvement  Participation  (2009)         In  2009,  Quality  First  began  with  enrollment  of  300  programs  throughout  the  state  of   Arizona.  During  the  initial  phase,  program  emphasis  was  targeted  solely  toward  improving   the  quality  of  care  provided  to  children.  Goal  planning  and  quality  improvement  activities   were  supported  through  individualized  coaching  and  consultation,  financial  incentives  and   professional  development  scholarships.   2. Quality  Rating  Pilot  (2010)     The  Quality  First  Points  Scale  and  Quality  First  Rating  Scale  was  initially  drafted  and  thoroughly   vetted  among  partners,  stakeholders  and  providers  in  2009  –  2010.    Both  drafts  were  tested  in   the  Quality  First  Rating  Pilot  Study  from  November,  2010  –  March  2011.    The  pilot  study  yielded   interesting  and  helpful  data  that  informed  the  final  versions  of  the  Quality  First  Rating  Scale  and   Quality  First  Points  Scale.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  5   3. Rollout  of  Star  Rating  (2011)     On  June  14,  2011,  the  First  Things  First  Board  members  approved  the  Quality  First  Rating  Scale.     This  is  the  first  statewide  Quality  Improvement  and  Rating  System  to  be  implemented  in   Arizona.                                                                                             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  6   FIRST  THINGS  FIRST:  STRUCTURE     First  Things  First  works  at  both  the  state  and  the  local  level  to  ensure  that  all  children  have  opportunities   that  will  help  them  be  successful  in  school  and  in  life.    At  the  state  level,  First  Things  First  has  a  nine-­‐ member  Board  of  Directors  that  determines  statewide  child  development  goals.  At  the  regional  level  the   volunteers  on  our  31  Regional  Partnership  Councils  —  teachers,  parents,  community  leaders,   development  experts  and  health  care  professionals  —  decide  the  best  ways  money  can  used  to  support   the  needs  of  young  children  in  their  communities.     REGIONAL  COUNCILS  AND  LOCAL  FLEXIBILITY     First  Things  First's  31  Regional  Partnership  Councils  represent  the  richly  diverse  communities  across   Arizona.    Members  of  each  Council  are  appointed  by  the  Board  and  have  direct  responsibility  to:  collect   information  on  the  strengths  and  desires  of  their  community,  prioritize  the  specific  needs,  plan  how  to   address  those  needs,  choose  who  to  partner  and  collaborate  with  to  ensure  success  for  the  children  in   their  communities,  and  identify  the  funding  necessary  to  carry  out  their  plan.     For  more  information  on  Regional  Partnership  Councils  and  to  find  your  Regional  Partnership  Council   please  visit:    http://www.azftf.gov/pages/yourlocalcouncil.aspx.  Contact  information  for  all  Regional   Directors  can  be  found  at  this  website.     ACCOUNTABILITY     At  First  Things  First,  getting  Arizona’s  kids  ready  for  Kindergarten  means  a  statewide  commitment:  in   our  programs,  in  our  words  –  and  in  our  bottom  line.  Ninety  cents  of  every  tobacco  tax  dollar  goes  to   programs  that  benefit  children,  birth  to  five  years  old.       Volunteer  councils  —  people  familiar  with  local  priorities  and  needs  —  decide  the  best  ways  to  apply   those  funds  for  the  children  in  their  communities.       QUALITY  FIRST  FUNDING     Regional  Councils  determine  the  number  of  Quality  First  programs  they  will  be  funding  on  an  annual   basis.    Programs  are  selected  by  region  based  on  the  applications  submitted  by  regulated  programs  on  a   first-­‐come  first-­‐served  basis.    Some  regions  may  choose  to  prioritize  selecting  Quality  First  programs  in   high  need  areas  to  support  the  needs  of  the  community.    The  selection  schedule  for  enrolling  new   Quality  First  programs,  although  set  annually,  may  change  throughout  the  year  based  on  the  number  of   Quality  First  applicants  in  the  system  and  changes  in  regional  funding.    Programs  that  have  applied  for   Quality  First  will  remain  on  a  waitlist  until  selected  or  the  application  is  withdrawn.    Regular   communication  is  sent  to  waitlisted  providers  regarding  upcoming  selections.         Programs  are  encouraged  to  actively  participate  in  their  local  Regional  Partnership  Council  meetings.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  7         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13       Page  8   FIRST  THINGS  FIRST:  SCHOOL  READINESS  INDICATORS     The  School  Readiness  Indicators  are  benchmarks  established  by  the  First  Things  First  Board  and  Regional   Councils  to  identify  child  outcomes  that  would  represent  and  reflect  the  mission  and  vision  of  First   Things  First.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  9   PHILOSOPHY     WHAT  IS  QUALITY  AND  WHY  IS  IT  IMPORTANT?     Choosing  a  quality  early  childhood  setting  is  one  of  the  most  important   decisions  a  family  can  make.    The  majority  of  families  today  rely  on   some  form  of  out-­‐of-­‐home  daily  care  for  their  children,  and  this  care   can  range  from  a  few  hours  a  day  up  to  10  or  12  hours  daily.    The   quality  of  this  care  and  education  is  linked  directly  to  children’s  success   in  kindergarten,  throughout  their  school  years,  and  later  on  in  life.     Research  tells  us  that  eighty-­‐five  percent  of  a  child’s  brain  is  fully   developed  by  age  three,  and  both  in-­‐home  and  out-­‐of-­‐home   experiences  can  positively  or  negatively  impact  that  development.  The   relationship  between  children  and  their  caregivers  profoundly  impacts   children’s  learning  and  healthy  development.  That  is  why  early   childhood  caregivers  and  teachers  are  so  important  to  the  future  of   young  children.    Participation  in  a  quality  early  care  and  education   programs  means  children  are  engaged  in  activities  with  responsive,  nurturing  adults  who  stimulate   development  and  learning  and  prepare  children  to  successfully  enter  school.     “The  rating  is  not  the  destination;  it  is  set  of  benchmarks  upon  the  path  of  ongoing  improvement.  We  are   getting  better  and  better…”  (Anonymous)     WHAT  DOES  A  QUALITY  CHILD  CARE  PROGRAM  LOOK  LIKE?     « A  quality  program  provides  a  safe  and  healthy  environment;     « A  quality  program  provides  staff  with  ongoing  training  and  support  to  develop  their  knowledge   and  skills  to  enhance  their  relationships  with  children  and  families;     « A  quality  program  creates  a  learning  environment  that  provides  the  space,  materials  and   activities  appropriate  at  all  levels  of  children’s  interests  and  abilities;     « A  quality  program  provides  low  staff  to  child  ratios,  allowing  each  child  to  develop  stable   relationships  with  skilled,  nurturing  staff;     « A  quality  program  establishes  group  sizes  according  to  age  that  are  small  enough  to  ensure  the   children  receive  the  attention  they  need  to  learn  and  develop  optimally;     «  A  quality  program  is  committed  to  continuous  quality  improvement.           Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  10   QUALITY  FIRST  COMPONENT  OVERVIEW     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  11   SECTION  TWO:  PARTICIPATION  GUIDELINES     PARTICIPANT  ELIGIBILITY     In  order  to  be  eligible  for  Quality  First,  programs  must  be  regulated  by  one  of  the  following:     « Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services  (DHS)     « Arizona  Department  of  Economic  Security  (DES)     « Tribal  Regulation     « Department  of  Defense  (Military)     APPLICANTS:    PRE-­‐ENROLLMENT     Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services:   In  order  to  be  eligible  for  participation  in  Quality  First,  centers  and  group  home  child  care  providers   that  are  regulated  (licensed  and  monitored)  by  the  Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services  must  be  in   good  standing.  Programs  are  considered  to  be  in  good  standing  when  their  license  is  not  in  open   enforcement  action  (legal  action  status)  with  Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services  (DHS).     « All  applications  received  for  Quality  First  are  reviewed  to  ensure  that  participants  are  regulated   with  a  regulatory  agency  and  in  good  standing  with  that  agency.  If  a  DHS  licensed  participant   applies  for  Quality  First  and  First  Things  First  is  notified  that  the  participant’s  license  is  currently   in  open  enforcement  action  or  provisional  status,  the  participant  will  receive  notification  that   they  are  ineligible  to  participate  in  Quality  First  at  that  time  due  to  their  current  licensure  status   with  DHS.     « Quality  First  program  staff  will  verify  the  status  of  the  enforcement  action  with  DHS.    Once  the   participant’s  enforcement  action  is  closed,  the  participant  will  be  notified  of  their  good  standing   and  their  application  will  be  eligible  for  enrollment  in  Quality  First.       « Center-­‐based  programs  must  provide  care  for  at  least  12  hours  a  week  to  be  eligible  for  Quality   First  enrollment.        Arizona  Department  of  Economic  Security:   Certified  family  home  providers  who  care  for  fewer  than  five  children  for  compensation  are  regulated   and  monitored  by  Arizona  Department  of  Economic  Security  (DES)  Child  Care  Administration  (CCA).    To   be  eligible  for  participation  in  Quality  First,  DES  certified  family  home  providers  are  required  to  be  in   good  standing.    Certified  family  home  providers  are  in  good  standing  when  they  are  able  to  receive   authorization  to  care  for  children  of  DES  subsidized  families  and  they  are  not  in  one  of  the  three   regulatory  statuses:     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  12   1. 30  Day  Probation  Period     2. Suspension  of  Certification       3. Revocation  of  Certification       Tribal:    Child  care  center  and  family  home  care  providers  must  be  in  good  standing  with  the  Tribal   Authority.     Department  of  Defense  (Military):  Child  care  centers  and  child  development  homes  must  be  in  good   standing  with  the  Department  of  Defense  and  the  branch  of  service  in  order  to  be  eligible  for   participation  in  Quality  First.                                       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  13   PARTICIPANT  SELECTION     APPLICATION  SUBMISSION       Child  care  providers  who  care  for  children  ages  five  and  under  and  are  monitored  by  a  regulatory  agency   and  in  good  standing  with  that  agency  are  encouraged  to  apply  for  Quality  First.    Applications  are   accepted  at  any  time  and  programs  are  selected  based  on  availability  of  regional  funding.    If  regional   funding  is  not  available  at  the  time  an  application  is  submitted  the  application  will  be  put  on  a  wait  list   until  funding  is  available.     Quality  First  applications  are  available  at  www.azftf.gov.  Applications  can  be  submitted  online  through   the  First  Things  First  website,  or  through  fax/mail  to:     Quality  First  Program   First  Things  First   4000  North  Central  Avenue,  Suite  #800   Phoenix,  Arizona  85012   Phone:    (602)  771-­‐5000   Fax:    (602)  274-­‐6351     APPLICATION  STATUSES     Each  application  is  reviewed  and  programs  receive  notification  of  their  application  status  as  indicated   below:     « Unregulated-­‐  Programs  that  are  not  regulated  by  one  of  the  following  agencies  below  are  not   eligible  to  participate  in  Quality  First.   1. Arizona  Department  of  Economic  Security  Child  Care  Administration  (DES)     2. Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services  (DHS)     3. Tribal  or  Military  governments     « Regulated,  Not  in  Good  Standing-­‐  Regulated  programs  are  not  eligible  to  participate  in  Quality   First  if  the  child  care  license  is  in  open  enforcement  action  (legal  action  status)  with  DHS  or  they   are  not  authorized  or  able  to  provide  care  for  DES  subsidized  children.    Programs  my  reapply   when  they  are  designated  in  good  standing.     « Eligible-­‐  Programs  that  provide  care  for  children  ages  five  and  under  and  are  monitored  and  in   good  standing  by  a  regulatory  agency  are  eligible  for  enrollment  in  Quality  First.  Programs   receive  notification  of  eligibility  once  the  Quality  First  application  has  been  reviewed  and   eligibility  is  verified.  All  eligible  programs  will  be  considered  for  enrollment  during  Quality  First   selections  based  on  regional  funding  availability.       « Selected  Pending  Enrollment-­‐     1. Programs  selected  to  participate  in  Quality  First  will  be  contacted  by  a  Quality  First  coach  to   verify  the  program’s  information  and  answer  general  questions  about  the  upcoming   assessment.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  14   2. Programs  that  are  selected  to  participate  in  Quality  First  will  also  be  contacted  by  an   assessor  to  schedule  the  Quality  First  program  assessment.     3. Upon  completion  of  the  assessment  the  Quality  First  coach  will  work  with  the  selected   program  to  schedule  the  enrollment  visit.    During  the  enrollment  visit,  the  coach  will  review   the  enrollment  agreement,  program  designation  form,  the  assessment  results,  star  rating,   the  Implementation  Guide  and  the  incentive  package  that  the  program  is  eligible  to  receive.     Programs  may  choose  to  enroll  or  decline  participation  in  Quality  First  by  signing  the   enrollment  agreement.  Programs  that  decline  Quality  First  enrollment  may  be  ineligible  for   other  First  Things  First  funding  and/or  services  in  their  regional  area.       « Enrolled-­‐  Programs  are  enrolled  in  Quality  First  once  they  have  completed  the  Quality  First   orientation  and  have  signed  the  Quality  First  enrollment  agreement  and  the  implementation   guide  acknowledgment.     « Applications  will  be  reviewed  on  an  annual  basis  to  verify  and  update  program  information.     ENROLLMENT  TYPES     Quality  First  will  offer  two  types  of  enrollment  options:    Full  Participation  or  Rating  Only   Participation.     1. Full  Participation  includes  all  five  program  components  of  Quality  First:     • Program  Assessment     • Individualized  Coaching   • Financial  Incentives   • T.E.A.C.H.  Early  Childhood®  ARIZONA     • Quality  First  Specialized  Technical  Assistance  in  the  areas  of  Child  Health,  Mental   Health,  Inclusion  with  Children  of  Special  Needs,  Instructional  Support,  and  the  Birth   to  Five  Helpline     2. Rating  Only  Participation  includes  only  three  components  of  Quality  First:   •  24  hours  of  coaching  support  during  the  rating  process   • Program  Assessment     • Birth  to  Five  Helpline                         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  15   REGULATORY  STATUS     DHS  LICENSED  CENTERS  AND  GROUP  HOMES     «  If  First  Things  First  is  notified  by  DHS  that  the  participant’s  license  is  not  in  good  standing   (currently  in  open  enforcement  action  in  accordance  with  DHS),  the  participant  will  not  be   eligible  to  receive  incentive  funds  or  a  Quality  Bonus.  The  participant  will  still  be  eligible  to   receive  personalized  coaching  and  other  support  services.    Once  the  participant’s  enforcement   action  is  closed,  as  indicated  through  DHS  notification,  eligibility  to  access  incentive  funds  or  a   Quality  Bonus  will  be  made  available.     « If  a  program  is  in  open  enforcement,  their  star  rating  will  not  be  publicly  posted  on  the  Quality   First  website.     «  If  First  Things  First  is  notified  by  DHS  that  the  participant’s  license  is  on  provisional  status  in   accordance  with  DHS,  the  participant  will  still  be  eligible  to  receive  incentive  funds  or  a  Quality   Bonus,  personalized  coaching  and  other  Quality  First  support  services  while  working  to  address   the  issues  of  their  provisional  status.  The  participant  will  actively  work  with  their  Quality  First   coach  and  licensing  surveyor  using  a  collaborative  approach  to  resolve  all  issues.         «  If  the  participant’s  license  remains  in  open  enforcement  action  for  more  than  60  days,  First   Things  First  will  review  the  participant’s  file  with  the  Quality  First  Coach  and  the  DHS  to   determine  if  the  participant  is  able  to  remain  enrolled  in  Quality  First  or  if  they  will  be   disenrolled.     «  If  a  participant  enters  open  enforcement  action  more  than  once  within  a  twelve  month  period,   First  Things  First  will  review  the  participant’s  file  with  the  Quality  First  Coach  and  DHS  to   determine  if  the  participant  is  able  to  remain  enrolled  in  Quality  First  or  if  they  will  be   disenrolled.  If  a  participant  is  disenrolled  from  Quality  First  they  may  not  reapply  for   participation  for  12  months  from  the  disenrollment  date.       DES  CERTIFIED  HOMES     A  certified  family  home  provider  is  deemed  ineligible  to  continue  participation  in  Quality  First  if  they   are  no  longer  able  to  receive  authorization  to  care  for  children  of  DES  eligible  families.    A  certified   family  home  provider  may  be  denied  authorization  to  care  for  children  if  the  family  home  provider  is  in   one  of  the  three  regulatory  statuses  below:     1. 30  Day  Probation  Period  –  no  new  children  are  authorized  by  Child  Care  Administration  (CCA),   but  currently  authorized  children  may  continue  in  care.  If  First  Things  First  is  notified  that  the   participant’s  license  is  currently  on  probation  in  accordance  with  DES,  the  participant  will  not  be   eligible  to  receive  enhancement  grants  or  Quality  Bonus.  The  participant  will  still  be  eligible  to   receive  personalized  coaching  and  other  support  services.    Once  the  participant’s  probation  is   closed  eligibility  for  enhancement  grants  or  Quality  Bonus  will  be  reinstated.     2. Suspension  of  Certification  –  no  authorizations  for  any  children  of  DES  eligible  families.  If  First   Things  First  is  notified  that  the  participant’s  license  is  currently  in  suspension  in  accordance  with   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  16   DES,  the  participant  will  not  be  eligible  to  receive  enhancement  grants  or  Quality  Bonus.  The   participant  will  still  be  eligible  to  receive  personalized  coaching  and  other  support  services.     Once  the  participant’s  suspension  is  closed  eligibility  for  enhancement  grants  or  Quality  Bonus   will  be  reinstated.     3. Multiple  Suspension  or  Probation  within  a  Twelve  Month  Period  -­‐If  a  participant  enters   suspension  or  probation  more  than  once  within  a  twelve  month  period,  First  Things  First  will   review  the  participant’s  file  with  the  DES  and  determine  if  the  participant  is  able  to  remain   enrolled  in  Quality  First  or  if  the  participant’s  enrollment  will  be  terminated.  The  participant  may   not  reapply  for  12  months  from  the  termination  date  if  they  are  disenrolled  from  Quality  First.     4.  Revocation  of  Certification  –  Home  is  no  longer  certified.  If  a  participant’s  certificate  is  revoked   due  to  a  significant  concern,  they  will  be  terminated  from  Quality  First.  The  participant  may  not   reapply  for  12  months  from  the  termination  date.                                                                   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  17   STAR  RATINGS     An  important  component  of  Quality  First  is  the  assignment  of  a  star   rating.  A  Quality  First  Star  Rating  identifies  the  level  of  quality  of  early   care  and  education  that  providers  are  delivering  to  young  children  and   their  families.  First  Things  First  is  committed  to  improving  access  to   high  quality  care  and  education  across  the  state.       Ratings  will  be  assigned  on  a  scale  of  one  to  five  and  will  be  designated   with  stars.  One  star  indicates  participation  in  Quality  First,  and  the   participant  has  demonstrated  a  commitment  to  examine  practices  and   improve  the  quality  of  care  beyond  regulatory  requirements.  Three   stars  demonstrates  a  level  of  quality  that  provides  access  to   developmentally  appropriate  materials,  a  curriculum  aligned  with  state   standards  and  enhanced  interactions  between  adults  and  children.  Five  stars  indicate  the  highest  level   of  quality  attainable,  where  families  will  find  low  staff-­‐child  ratios  and  group  sizes,  higher  staff   qualifications,  and  strong  curriculum  which  optimizes  children’s  comprehensive  development.     Star  ratings  or  estimated  star  ratings  will  determine  the  incentive  package  the  program  is  eligible  to   receive  once  they  are  enrolled  in  Quality  First.     INITIAL  STAR  RATING     « For  participants  enrolled  after  July  1,  2011,  upon  completion  of  assessments,  an  initial  Star   Rating  will  be  assigned  and  only  used  for  quality  improvement  planning.         « For  participants  enrolled  before  July  1,  2011,  an  initial  Star  Rating  will  be  assigned  upon   completion  of  the  3rd  assessment.    This  assessment  will  be  unannounced.       QUALITY  FIRST  RATING  SCALE     The  scale  below  details  the  necessary  scores  in  each  of  the  assessments  for  each  Quality  Star  Rating.    For   each  Star  Rating  level,  a  participant  must  meet  the  scores  indicated  for  all  required  assessments.    One   and  two  Star  Ratings  only  require  the  ERS  Average  Program  Score.    Three,  four,  and  five  Star  Ratings   require  the  ERS  Average  Program  Score,  the  CLASS  Average  Program  Score  and  the  Quality  First  Points   Scale  Scores.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  18       RATING  RENEWAL     A  program’s  star  rating  will  be  renewed  every  12-­‐15  months  if  they  have  a  1  or  2  Star  Rating.    A   program’s  star  rating  will  be  renewed  every  24-­‐27  months  if  they  have  a  3,  4,  or  5  Star  Rating.    The   assessment  visit  for  re-­‐rating  is  unannounced.     POSTING     « All  Quality  First  programs  selected  prior  to  July  1,  2011,  will  have  their  star  rating  posted  on  the   Quality  First  website  on  the  3rd  assessment.     « All  Quality  First  programs  selected  after  July  1,  2011,  will  have  their  star  rating  posted  on  the   Quality  First  website  on  the  2nd  assessment.     « The  Quality  First  website  will  be  available  to  the  public  in  the  2014  fiscal  year.     « Programs  in  their  initial  rating  cycle  can  choose  to  publicly  post  their  rating  if  they  desire.    Please   contact  your  Quality  First  Coach  to  discuss  a  Request  for  Public  Rating.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  19   « Marketing  of  your  star  rating  will  be  available  through  the  public  website  and  future  marketing   materials  created  by  First  Things  First.    You  will  receive  a  letter  and  certificate  identifying  your   star  rating  which  may  be  posted  within  your  facility.  Questions  about  marketing  can  be   forwarded  to  your  Quality  First  Coach.     TERMINATION     Voluntary  Enrollment  Termination-­‐  Quality  First  offers  continuous  enrollment  as  funding  is  available.   Programs  may  choose  at  any  time  to  voluntarily  decline  their  enrollment.  If  a  program  wishes  to  decline   their  enrollment,  the  program  should  notify  the  Quality  First  coach.  The  coach  will  indicate  in  the  activity   log  the  reason  for  voluntary  decline  and  will  notify  the  coaching  agency  supervisor.  The  coaching  agency   supervisor  will  notify  the  grantee.  A  weekly  decline  report  is  submitted  to  First  Things  First  by  each   coaching  agency.         Programs  may  voluntarily  decline  enrollment  in  Quality  First  during  the  initial  contact  with  the  Quality   First  coach  or  following  the  participant  orientation.  Programs  may  voluntarily  decline  at  any  time  during   their  enrollment  in  Quality  First.       Involuntary  Enrollment  Termination  -­‐  Programs  may  be  terminated  involuntarily  from  Quality  First  due   to  the  following:   « No  enrolled  children  age  five  and  under  in  program-­‐  Programs  must  provide  care  for  children   ages  five  and  under  to  be  eligible  for  participation.  *  There  is  no  required  length  of  time  a   program  must  be  in  operation  and  serving  children  5  and  younger  prior  to  being  eligible  for   Quality  First  participation.  It  is  only  required  that  children  5  and  younger  are  in  care  at  the  time   of  Quality  First  selection.       « Program  is  closing  and  terminating  care  for  children  –  Programs  that  are  no  longer  operating  or   providing  services  to  children  may  not  enroll  in  or  remain  in  Quality  First.     « Program  is  unresponsive  to  multiple  communication  attempts  from  Quality  First  coach  and/or   assessor  for  scheduling  visits.  Multiple  communication  attempts  may  include  phone  calls,   emails,  and/or  letters.       If  no  communication  from  the  provider  has  been  made  for  30  business  days,  the  Quality  First   Coach  will  document  all  contact  attempts  in  the  activity  log  and  follow  appropriate   disenrollment  procedures.     « Documented  accounts,  using  the  Corrective  Action  Process,  of  the  program’s  inability  to  follow   the  rules  and  responsibilities  of  a  Quality  First  participant  and  or  policies  and  procedures  as   outlined  in  this  implementation  guide     « Program  is  no  longer  eligible  for  program  enrollment  due  to  non-­‐compliance  with  regulatory   status.     « Program  is  relocating  and  the  new  location  is  not  in  the  same  FTF  regional  area,  in  which  case   the  program  will  have  to  reapply  for  Quality  First.  If  the  program  remains  in  the  same  regional   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  20   area  and  enrolled  children  are  transitioning  to  the  new  location,  the  program  is  eligible  to   remain  in  Quality  First.                                                             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  21   SECTION  THREE:    PROGRAM  PROCEDURES     PRE-­‐ENROLLMENT  OUTREACH     PRE-­‐ENROLLMENT  COACHING  OUTREACH     After  a  program  is  selected  to  participate  in  Quality  First  a  Quality  First  coach  or  a  representative  from   the  coaching  agency  will  conduct  pre-­‐  enrollment  outreach  with  the  newly  assigned  program.  During   this  period,  coaches  will  foster  a  successful  partnership  by  building  relationships  with  the  program.  Pre-­‐ enrollment  outreach  activities  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to  the  following:     • The  Coach  or  a  representative  from  the  coaching  agency  will  ensure  that  the  First  10  Days   Extranet  Checklist  has  been  completed  for  the  program     • Meet  and  greet  discussion  with  the  program  staff     • Classroom/family  group  observation     • Presentation  of  Quality  First  Program  components  by  using  the  Implementation  Guide       Programs  may  contact  their  coach  at  any  time  during  the  assessment  process  (the  assessment  process  is   outlined  on  page  23  of  the  Implementation  Guide).       PRE-­‐ENROLLMENT  ASSESSMENT  OUTREACH     « Participants  will  be  contacted  by  an  assessor,  who  will  schedule  a  date  in  which  the  ERS  or  CLASS  (if   applicable)  assessment(s)  will  be  completed.    The  date  will  only  be  scheduled  for  initial  program   assessments  and  all  subsequent  assessments  will  be  unannounced.     « Participants  will  have  an  opportunity  to  provide  the  assessor  with  dates  that  would  prohibit  an   assessment  visit  (participant  closure  days,  planned  field  trips,  etc.).     « The  assessor  will  send  a  letter  regarding  what  to  expect  the  day  of  the  assessment  (letter).     « If  an  assessor  is  unable  to  make  contact  with  a  provider  after  3  attempts,  a  no  contact  letter  will  be   sent  from  the  assessment  office  to  determine  a  program’s  interest  in  Quality  First  participation.     « If  the  ERS  Average  Program  Score  is  below  3.0,  a  participant’s  initial  Star  Rating  will  be  determined   (see  Quality  First  Rating  Scale  in  Section  2).     « If  the  ERS  Average  Program  Score  is  3.0  or  above  (with  no  individual  classroom  score  below  a  2.5),   an  assessor  will  call  the  participant  to  schedule  the  CLASS  assessment.     « If  the  ERS  and  CLASS  Assessment  Average  Program  Scores  meet  the  3,  4,  or  5  Star  Rating,  the   program  will  move  forward  with  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  22   PROGRAM  ASSESSMENTS     All  programs  enrolled  in  Quality  First  participate  in  a  process  of  program  assessments.  This  process  is   conducted  by  an  assessor,  who  is  an  individual  trained  in  early  childhood  program  assessment  activities.   Participant  expectations  for  program  assessment  activities  include  but  are  not  limited  to:  sharing   program  records,  providing  access  during  site  visits,  meeting  with  assessors  during  indicated   timeframes,  participating  in  environmental  observations  for  program  assessment,  and  obtaining   voluntary  parental  consent  for  data  collection  if  required.     Assessors  play  a  vital  role  within  the  Quality  First  system.  The  information  they  gather  will  not  only  be   used  to  determine  what  areas  of  improvement  a  provider  may  have,  but  also  to  determine  a  program’s   star  rating.  Star  ratings  will  be  displayed  by  providers,  shown  on  the  Quality  First  website,  and  included   in  awareness  campaigns  for  families  in  fiscal  year  2014.  Due  to  the  importance  of  the  results  of   assessment  (a  star  rating)  and  their  high-­‐stakes  nature,  assessment  activities  must  be  standardized  and   consistent  across  the  state.  This  section  outlines  the  requirements  of  assessment  and  the  roles  of   assessors  in  assuring  such  consistency  is  maintained.     CONFIDENTIALITY  OF  PROGRAM  ASSESSMENT     The  purpose  of  program  assessment  is  not  to  find  problems  or  to  report  non-­‐compliance  to  other   agencies.  Assessment  is  used  to  identify  a  program’s  strengths  and  areas  where  improvements  would   raise  overall  program  quality.    The  assessment  scores  are  not  made  public  or  intended  to  be  shared  with   individuals  outside  of  the  Quality  First  program.  The  only  people  who  will  view  the  scores  are  the   provider,  the  assessors,  the  coaches,  assessment  and  coaching  supervisors  and  the  Quality  First  program   staff.    In  some  instances,  staff  from  other  First  Things  First  funded  programs  may  also  review  the   program  assessment  in  conjunction  with  the  provider  and  the  coach.    For  programs  enrolled  in  full   participation,  once  the  program  assessment  is  completed,  the  results  are  reviewed  by  the  Quality  First   coach  and  provider  and  used  to  develop  a  quality  improvement  or  rating  plan.     ASSESSOR  COMMUNICATIONS     Quality  First  participants  will  often  want  to  know  the  results  of  their  assessment  immediately.   Assessors  will  not  share  the  results  of  the  assessment  with  the  program.    The  Quality  First  coach  will   review  the  results  of  the  assessment  with  the  participant.     Assessors  will  be  friendly  and  positive  prior  to  and  during  the  assessment  including  greeting  staff  as   appropriate  and  indicating  their  departure  when  completed.  Assessors  may  not  provide  feedback  to   providers  at  any  time  and  must  remain  neutral  observers  during  the  assessment  activities.     Additionally,  coaches  may  have  questions  regarding  the  information  contained  within  the  assessment   data.  To  maintain  the  integrity  of  the  system  and  ensure  a  fair  and  equitable  process,  coaches  and   assessors  may  not  discuss  assessment  results  under  any  circumstance.  If  a  coach  contacts  an  assessor   for  any  reason,  the  assessor  must  redirect  the  coach  to  their  coaching  supervisor  to  discuss  any   questions  or  concerns.     Assessors  are  able  to  provide  additional  information  regarding  observations  made  during  an   assessment  using  the  Assessment  Clarification  Process.      This  request  is  submitted  through  the  Coach   Supervisor  to  the  Assessment  Agency  to  preserve  assessor  objectivity.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  23   ASSESSMENT  TIMELINE     The  following  steps  will  occur  for  assessment  to  be  completed  in  a  timely  and  efficient  manner:     1. Programs  will  be  selected  by  First  Things  First  and  assigned  to  the  assessment  agency.       2. The  assessment  agency  will  assign  the  program  to  an  assessor  to  conduct  the  assessment.     3. The  assessor  will  receive  notice  that  they  have  been  assigned  a  Quality  First  participant  and  will   be  instructed  to  contact  the  provider  to  set  up  an  assessment  date.     4. The  assessment  will  be  completed  and  reports  for  the  ERS  and  CLASS  assessments  will  be   accessible  in  the  extranet  within  60  business  days  from  the  date  the  site  was  assigned  to  the   assessment  agency     5. Programs  in  their  first  year  of  participation  that  have  ERS  and  CLASS  assessment  scores  that   meet  the  3,  4  or  5  star  level  will  have  6  months  from  the  completion  of  the  assessment  report(s)   to  complete  the  Quality  First  Point  Scale  Assessment.       ENVIRONMENTAL  RATING  SCALES  -­‐  ERS    The  Environment  Rating  Scales  (ERS;  Thelma  Harms,  Richard  M.  Clifford  and  Debby  Cryer)  are   observational  tools  used  to  assess  the  quality  of  the  environment  in  early  care  settings.  Observations   using  the  Environmental  Rating  Scales  provide  a  brief  snapshot  of  the  classroom  environment,  as  well  as   the  children’s  experiences  in  that  classroom.  There  are  three  versions  of  the  Environment  Rating  Scales,   each  designed  to  assess  a  specific  age  group  and  early  care  setting.     1. Early  Childhood  Environment  Rating  Scale  (ECERS)   This  scale  is  designed  to  assess  the  quality  of  preschool  environments  (children  2  ½  -­‐  5  years  of   age)  located  in  center-­‐based  child  care  settings.     2. Infant  Toddler  Environment  Rating  Scale  (ITERS)   This  scale  is  designed  to  assess  the  quality  of  care  environments  serving  children  birth  to  30   months  of  age  and  is  used  in  infant  and  toddler  center-­‐based  child  care  settings.     3. Family  Child  Care  Environment  Rating  Scale  (FCCERS)   This  scale  is  designed  to  assess  the  quality  of  the  environment  in  family  child  care  settings.     The  Environment  Rating  Scales  are  made  up  of  seven  subscales  which  focus  on  different  aspects  of  the   classroom  environment,  including:   1. Space  and  Furnishings   2. Personal  Care  Routines   3. Listening  and  Talking  (ITERS  and  FCCERS)  OR  Language-­‐Reasoning  (ECERS)   4. Activities   5. Interaction   6. Program  Structure   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  24   7. Parents  and  Staff  (This  subscale  will  not  be  assessed  in  the  ERS  assessment.  Resources  to  support   this  subscale  are  available  through  the  Quality  First  Coach  and  on  the  assessment  report.  )     The  ERS  assessments  are  the  initial  assessments  a  program  will  receive  upon  their  selection  for   participation  in  Quality  First.    If  a  program  is  currently  accredited  by  a  national  accrediting  organization   (list)  recognized  by  First  Things  First  the  ERS  assessment  will  not  be  their  initial  assessment  but  they  will   begin  with  the  CLASS  assessment.    One  third  of  the  number  of  birth  to  five  classrooms  in  a  center  based   program  will  be  assessed.    Classrooms  will  be  selected  randomly  on  the  day  of  the  assessment  visit.    In  a   home  based  program  the  entire  program  will  be  assessed  unless  it  has  been  established  that  the   program  operates  with  separate,  multiple  groups  of  children     The  ERS  assessment  includes  a  brief  teacher  interview  component.    Programs  must  prepare  to  relieve   the  classroom  teacher  for  the  interview  on  the  day  of  the  assessment.    The  only  teachers  that  would   need  to  participate  are  those  in  the  classrooms  that  were  assessed.    The  Program  Director/Owner  does   not  need  to  be  present  for  the  teacher  interview.     CLASSROOM  ASSESSMENT  SCORING  SYSTEM  -­‐  CLASS     The  Classroom  Assessment  Scoring  System  (CLASS)  is  used  when  a  program’s  ERS  Average  Program   Score  is  3.0  or  above,  with  no  individual  classroom  scoring  below  a  2.5  or  if  a  program  is  currently   accredited  by  a  national  accrediting  organization  (list)  recognized  by  First  Things  First.    If  an  accredited   program’s  CLASS  average  scores  do  not  meet  the  minimum  scores  required  for  a  3«  on  the  Quality   First  Rating  Scale,  an  ERS  assessment  will  be  conducted.     After  an  initial  ERS  assessment  an  additional  visit  from  the  assessor  will  be  necessary  to  conduct  the   CLASS  assessment.    The  CLASS  will  be  used  in  the  one  third  of  the  eligible  classrooms,  starting  with  the   same  classrooms  that  were  assessed  using  the  ERS  assessment  tool.    In  a  home  based  program  the   entire  program  will  be  assessed  (if  a  home  based  program  has  multiple  groupings  the  assessor  will   randomly  select  the  grouping  for  the  assessment).    If  more  than  50%  of  the  expected  enrollment  in  a   mixed  age  group  classroom  falls  into  the  three-­‐five  year  range  the  classroom  will  be  assessed  using   the  CLASS  assessment  tool.     The  Classroom  Assessment  Scoring  System  PreK  (CLASS  PreK;  Pianta,  La  Paro,  &  Hamre,  2005)  is  a   system  for  observing  and  assessing  the  quality  of  interactions  between  teachers  and  students  in   preschool  classrooms.    The  CLASS  examines  social-­‐emotional  and  instructional  interactions  that   contribute  to  student’s  social  competence  and  academic  achievement  in  center  and  home  based   programs  serving  children  36  months  –  five  years  of  age.    The  CLASS  measure  includes  10  subscales   organized  into  three  domains:     1. Emotional  Support,  which  measures  the  following:     • The  emotional  connection,  respect,  and  enjoyment  demonstrated  between  teachers  and   children   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  25     •   The  level  of  expressed  negativity  as  exhibited  by  teachers  and/or  children   • The  teachers’  awareness  of  and  responsiveness    to  children’s  academic  and  emotional   concerns   • The  degree  to  which  teachers’  interactions  with  children  and  classroom  activities  place  an   emphasis  on  the  child’s  interests,  motivations,  and  points  of  view.       2. Classroom  Organization,  which  measures  the  following:     • How  effectively  the  teachers  monitor,  prevent,  and  redirect  behavior     • How  well  the  classroom  runs  with  respect  to  routines  and  activities  to  maximize  the  time   spent  for  learning     • How  teachers  facilitate  activities  and  provide  support  for  children  to  become  engaged  in   learning  opportunities         3. Instructional  Support,  which  measures  the  following:     • How  teachers  support  children’s  higher  order  thinking  skills     • How  teachers  extend  children’s  learning  through  their  ideas,  comments,  and  work   • The  extent  that  teachers  facilitate  and  encourage  children’s  language.     *Beginning  July  1,  2013  the  Toddler  CLASS  assessment  will  be  conducted  by  the  Assessment  Team  for   training  purposes  only  in  one  third  of  classrooms  serving  children  ages  15  –  36  months.    Reports  will  not   be  provided  from  these  assessments.    This  year  will  be  an  opportunity  for  providers  and  coaches  to  be   trained  on  this  assessment  prior  to  its  full  implementation.    The  random  draw  method  will  be  used  in   determining  which  one  third  of  the  classrooms  will  be  assessed  using  the  Toddler  CLASS.     Beginning  July  1,  2014  the  Assessment  Team  will  continue  to  assess  using  the  Toddler  CLASS  in  one  third   of  the  classrooms  serving  children  ages  15-­‐  36  months  and  reports  will  be  made  available  for  provider   and  coach  review.  These  reports  will  help  to  support  continued  understanding  and  practice  of  the   Toddler  CLASS  in  preparation  for  full  implementation.        The  Toddler  CLASS  will  be  used  in  the  calculation   of  the  star  rating  starting  July  1,  2015.     GENERAL  ASSESSMENT  PROCEDURES     « The  assessor  will  contact  the  participant  and  provide  a  three  week  time  frame  in  which  the   assessment  (ERS  and  CLASS,  if  applicable)  will  be  conducted.    The  actual  date  of  the  assessment   will  be  unannounced  unless  it  is  the  participant’s  initial  rating.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  26   « Participants  will  have  an  opportunity  to  provide  the  assessor  with  dates  that  would  prohibit  an   assessment  visit  (participant  closure  days,  planned  field  trips,  and  special  events,  scheduled   Quality  First  partner  visits,  etc.).     « Multiple  assessors  may  attend  a  program  assessment  together  for  the  purpose  of  training,     reliability  testing  and/or  to  accommodate  program  size     « Prior  to  conducting  the  assessment,  assessors  will  review  the  center  profile  data  to  determine   how  many  classrooms  to  assess  and  which  tools  to  use  during  assessment.  Assessors  will  call   participants  to  confirm  the  number  of  classrooms/groups  and  daily  enrollment  per  grouping.     On  the  day  of  the  assessment  the  assessor  will  ensure  that  50%  of  the  expected  enrolled   children  are  present.       « Assessors  will  assess  1/3  of  the  number  of  classrooms/groups  reported  by  the  participant  to   include  at  least  1  infant/toddler  classroom  and  on  preschool  classroom,  if  applicable.       « For  DHS  licensed  centers,  all  classrooms  serving  children  birth  to  age  five  listed  on  the  Arizona   Department  of  Health  Services  license  are  eligible  for  assessment  and  will  be  included  in  the   random  draw.       « Adjustment  for  school-­‐  aged  children:   • In  center-­‐based  programs,  classrooms  serving  children  who  attend  kindergarten  –  6th   grade  are  not  assessed.     • In  center-­‐based  programs,  classrooms  serving  a  majority  (more  than  50%)  of  children   who  are  five,  after  September  1st,  are  included  in  the  calculation  to  determine  the   number  of  classrooms  assessed.  This  group  may  also  be  included  as  one  of  the   classrooms  assessed.       • In  family  care  settings  where  there  are  school-­‐aged  children  in  the  same  grouping  as   younger  children,  assessment  is  conducted  without  adjustment.       « In  programs  where  there  is  more  than  one  classroom  or  group,  the  assessor  will  conduct  a   random  draw  to  determine  which  classrooms/groups  to  assess  upon  arrival  for  the  assessment.     Due  to  classroom  configuration  and/or  location,  the  random  draw  could  take  place  off  site  with   the  consent  of  the  designated  program  administrator.     « Assessors  will  complete  all  Environmental  Rating  Scales  Assessments  first  before  conducting  any   CLASS  assessments.   • • For  programs  that  are  accredited  by  FTF  recognized  organizations  (see  Appendix  –  FTF   Recognized  Accrediting  Organizations),  the  CLASS  assessment  will  be  conducted  first.     If  the  accredited  program’s  CLASS  assessment  meets  the  3,  4,  or  5  star  levels,  the   program  will  start  the  process  to  prepare  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale  assessment.       • If  the  accredited  program’s  CLASS  assessment  scores  do  not  meet  the  3,  4,  or  5  star   levels,  the  assessor  will  call  to  schedule  the  ERS  assessment.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  27       « If  conducting  the  assessment  with  a  program  serving  infants  and/or  toddlers,  the  assessor  will   arrive  prepared  to  conduct  either  the  ITERS-­‐R  or  the  ECERS-­‐R.    The  assessor  will  make  the   determination  of  enrollment  upon  arrival  at  the  site  and  whether  to  use  the  ITERS-­‐R  or  the   ECERS-­‐R  using  the  guidelines  provided  by  the  Environmental  Rating  Scales  Institute  (ERSI).       « If  the  average  program  ERS  score  is  a  3.0  or  higher,  the  assessor  will  conduct  a  CLASS   assessment  in  ⅓  of  the  program’s  preschool  environments  (ages  2  ½  -­‐  5  years).         « Whenever  possible,  assessors  who  conduct  ERS  assessments  should  not  be  the  same  assessors   who  conduct  the  CLASS  assessments  for  a  single  participant.     « At  no  time  shall  an  assessor  be  alone  with  children.  Assessors  must  be  accompanied  by  a   participant  staff  member  at  all  times.     « If  for  any  reason  a  timeline  for  assessment  activities  or  data  input  is  not  met,  the  assessor  must   report  the  information  to  their  supervisor  citing:  name  of  provider,  the  timeline  missed,  and  the   reason  for  missed  timeline.  The  details  of  all  timelines  not  met  are  included  in  the  quarterly   report  to  the  Quality  First  Director.     « Prior  to  assessing  a  classroom,  the  assessor  will  ask  if  there  are  any  enrolled  children  with  an   IFSP,  IEP  and/or  medically  diagnosed  conditions  (i.e.  asthma,  diabetes,  severe  allergies)  to   determine  if  accommodations  need  to  be  taken  into  account.       « Classrooms  that  have  more  than  50%  of  the  children  present  on  the  day  of  the  assessment  with   an  approved  IEP/IFSP  (Individualized  Education  Plan  or  Individualized  Family  Service  Plan),  will   not  have  their  CLASS  score  calculated  in  the  star  rating.  Another  classroom  will  be  chosen   through  a  random  draw  to  be  calculated  in  the  star  rating.     « Programs  that  close  for  the  summer  will  be  eligible  for  assessment  between  October  and  April.   • ERS  and  CLASS  will  be  conducted  under  the  same  guidelines  as  outline  in  the  general   assessment  procedures.   • For  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale,  if  the  6  month  prep  period  ends  when  the  program   is  closed  the  program  can  choose  to:   o Click  the  submit  button  on  the  Provider  Rating  Tab  before  the  program  closes   for  the  summer.    The  assessment  team  will  conduct  the  on-­‐site  Points  Scale   Assessment  before  the  program  closes.   o The  assessment  team  will  adjust  the  point  scale  assessment  six  month  prep   period  to  reflect  the  site  closure.     If  a  program  chooses  to  postpone  the  Points  Scale  Assessment  due  to  the  prep   period  falling  during  program  closure,  additional  time  will  be  given  to  account   for  that  lost  time.    For  example,  if  a  program’s  6  month  Points  Scale  prep   period  end  date  is  July  5  and  the  program  closed  on  May  17,  when  the   program  reopens  on  August  19,  an  additional  seven  weeks  will  be  given  to   allow  for  Points  Scale  preparation.  A  program  must  work  closely  with  their   Quality  First  Coach  to  notify  the  Assessment  Team  of  this  change  to  the  Points   Scale  preparation  end  date.    The  Assessment  Team  will  notify  the  First  Things   First  Quality  First  Team  to  update  the  extranet  with  the  new  dates.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  28   « If  a  program  moves  to  a  new  location  in  the  middle  of  the  assessment  process,  the   assessment  team  will  recomplete  all  of  the  assessments  that  have  been  done  prior  to  the   program  moving.  Rescheduling  of  the  assessments  will  be  done  on  a  case  by  case  basis.    If  a   program  moves  after  the  rating  is  final,  they  will  remain  on  their  current  assessment  cycle.     « All  assessment  reports,  once  complete  and  approved,  will  be  available  for  provider  review   on  the  Quality  First  extranet.       CALCULATING  AVERAGE  PROGRAM  SCORES     The  ERS  Average  Program  Score  will  be  calculated  by  dividing  the  total  scores  of  all  the  ERS   assessments  by  the  total  number  of  items  assessed  in  all  the  assessments     Example:  ITERS     20  items  assessed   total  score  of  80          ECERS     32  items  assessed   total  score  of  128          Total     52  items  assessed   total  score  of  208          Assessment  Score       208/52=4.00     « The  CLASS  average  program  Score  will  be  calculated  by  averaging  the  scores  from  each  completed   assessment  by  domain.    For  example,  if  a  participant  has  more  than  1  CLASS  assessment:   • The  individual  dimension  scores  from  each  cycle  in  the  Emotional  Support  Domain  will  be   averaged  together  to  total  an  average  Emotional  Support  score.     • The  individual  dimension  scores  from  each  cycle  in  the  Classroom  Organization  Domain  will   be  averaged  together  to  total  an  Average  Classroom  Organization  score.     • The  individual  dimension  scores  from  each  cycle  in  the  Instructional  Support  Domain  will  be   averaged  together  to  total  an  Average  Instructional  Support  Score.     FREQUENCY  OF  ASSESSMENT     The  first  assessment  will  take  place  when  the  program  is  selected  to  participate  in  Quality  First.  Each   subsequent  assessment  will  take  place  in  the  following  manner:   • Programs  who  achieve  a  1  or  2  star  rating  will  be  assessed  every  12  –  15  months  from  the   approval  date  of  their  last  assessment  cycle.     • Programs  who  achieve  a  3,  4,  or  5  star  rating  in  their  first  assessment  will  be  assessed   every  12  –  15  months  unless  they  submit  a  Request  for  Public  Rating.  Publicly  rated   programs  will  be  assessed  every  24-­‐27  months  from  the  approval  date  of  their  last   assessment  cycle.     • Programs  who  achieve  a  3,  4,  or  5  star  rating  in  their  second  and  ongoing  assessments  will   be  assessed  every  24-­‐27  months  from  the  approval  date  of  their  last  assessment  cycle.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  29   A  program  can  request  their  assessment  to  be  completed  up  to  2  months  prior  to  the  end  of  their   assessment  cycle  using  the  Request  for  Early  Assessment  form.    The  request  will  be  reviewed  by  the   Assessment  agency  and  First  Things  First  to  determine  if  this  option  is  available.     QUALITY  FIRST  POINTS  SCALE     The  Quality  First  Points  Scale  evidence  will  be  collected  when  a  program  meets  both  the  ERS  Average   Program  Score  and  the  CLASS  average  program  scores  at  the  3,  4,  or  5  star  levels.    This  assessment  will   be  scored  using  both  on-­‐site  observation  and  reviewing  documentation  compiled  by  the  program.    A   program  will  have  up  to  6  months  to  compile  the  documentation  necessary  to  complete  the  Point  Scale   Assessment  Process.  If  a  program  has  already  completed  a  point  scale  in  a  previous  assessment  cycle,   an  email  notification  will  be  sent  6  months  prior  to  their  current  assessment  cycle  end  date  to  inform   the  program  to  begin  preparing  for  the  points  scale.  (The  additional  6  month  prep  time  will  not  apply   to  these  programs.)     The  Quality  First  Points  Scale  was  developed  by  First  Things  First  to  measure  three  additional  areas  of   quality:     1. Staff  qualifications     2. Administrative  practices,  which  includes:   • Ratios  and  Group  Sizes     • Teacher  Retention       3. Curriculum  and  Child  Assessment,  which  includes:   • Use  of  the  Arizona  Early  Learning  Standards,  Arizona  Infant/Toddler  Developmental   Guidelines  (when  completed),  and  the  Program  Guidelines  for  High  Quality  Early  Education:   Birth  through  Kindergarten     • Curriculum   • Developmental/Progress  Assessment  of  individual  children     QUALITY  FIRST  POINTS  SCALE  PROCEDURES     STAFF  QUALIFICATIONS     1. Staff  qualifications  will  be  assessed  for:   • Administrators  (Director,  Assistant  Director,  Program  Coordinator,  and  any  individuals  that   oversee  the  classroom  staff)  These  individuals  must  be  on-­‐site  staff  who  work  directly  in  the   program.     • Teachers  (Lead  Teacher  in  the  classroom  who  is  responsible  for  curriculum  plans,  parent-­‐ teacher  conferences,  and  child  assessment)     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  30   • • • •   Family  Home  Providers  (Lead  Caregiver  or  Teacher  only)     It  is  important  to  note  that  staff  members  whose  primary  duties  are  not  in  the  classroom  or   on-­‐site  administration  (i.e.  –  bus  or  van  drivers,  cooks,  regional  directors)  will  not  be   considered  in  the  staff  qualifications.     Unpaid  adult  assistants  will  not  be  included  in  the  staff  qualifications  (i.e.  –  volunteers,   interns,  parent  helpers).     Paid  Assistant  Teachers  will  not  be  considered  when  evaluating  staff  qualifications.   2. If  staff  have  college  credits,  official  college  transcripts  must  be  received  from  a  nationally   accredited  college  and  must  be  submitted  for  each  staff  member    in  their  original,  sealed  envelope   to:     Quality  First  Assessment  Transcript  Verification   2850  North  24th  Street   Phoenix,  AZ  85008     Transcripts  that  have  been  removed  from  their  original,  sealed  envelope  or  not  received  directly   from  the  sending  educational  institution  are  not  able  to  be  accepted.     The  Transcript  Verification  forms  must  be  filled  out  by  the  provider  and  include  the  name  of  each   staff  member  who  has  requested  a  transcript(s).    If  a  staff  member  has  requested  transcripts  from   more  than  one  accredited  college,  each  college  should  be  listed  individually.    The  Transcript   Verification  form  can  also  be  used  to  request  a  pre-­‐payment  or  reimbursement  for  transcript   request  fees.    Even  if  payment  is  not  requested,  this  form  must  be  filled  out  and  submitted.     The  Arizona  Teaching  Certificate/CDA  Verification  form  must  be  completed  by  those  with  an   Arizona  teaching  certificate  or  CDA  certificate.    Copies  of  these  certificate  must  accompany  this   form  and  be  sent  to  the  above  address.     If  there  is  a  staffing  change  during  the  six  month  prep  period  after  the  transcript/certification  form   has  been  submitted,  the  coach  and/or  provider  will  submit  an  updated  form.     3. Once  transcripts/certificates  are  verified,  the  Assessment  agency  will  provide  the  following   information  to  the  FTF  Quality  First  office  for  each  staff  member  (Quality  First  will  enter  the   information  in  the  program’s  Staff  Detail  page  in  the  provider  profile):   • Highest  Education  Achieved     • Number  of  College  Credits  in  ECE  or  Related  Field     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  31   4. Once  the  transcript/certificate  information  is  reviewed,  the  Quality  First  staff  will  determine   whether  the  program  meets  the  2,  4,  or  6  point  level  and  enter  the  point  value  on  the  Quality  First   Points  Scale  tab.   ADMINISTRATIVE  PRACTICES     Ratios  and  Group  Sizes     1. All  classroom(s)/group(s)  in  a  program  will  be  assessed.     2. Assessments  of  ratios  and  group  sizes  will  only  be  assessed  indoors,  unless  a  program’s  structure   provides  for  simultaneous  indoor/outdoor  scheduling.     3. Each  group/classroom  will  be  assessed  at  two  different  points  in  time.    The  assessment  can  be   completed  on  one  day  at  two  different  times  during  the  day  or  on  different  days,  depending  on   the  schedule  of  the  assessor.       • There  will  be  a  minimum  of  2  hours  between  each  assessment.       •  Programs  operating  less  than  4  hours  long  will  have  a  minimum  of  1  hour  between  each   assessment.     •   • AM/PM  classes  will  be  assessed  separately.   Unpaid  adults  or  visiting  therapists  in  the  classroom  will  not  be  included  in  the  ratios  and   group  size  assessment.       The  assessor  will  use  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale  Ratios  and  Group  Sizes  form  to  assess  ratios  and   group  sizes  in  both  center-­‐based  and  home-­‐based  programs.          The  Ratio  and  Group  Size  Assessment  form  will  include:   • Name  of  On-­‐Site  Administrator  During  the  Review:    this  will  be  the  designated  person  in   charge  at  the  time  the  assessor  arrived  to  complete  the  review.     • Program  Name  and  Address:    site  name  and  address  of  the  program.     • Name  of  Assessor:    name  of  the  assessor  who  is  completing  the  form.     • • • Group/Classroom  Name:    name  of  the  classroom  or  group  for  each  of  the   groups/classrooms  in  the  program.  If  a  classroom  does  not  have  children  at  the  time  of  the   visit,  note  this  in  the  comments  section.     New  Classroom:       o Past  2  years  –  if  the  classroom  was  newly  opened  in  the  past  two  years   o Past  3  years  –  if  the  classroom  was  newly  opened  in  the  past  three  yeas   o N/A  –  if  this  classroom  is  not  new  in  the  past  two  or  three  years     Date/Time:    date  and  time  that  the  assessor  entered  the  group/classroom  to  count  the   number  of  children  and  paid  adults.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  32   • Licensed  Capacity/Self-­‐Limited  Capacity:    This  is  calculated  by  using  the  licensed  capacity  in   the  group/classroom.  OR  If  a  program  chooses  to  self-­‐limit,  the  number  that  they  self-­‐limit   in  each  group/classroom  will  be  entered.    If  a  program  self-­‐limits,  the  letters,  “SL”  will  be   indicated  after  the  number.   • Youngest  Age  Enrolled:    age  of  the  youngest  child  enrolled  in  the  group/classroom.    That   child  does  not  need  to  be  present  on  the  day  of  the  assessment,  but  must  be  enrolled  in   that  particular  group/classroom.    Programs  will  provide  a  list  for  each  classroom  that   indicates  the  birthdate  for  all  children  enrolled.     Name/Title  of  Paid  Adults:    name  and  title  of  adults  paid  to  work  in  the  group/classroom  at   the  time  of  the  assessment.    If  a  substitute  is  present,  please  indicate  the  following  in  the   comments  section   o Name/Title  of  Teacher  that  the  sub  is  subbing  for.   o Hire  Date  of  that  regular  teacher  in  that  particular  classroom.      Hire  Date:  hire  date  for  each  teacher  that  is  listed  in  the  Name/Title  of  Paid  Adults.       Number  of  Children  Present:    number  of  children  in  the  group/classroom  at  the  time  of  the   assessment.     Comments:    If  there  are  any  anomalies  on  the  date  of  the  assessment,  please  enter  that   information  in  this  section.    Anomalies  may  include,  but  are  not  limited  to  classrooms  were   combined,  teacher/assistant  teacher  absence,  etc.  Programs  that  operate  with  mixed  age  or   multi-­‐group  classrooms  need  to  identify  this  practice  on  the  day  of  the  assessment.     • • • •         Retention   1. During  an  assessment,  the  staff  groups  indicated  below  will  be  counted  to  determine  the   percentage  of  staff  that  has  been  employed  at  the  site  for  a  minimum  of  two  consecutive  years.     2. Only  the  classrooms  that  have  been  in  operation  for  the  past  two  years  will  be  counted.    The   Ratios  and  Group  Sizes  form  and  the  hire  date  input  on  the  extranet  staffing  tab  will  be  used  to   document  this  information  necessary  to  calculate  retention.   • New  Classroom:       o Past  2  years  –  if  the  classroom  was  newly  opened  in  the  past  two  years   o Past  3  years  –  if  the  classroom  was  newly  opened  in  the  past  three  yeas   o N/A  –  if  this  classroom  is  not  new  in  the  past  two  or  three  years     • Hire  Date:  Enter  the  hire  date  for  each  teacher  that  is  listed  in  the  Name/Title  of  Paid   Adults.       3. Assistant  teachers  who  have  been  promoted  to  Teacher  will  be  reviewed  by  their  hire  date  at   the  site  and  not  their  hire  date  as  a  Teacher,  as  the  focus  is  on  staff  retention  rather  than   position  retention.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  33   4. If  a  program  does  not  meet  the  retention  at  the  2,  4  or  6  points  levels,  the  points  can  still  be   earned  with  a  retention  plan  in  place.   • The  coach  will  assist  the  provider  in  creating  and  implementing  the  retention  plan.     • The  retention  plan  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during  the  on-­‐site  visit  for  the  Quality   First  Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the  Administrative   documents  form.     5. Quality  First  Coaches  will  ensure  that  provider  has  accurately  updated  the  staff  details  for  each   staff  member  in  the  program.       CURRICULUM  AND  CHILD  ASSESSMENT     Curriculum   1. The  most  recent  completed  4  weeks  of  curriculum  (lesson  plans)  will  be  assessed  in  all   classrooms/groups  that  had  an  ERS  and/or  CLASS  assessment,  including  classrooms  with   children  on  IEPs/IFSPs  and  specialized  health  plans.   Accredited  programs  serving  Infants  and  Toddlers  with  only  a  CLASS  assessment  will  have  one   third  of  the  Infant/Toddler  classrooms  reviewed  for  the  Point  Scale  Curriculum  Assessment.  A   random  draw  will  be  conducted  to  determine  the  one  third  of  the  classrooms  that  will  be   assessed.   2. The  assessor  will  use  the  Quality  Frist  Points  Scale  Curriculum  Review  Form  to  assess  curriculum  in   both  center-­‐based  and  home-­‐based  programs.         • • • •    The  Curriculum  Review  form  will  include:  Name  of  On-­‐Site  Administrator  During  the   Review:    this  will  be  the  designated  person  in  charge  at  the  time  the  assessor  arrived  to   complete  the  review.     Program  Name  and  Address:    site  name  and  address  of  the  program.     Name  of  Assessor:    name  of  the  assessor  who  is  completing  the  form.     Date  of  Review:    date  that  the  assessment  was  completed.   Classroom/Group:    name  of  the  classroom  or  group  for  each  of  the  groups/classrooms  in  the   program.    If  a  classroom  that  was  assessed  using  the  ERS  and/or  CLASS  no  longer  has  children   enrolled  or  is  now  closed,  please  inform  the  assessor.     • AZELS  (Arizona  Early  Learning  Standards)  or  AZITDG  (Arizona  Infant  Toddler  Development   Guidelines)  Indicated  on  Plan   o AZELS/AZITDG  Standards:  The  key  words  below  may  be  used  to  reflect  the  standards   identified  in  classroom  curriculum/lesson  plans  and  child  assessment  practices.   AZELS  Standards     -­‐ Social  Emotional   -­‐ Language  and  Literacy   -­‐ Mathematics   -­‐ Science   -­‐ Social  Studies   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  34   -­‐ -­‐ Physical  Development,  Health  and  Safety   Fine  Arts     AZITDG  Standards-­‐  will  be  assessed  and  considered  in  star  rating  starting  July  1,   2014   -­‐ Social  Emotional     -­‐ Language  Development  and  Communication   -­‐ Cognitive  Development   -­‐ Physical  and  Motor  Development     Individual  Children’s  Goals  are  Reflected  on  Plan   o Example:  “Multiple  children  need  additional  fine  motor  activities,”  or  individual   child  goals  with  initials  next  to  activities  on  the  plan.     Modifications  for  Children  with  Special  Needs  are  Indicated  on  Plan   o Programs  serving  children  with  special  needs  may  identify  modifications  made  in   lesson  planning  through  separate  documentation,  individualized  coding,  or  specific   program  practice.       o Programs  that  do  not  serve  children  with  special  needs  would  consider  this  practice   not  applicable  (N/A).   • •       Example  lesson  plans  are  provided  for  review  (infant/toddler  and  preschool).    These  are  examples   only  they  are  not  the  required  format  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.     3. The  coach  will  assist  the  provider  in  creating/implementing  the  program’s  written  process  for   sharing  curriculum  with  families.    This  may  be  an  excerpt  from  the  family  handbook  or  a  written   policy  in  an  employee  procedures  manual.     4. The  written  process  for  sharing  curriculum  with  families  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during   the  on-­‐site  visit  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the   Administrative  Documents  form.       « Arizona  Early  Learning  Standard  (AZELS)  and  Infant  Toddler  Developmental  Guidelines  (ITDG)   Only  Administrators,  Teachers  (and  Family  Home  Providers  will  be  assessed.   • The  coach  will  provide  training  on  the  Introduction  to  the  Arizona  Early  Learning  Standards   and  Infant  Toddler  Developmental  Guidelines  (when  developed  and  published).     • The  coach  will  assist  the  provider  in  attending  training  for  any  additional  modules  on  the   AZELS  or  ITDG.     The  coach  and  provider  will  indicate  the  trainings  in  the  staff  details  on  the  extranet  for  each  applicable   staff  member.       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  35   « Program  Guidelines  for  High  Quality  Early  Education:  Birth  through  Kindergarten  (Program   Guidelines)   Programs  will  be  assessed  using  two  indicators  in  the  Program  Guidelines:   1.3.g  (p.  11)   There  is  a  written  plan  which  specifies  the  timelines  and  activities  for  transition   into  the  program,  within  the  program,  and  exiting  the  program  which  may   include  the  following:    meetings  to  help  prepare  families  and  set  expectations   are  held  with  family  and  teacher/provider,  visits  to  new  programs  (kindergarten,   new  classroom,  new  provider),  home  visits,  etc.   5.2.g  (p.  42)   There  is  a  written  plan  which  specified  the  activities  for  transitions  into  the   program,  within  the  program,  and  exiting  the  program,  which  may  include  the   following:  meetings  held  with  family  and  teacher/provider,  visits  to  new   programs  (kindergarten,  new  classroom,  new  provider),  home  visits,  etc.     • The  coach  will  assist  the  provider  in  creating/implementing  a  written  transition  plan  that   meets  the  guidelines  above.   • The  transition  plan  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during  the  on-­‐site  visit  for  the  Quality  First   Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the  Administrative  Documents   form.         Child  Assessment     1. The  Quality  First  Assessor  will  randomly  choose  4  child  assessments  from  each  classroom/group   that  had  an  ERS  and/or  CLASS  assessment,  including  classrooms  with  children  on  IEPs/IFSPs  and   specialized  health  plans.    If  there  are  less  than  4  children  in  the  classroom/group,  all  children   enrolled  will  have  an  assessment  review.   • Accredited  programs  serving  Infants  and  Toddlers  with  only  a  CLASS  assessment  will   have  one  third  of  the  Infant/Toddler  classrooms  reviewed  for  the  Point  Scale  Child   Assessment.  A  random  draw  will  be  conducted  to  determine  the  one  third  of  the   classrooms  that  will  be  assessed.     2. Documentation  for  the  most  recent  year  will  be  reviewed  for  each  child  chosen  in  the  random   draw,  if  available  (please  note  children  that  have  been  enrolled  in  the  program  for  less  than  one   year).    If  a  child  has  attended  less  than  30  business  days  (“newly  enrolled  child”),  the  assessor  will   randomly  draw  an  additional  child’s  assessment  to  review.     3. The  Assessor  will  use  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale  Child  Assessment  Review  form  to  assess  both   center-­‐based  and  home-­‐based  programs.    One  form  will  be  used  for  each  classroom/group  that  is   assessed.     •  The  Child  Assessment  form  will  include:  Name  of  On-­‐Site  Administrator  During  the  Review:     this  will  be  the  designated  person  in  charge  at  the  time  the  assessor  arrived  to  complete  the   review.     • Program  Name  and  Address:    site  name  and  address  of  the  program.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  36   • • • • •   •   • Name  of  Assessor:    name  of  the  assessor  who  is  completing  the  form.     Date  of  Review:    date  that  the  assessment  was  completed.     Classroom/Group:    name  of  the  classroom  or  group  for  each  of  the  groups/classrooms  in   the  program.     Each  of  the  4  developmental  areas  (Social  Development,  Emotional  Development,   Cognitive  Development,  Physical  Development)  must  be  clearly  identified  in  each  child   assessment  reviewed.         Family  Input  includes  information  from  the  family.    This  could  include,  but  is  not  limited  to   the  following:  questionnaire  completed  by  the  family  about  development;  notes  from  the   family  regarding  the  child’s  development,  and/or  specific  developmental  areas  the  family   has  addressed;  etc.    This  information  must  be  reflected  in  each  child  assessment  that  is   reviewed.       Drop  In  Care:  If  your  program  serves  children  on  a  “drop  in”  basis,  this  is  defined  as  Drop  In   Care.    Drop  In  Care  means  a  child  attends  less  than  one  half  day  per  week.    A  child  who  is   attending  the  program  using  Drop  In  Care  will  not  be  included  in  the  Child  Assessment   portion  of  the  Point  Scale.   Efforts  are  made  to  ensure  the  confidentiality  of  children’s  developmental  assessment   information.    The  Quality  First  Support  Teams  are  informed  of  the  Family  Educational  Rights   and  Privacy  Act  (FERPA)  and  will  comply  with  the  stated  regulations.      Information  related  to   FERPA  can  be  found  at  www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html       Key  Definitions  and  Words  that  may  be  used  to  reflect  the  AZELS  and  ITDG   • AZELS   o Social  Development:    the  way  in  which  a  child  interacts  and  behaves  in  a  group  of   others.    AZELS  Keywords  include:  Self  Awareness,  Separation,  Cooperation,  Respect,   Confidence,  Persistence,  Initiative,  Rights,  Responsibilities,  and  Roles  of  Citizenship,   Family  Identity.     o Emotional  Development:    relating  to  or  expressing  emotion.    AZELS  Keywords   include:  Recognition  of  Feeling,  Expression  of  Feelings,  Self-­‐Control.     o Cognitive  Development:    the  process  of  acquiring  knowledge  by  the  use  of   reasoning,  intuition,  or  perception,  which  includes,  but  is  not  limited  to:  language   (speaking,  listening),  literacy  (letters,  reading,  writing),  mathematics  (numbers,   counting,  numerical  operations,  measurement),  science  (observing,  hypothesizing,   testing).    AZELS  Keywords  include:  Curiosity,  Creativity,  Problem-­‐solving,  Print   Awareness,  Book  Handling,  Sound  and  Rhythms,  Vocabulary,  Comprehension,   Collection  and  Organization,  Data  Analysis,  Patterns,  Spatial  Relationships,  Logic  and   Reasoning,  Investigation.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  37   o Physical  Development:    relating  to  the  body  and  movement,  to  include  both  fine   and  gross  motor  development.    AZELS  Keywords:  Personal  Health  and  Hygiene,   Safety/Injury  Prevention,  Creative  Movement.       • ITDG  (for  use  beginning  July  1,  2015)   o Social  and  Emotional  Development:  the  development  of  trust  and  emotional   security,  self-­‐awareness,  self-­‐regulation  and  the  beginning  of  relationships  with   adults  and  other  children.    AZITDG  Keywords  include:  Trust,  Emotional  Security,  Self-­‐ Awareness,  Self-­‐Regulation,  Relationships  with  adults,  Relationships  with  other   children,  Interactions.     o Approaches  to  Learning:  the  inclinations,  dispositions,  attitudes,  habits  and  styles   that  reflect  the  many  ways  that  children  involve  themselves  in  learning.    AZITDG   Keywords  include:  Persistence,  Initiative,  Curiosity,  Creativity,  Inventiveness,   Reasoning,  Problem  Solving,  Experimentation,  Questioning,  and  Reflection.     o Language  Development  and  Communication:    the  development  of  the  ability  to  use   language  to  communicate  with  others  through  natural  interaction  of  caregiving  and   everyday  experiences.    AZITDG  Keywords  include:  Listening,  Understanding,   Communicating,  Speaking,  and  Emergent  Literacy.   o Cognitive  Development:  developing  ability  to  think  and  make  connections,  to   understand  what  things  are  and  how  they  work.    AZITDG  Keywords  include:     Exploration,  Discovery,  Memory,  Problem  Solving,  Imitation,  Symbolic  Play,  and   Processing  New  Information.   o Physical  and  Motor  Development:    the  physical  and  motor  skills  and  abilities  that   emerge  during  the  infant  and  toddler  stages  of  development.    AZITDG  Keywords   include:  Gross  Motor  Development,  Fine  Motor  Development,  Physical  Health,  and   Physical  Well  Being.             4. The  coach  will  assist  the  provider  in  creating/implementing  the  program’s  parent-­‐teacher   conference  schedule  that  indicates  when  and  how  often  conferences  that  are  held  each  year.     5. The  parent-­‐teacher  conference  schedule  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during  the  on-­‐site  visit   for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the  Administrative   Documents  form.     6. The  coach  will  assist  the  Provider  in  creating/implementing  their  written  child  assessment   procedures.     7. The  written  child  assessment  procedures  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during  the  on-­‐site  visit   for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the  Administrative   Documents  form.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  38   8. The  coach  will  assist  the  Provider  in  creating/implementing  their  written  screening  and  referral   policy.     9. The  written  screening  and  referral  policy  will  be  reviewed  by  the  assessor  during  the  on-­‐site  visit   for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale.    The  assessor  will  document  their  findings  on  the  Administrative   Documents  form.     10. Any  documentation  that  was  not  presented  for  review  during  the  points  scale  assessment  will  be   identified  in  the  Missing  Documents  Form.    The  form  will  be  provided  to  the  provider  at  the  end  of   the  on-­‐site  points  scale  assessment.    The  provider  will  then  have  30  minutes  to  provide  any   missing  documentation  to  the  assessor.    This  form  will  be  signed  by  both  the  assessor  and  the   provider  to  document  this  process.     11. First  Things  First  Quality  First  staff  will  review  the  documentation  provided  from  the  on-­‐site  points   scale  assessment  and  determine  whether  the  program  meets  the  2,  4,  or  6  point  level.     RESCHEDULING  ASSESSMENTS     « Circumstances  resulting  in  a  non-­‐typical  day  that  would  require  rescheduling  of  the  assessment   visit:     • • The  program  type  (center  or  home)  is  different  than  indicated  in  the  Extranet.    If  this  occurs,   the  assessor  should  not  conduct  the  observation  and  notify  First  Things  First  Quality  First   staff.     None  of  the  staff  (lead  teacher  and  aides)  assigned  in  the  center  profile  are  present.  For  the   ERS  assessment,  If  at  least  one  staff  member  assigned  in  accordance  with  the  profile  is  in   attendance,  assessment  may  occur;     • Classroom  has  gone  on  a  field  trip;   • Fewer  than  50%  of  the  typically  expected    children  are  present;   • Classroom  is  closed  due  to  an  emergency  situation  (e.g.  building  air  conditioning  broken   during  July,  flooding  from  a  major  rainstorm,  etc.)         • A  DHS  licensing  surveyor  is  on-­‐site  conducting  a  visit  at  or  during  the  time  of  the  assessment   observation.     • An  emergency  occurs  at  or  during  the  time  of  the  assessment  observation.     « If  rescheduling  must  occur,  the  assessor  will:     • Make  every  attempt  to  reschedule  within  one  week’s  time.  The  rescheduled  visit  should  be   mutually  acceptable  for  participant  and  assessor     Explain  to  the  participant  the  reason  that  rescheduling  the  assessment  is  necessary.     • If  an  assessment  is  not  able  to  be  completed,  the  assessor  will  complete  the  random  draw  process   again  upon  returning  to  the  site  for  the  rescheduled  assessment.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  39     • Submit  notification  to  supervisor  of  an  incomplete  assessment  with  explanation.  The   assessor  supervisor  will  document  in  the  activity  log.     ASSESSMENT  REQUEST  FOR  CLARIFICATION   After  an  assessment  has  been  completed  and  reviewed,  questions  or  clarifications  may  be  found  by   reviewing  the  corresponding  assessment  tool  and  references.    If  there  are  still  questions  once  the   assessment  tool  and  additional  references  have  been  reviewed,  please  share  these  concerns  with  your   Coach  who  will  work  with  you  complete  the  Assessment  Report  Clarification  Request.   Video  or  audio  recordings  or  photographs  will  not  be  considered  in  the  assessment  clarification  process.   The  assessment  process  is  conducted  in  live,  on-­‐site  observations  to  capture  the  entire  context  of  the   classroom  learning  environment  and  interactions.       ASSESSMENT  CLARIFICATION  RESOURCES     « « « « « « « ITERS-­‐R  (Infant/Toddler  Environmental  Rating  Scale-­‐Revised)   ECERS-­‐R  (Early  Childhood  Environmental  Rating  Scale-­‐Revised)   FCCERS-­‐R  (Family  Child  Care  Environmental  Rating  Scale-­‐Revised)   ITERS-­‐R  and  ECERS-­‐R  All  About  Books   The  developers  of  the  ERS  tools  add  clarifications  about  what  to  consider  when  scoring  the  tool  to   their  website.    These  clarifications  are  in  addition  to  what  the  spiral  bound  ERS  scales  include.     Programs  will  be  scored  using  the  most  recent  clarifications.  Please  visit  the  ERS  website,   www.ersi.info,  regularly  to  remain  current  with  the  ERS  clarifications.   CLASS  assessment  tool   CLASS  website  with  FAQ  and  Implementation  Guide  www.teachstone.org                   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  40   ORIENTATION     PURPOSE     The  purpose  of  the  Quality  First  orientation  is  to  welcome  new  programs  entering  Quality  First  and  to   determine  enrollment.  The  orientation  initiates  the  positive,  collaborative  working  relationship   between  the  coach  and  participant.    The  orientation  is  completed  by  the  assigned  Quality  First  coach   and  may  occur  over  several  visits.     ORIENTATION  PROCESS       Once  the  Quality  First  coach  has  been  notified  of  the  program  selection  into  Quality  First,      the  coach   will  contact  the  director  and/or  owner  to  schedule  an  initial  visit  and  begin  the  orientation  process.   During  the  orientation  process,  the  coach  will  review  the  following:     • Review  and  complete  the  Enrollment  Agreement  including  the  initial  star  rating  and   assessment  scores.  If  a  program  moves  forward  with  the  Points  Scale  Assessment,  the   enrollment  agreement  may  be  signed  prior  to  the  points  scale  completion.    Both  the   program  designee  and  the  coach  must  sign  the  Enrollment  Agreement.    Rating  Only   programs  must  also  sign  the  Enrollment  Agreement.       • Review  the  Implementation  Guide.    The  coach  will  review  the  entire  Implementation  Guide   with  the  participant.  The  Implementation  Guide  must  be  read  by  the  participant  to  ensure   understanding  of  the  Quality  First  Program  and  is  on-­‐line  for  review.         • Explain  the  incentive  package  the  program  is  eligible  to  receive,  if  applicable.    Rating  Only   programs  will  not  receive  an  incentive  package.     • Review  the  Support  Services  available  in  the  participant’s  region.   • Review  and  sign  the  Program  Designee  Form,  if  applicable.    The  program  designee  is   required  if  the  main  contact  for  the  program  is  not  regularly  on-­‐site  or  if  there  is  more  than   one  main  contact  for  the  program.   • Review  the  parent  letter  with  participant,  a  handout  that  providers  may  use  to  inform   parents  about  their  involvement  in  Quality  First.         • The  coach  and  provider  will  complete  the  Licensed  Capacity  Verification  Form  to  indicate   the  number  of  children  birth  to  five  the  program  is  licensed  to  serve.     Programs  may  choose  to  enroll  or  decline  participation  in  Quality  First  by  signing  the  enrollment   agreement.  After  the  enrollment  agreement  is  signed,  the  coach  will:       • Update  the  orientation  tab  on  the  extranet  and  document  the  orientation  visits  in  the   activity  log.       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  41   • Indicate  if  participant  accepted  or  declined  enrollment  in  Quality  First  on  the  orientation   tab.    If  a  program  declines,  the  coach  will  note  the  reason  for  decline.    If  a  program  chooses   to  decline  enrollment,  they  may  not  be  eligible  for  other  FTF  funded  strategies.   • Invite  the  enrolled  participant  to  the  extranet.  The  First  Things  First  Quality  First  program   staff  will  change  the  program’s  status  to  “enrolled”  once  the  orientation  tab  is  completed.                                                                                         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  42    COACHING  VISITS     ON-­‐SITE  VISITS     Coaching  onsite  visits  will  vary  in  length  and  frequency  depending  on  a  participant’s  Star  Rating.         High  Coaching  Intensity  for  Participants  at  Star  Levels  1  and  2   « High  coaching  intensity  is  available  to  participants  that  receive  a  Star  Rating  of  1  or  2.  High   coaching  intensity  includes  quality  improvement  supports  with  more  frequent  and  lengthier   monthly  visits.     « Participants  receiving  high  coaching  intensity  will  obtain  a  minimum  of  eight  hours  of  coaching   support  per  month  with  at  least  six  hours  of  individualized  coaching  occurring  on-­‐site.    Services   may  include  but  are  not  limited  to  assessment  report  analysis,  goal  setting,  on-­‐site  training,   classroom  observations  and  technical  assistance,  collaborative  meetings  with  consultants  and   guidance  for  incentive  purchases  that  are  linked  to  quality  improvement  planning.         Low  Coaching  Intensity  for  Participants  at  Star  Levels  3,  4  and  5   « Low  coaching  intensity  is  available  to  participants  that  receive  a  Star  Rating  of  3,  4  or  5.    Low   coaching  intensity  includes  quality  improvement  supports  with  flexibility  for  potentially  fewer   monthly  visits  or  length  of  time  during  visits.       « Programs  receiving  low  coaching  intensity  may  obtain  a  minimum  of  four  hours  of  coaching   support  per  month  with  flexibility  to  offer  support  options  that  may  include  a  combination  of  on   and  off-­‐site  visits  and  telephone  consultation.    Services  may  include  rating  preparation  coaching,   training  on  instructional  supports,  collaborative  meetings  with  consultants,  peer  learning   communities,  and  maintenance  support  of  quality  standards.         Rating  Only  Coaching  Intensity  for  Participants  Enrolled  in  the  Rating  Only  Option   « Participants  enrolled  in  the  rating  only  option  will  have  access  to  coaching  services  for  up  to   twenty-­‐four  hours  during  the  fiscal  year.     « All  Rating  Only  programs  receive  low  coaching  intensity  and  may  obtain  a  minimum  of  twenty-­‐ four  hours  of  coaching  support  with  flexibility  to  offer  support  options  that  may  include  a   combination  of  on  and  off  site  visits  and  telephone  consultation.     Coaching  Visits   « Visits  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to:     • Interaction  and  engagement  with  the  director/provider,  owner,  and  all  teaching  staff  to   create  consistent  quality  throughout  each  classroom  and  the  whole  program.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  43   • Development  and  review  of  Quality  Improvement  Plan  (forms  are  on  the  extranet  under  the   Quality  Improvement  Plans  tab)  and  the  Quality  Rating  Plan     Participation  in  staff  meetings   • Training  and  technical  assistance     • Classroom  or  family  group  observations   • Presentation  of  community  resources   • Referral  to  outside  professional  development  resources   •   • Assistance  with  Incentive  Funds   •             Preparation  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale  assessment   « Additional  support  may  be  offered  through  telephone  calls,  email  correspondence  and   collaborative  meetings.     « Flexibility  of  coaching  visits  may  be  approved  as  determined  by  the  Quality  First  coaching   supervisor  on  an  individual  basis  due  to  barriers  which  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to:   geography,  traveling  distance  and  language  challenges.  Coach  turnover  or  extended  absences  are   not  considered  valid  rationale  for  extended  time  between  coaching  visits.         « Any  exceptions  to  meeting  the  minimum  coaching  intensity  hours  must  be  discussed  with  and   approved  by  the  coaching  supervisor  and  include  clear  rationale  that  is  documented  in  the  activity   log.    Exceptions  may  include  a  provider  request,  long  distance  travel,  vacation  or  sick  time  (coach   or  provider),  or  facility  size.     DOCUMENTATION     Quality  First  coaches  must  document  all  contact  with  providers  in  the  activity  log.    Contact  may   include  emails,  phone  calls,  personal  visits,  trainings  and  collaboration  meetings.     « For  personal  visits,  each  entry  should  note  the  frequency  of  the  visit  (visit  1,  visit  2).     « Visits  that  are  cancelled  or  rescheduled  should  be  noted  in  the  activity  log  with  the  reason  and  the   next  visit  scheduled  or  follow  up  required.    Attempts  should  be  made  to  reschedule  the  visit   within  two  weeks  of  the  original  visit  date.         « The  amount  of  time  or  duration  of  the  visit  must  be  documented  in  the  activity  log.     « Entries  should  explain  the  overall  purpose  or  goal  of  the  contact  and  a  brief  description  of  what   occurred  during  the  visit/contact.     « Assessment  review  meetings  and  QIP  development  meetings  should  be  specifically  noted  in  the   category  and  visit  type.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  44     « Specific  children’s  names  will  not  be  used  in  the  activity  log.  A  coach  may  use  initials  or  note  “child   1  and/or  child  2.     « Negative  references  to  the  facility,  staff  members  or  other  consultants  will  not  occur  in  the  activity   log  entries.     « Entries  will  avoid  personal  opinion,  but  relate  to  specific  goals,  plans  and  improvement  efforts.     « All  documentation  will  be  grammatically  correct  and  use  appropriate  spelling  and  documentation.     « Any  documentation  kept  on  file  at  the  coaching  agency,  such  as  Incident  Report,  regulatory  status   letters,  etc…  should  be  noted  in  the  activity  log  (i.e.  Incident  Report  on  file  at  XYZ  agency).     « The  activity  log  should  be  updated  within  two  weeks  of  an  on-­‐site  visit  or  contact.     CONTINUITY  PLAN     In  the  event  of  coaching  turnover,  extended  absences  or  reassignments,  a  coaching  supervisor  will   create  a  continuity  plan  to  support  the  improvement  efforts  of  participants.    All  efforts  to  support  the   continuity  will  be  thoroughly  documented  in  the  activity  log.                               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  45   QUALITY  PLANNING  DEVELOPMENT     Quality  planning  provides  the  necessary  foundation  on  which  a  participant  can  begin  to  understand  their   strengths  and  opportunities  for  improvement  in  serving  young  children  through  quality  experiences  and   care.  Coaches  play  a  vital  role  in  helping  participants  make  the  connections  between  assessed  needs  and   methods  by  which  those  needs  can  be  addressed.  The  quality  planning  process  serves  as  an  opportunity   to  hold  discussions,  outline  strategies,  and  measure  success.       GENERAL  PLANNING  PROCEDURES  FOR  QUALITY  IMPROVEMENT  PLAN  (QIP)     Participants  that  meet  the  star  1  or  2  level  will  develop  a  Quality  Improvement  Plan.       « Quality  improvement  planning  will  begin  after  the  initial  assessments  have  been  conducted  and   completed.       « The  coach  is  responsible  for  reviewing  the  assessment  data  prior  to  meeting  with  the  participant.       « The  coach  is  responsible  for  giving  the  provider  access  to  the  assessment  results  through  the   extranet  and/or  hard  copy.     « The  coach  will  review  the  assessment  results  with  the  participant  prior  to  developing  the  quality   improvement  plan.       « The  coach  and  other  supporting  services  will  determine  if  a  joint  visit  for  developing  the  Quality   Improvement  Plan  would  be  beneficial  based  on  identified  successes  and  needs  in  the  assessment.       « The  first  step  to  quality  planning  is  to  identify  the  participant’s  strengths  and  needs  as  identified   by  the  participant’s  assessment,  observations  and  the  participant’s  priorities.  The  participant  and   coach  can  then  use  this  information  to  prioritize  needs  for  improvement  activities.  Coaches  may   use  the  Initial  Planning  Document  (forms  are  in  the  extranet  under  Quality  Improvement  Plans   tab)  or  another  planning  tool  (as  approved  by  coaching  agency  partner)  to  help  guide  the   participant  through  the  planning  process.       « After  the  participant’s  needs  are  prioritized,  the  coach  and  participant  will  develop  at  least  three   goals  using  the  Quality  Improvement  Plan-­‐  Goal  Planning  Form  (form  in  in  the  extranet  under  the   Quality  Improvement  Plans  tab).  One  Quality  Improvement  Plan-­‐  Goal  Planning  Form  must  be   completed  for  each  goal  to  include  actions  steps  with  a  specific  timeline.    As  goals  are  met,  the   participant  and  coach  may  or  may  not  choose  to  add  more  goals  during  the  improvement  period.     « Goals  must  be  SMART-­‐Specific,  measureable,  attainable,  realistic  and  timely.     « Once  the  Planning  Document  and  Quality  Improvement  Plan-­‐Goal  Planning  Forms  are  completed   the  coach  must  submit  them  to  the  coach  supervisor  for  approval.    Once  the  supervisor  approves   the  forms,  the  forms  will  be  uploaded  to  the  QIP  tab  on  the  extranet.  The  coach  will  save   electronic  copies  so  that  updates  can  be  made  as  progress  on  the  QIP  happens.    As  updates  are   made  to  the  goals,  the  coach  will  upload  the  most  recent  version  of  the  goal  to  the  extranet.       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  46   QIP  COMPLETION     « When  the  components  of  a  QIP  are  completed  the  Quality  First  coach  will  ensure  all  notes  for  the   goals  and  tasks  are  documented  within  the  plans  (i.e.  materials  purchased,  trainings  conducted,   facility  improvements,  etc.).         « When  all  goals  in  a  QIP  are  accomplished  the  coach  will  document  the  goal  as  complete  in  the   extranet.         « If  a  goal  is  not  complete  within  the  QIP  cycle,  notes  will  reflect  the  progress  or  carryover  of  the  goal   into  the  next  year  (a  new  goal  must  be  created  in  the  new  cycle).         « To  complete  closure  of  the  QIP  the  coach  must  document  each  goal  as  complete  or  not  complete   and  then  document  that  the  QIP  is  closed  in  the  extranet.         « A  QIP  must  be  closed  before  uploading  a  new  QIP  to  the  extranet.     QUALITY  RATING  PLAN  (QRP)     The  Quality  Rating  Plan  will  be  used  to  assist  participants  in  preparing  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale   documentation  assessment.    The  QRP  may  be  used  when  a  participant  has  Average  Program  ERS  and   Average  Program  CLASS  scores  that  meet  the  3,  4,  or  5  star  levels.    The  QRP  includes  tasks  to  support   staff  qualifications,  ratios  and  group  sizes,  and  curriculum  and  child  assessment.    Extranet  tabs  will  be   updated  throughout  the  process  to  document  ongoing  efforts  to  prepare  for  the  Quality  First  Points   Scale  assessment.         Participants  have  up  to  6  months  to  complete  activities  for  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale  assessment.     Participants  may  click  the  submit  button  at  any  time  during  the  6  months  they  have  to  complete  the   Quality  First  Point  Scale  activities.    Clicking  the  submit  button  will  trigger  an  on-­‐site  Quality  First  Point   Scale  assessment.    At  the  end  of  the  6  months,  participants  will  receive  an  on-­‐site  Quality  First  Point   Scale  assessment  even  if  the  submit  button  has  not  been  clicked.       Participants  will  receive  a  star  rating  based  on  the  completion  of  all  three  assessment  tools  (ERS,  CLASS   and  the  Quality  First  Points  Scale).               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  47   QUALITY  FIRST  FINANCIAL  INCENTIVES       Enrolled  participants  in  Quality  First  will  receive  financial  incentives  to  help  support  and  maintain  quality   improvement  efforts,  if  applicable.    Financial  incentives  and  Quality  First  Child  Care  scholarships  are  not   available  to  Rating  Only  participants.     There  are  3  types  of  financial  incentives:   « Incentive  Funds-­‐  used    for  purchasing  classroom/program  materials  through  the  Quality  First  coach     « Quality  Bonus-­‐  a  check  provided  to  the  program     « DHS  Fees-­‐  50%  of  a  program’s  DHS  fees  are  paid  for  all  enrolled  programs  (not  Rating  Only   participants)     This  table  represents  the  Total  Incentive  Amount  that  will  be  available  to  providers  enrolled  in  Quality   First  beginning  July  1,  2013  through  June  30,  2014.    Participants  will  have  access  to  incentives  up  to  the   following  amounts.   Total  Amount  of   Annual  Quality   First  Incentives     Large  Center   (Licensed   Capacity     birth-­‐5  =  150+)     Amount   remaining  after   $8,400   DHS  fees  have   been  deducted.   Medium  Center   (Licensed   Capacity  birth-­‐5   =  51-­‐150)   Small  Center   (Licensed   Capacity  birth-­‐5   =  50  or  less)   Group  Home   (DHS)   (Licensed     Capacity  =  10   Family  Home     (DES)   (Certified  for   4  children  or   less)   $5,250   $3,675   $2,100   $1,050     Participants  who  reach  a  1  and  2  star  level  will  document  the  use  of  incentive  funds  as  identified  in  the   Quality  Improvement  Plan  which  is  developed  by  the  Quality  First  coach  and  provider.     Financial  incentives  awarded  to  3,  4,  and  5  star  participants  are  in  the  form  of  a  Quality  Bonus,  which  is  a   cash  incentive.    Participants  will  complete  the  Quality  Bonus  Agreement  to  document  the  purchases   made  or  activities  supported  with  the  Quality  Bonus.    Programs  may  choose  to  purchase  through  the   Quality  First  coach  in  lieu  of  receiving  the  Quality  Bonus.     All  Quality  First  incentives  are  to  be  spent  on  the  specific  site  enrolled  in  Quality  First  as  indicated  by  the   enrollment  agreement.    Any  materials  purchased  with  incentive  funds  must  remain  with  the  specific  site   enrolled  to  support  the  quality  of  care  offered  to  the  children  at  that  site.     « Incentive  funds  can  be  used  to  purchase  developmentally  appropriate  materials  and  supplies,   improve  facility  equipment  and  supplement  professional  development  opportunities.         « The  amount  allocated  for  incentive  funds  is  based  on  the  program’s  licensed  capacity  for  children   ages  birth  through  five.    Multipurpose  classrooms  that  are  used  50%  or  more  of  the  time  by  children   ages  birth  through  five  are  included  in  the  program’s  licensed  capacity.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  48     « Participants  have  access  to  the  full  amount  of  incentive  funds  during  the  fiscal  year  (July  1-­‐June  30).     Funds  not  expended  at  the  end  of  a  fiscal  year  are  not  carried  over.       « Participants  enrolled  between  March  and  June  may  not  have  access  to  incentive  funds  due  to  the   fiscal  year  funding  cycle  which  ends  June  30th.     « Participants  may  submit  multiple  incentive  funding  requests  within  a  calendar  year.  Incentive   funding  requests  may  not  exceed  the  maximum  grant  amounts  available  per  fiscal  year.       ACCESS  TO  INCENTIVES-­‐  IN  FY2013  (July  1,  2013-­‐  June  30,  2014)     Incentive  distribution  will  be  distributed  on  a  fiscal  year  basis,  not  based  on  assessment  cycle.  This   means  that  after  the  start  of  each  fiscal  year,  participants  enrolled  in  Quality  First  will  have  the  full   incentive  amount  to  access  based  upon  center  size  and  star  level.    Unexpended  incentive  funds  or   programmatic  balances  WILL  NOT  be  carried  over  from  one  fiscal  year  to  the  next.     At  the  start  of  each  fiscal  year,  coaches  and  participants  will  use  the  QIP  and  assessment  cycle  to   determine  a  strategy  for  incentive  expenditures.       QUALITY  BONUS  POLICY     The  Quality  Bonus  is  a  Quality  First  monetary  financial  incentive  that  is  available  annually  for   participants  that  achieve  a  3,  4,  or  5  star  rating.  The  Quality  Bonus  offers  greater  flexibility  for  providers   to  decide  which  areas  of  improvement  financial  incentives  will  be  used  to  support  or  enhance.    The   Quality  Bonus  can  be  used  to  assist  participants  with  expenditures  in  the  following  areas:  quality   improvement,  facility  projects,  professional  development  and/or  program  operations.  The  amount  of   the  Quality  Bonus  is  determined  by  the  licensed  capacity  for  children  birth  through  five  years  of  age.   Pre-­‐  Rating  Access   « Enrolled  participants  with  Environmental  Rating  Scale  (ERS)  and  Classroom  Assessment  Scoring   System  (CLASS)  scores  at  the  3,  4  or  5  star  level  are  eligible  to  access  Quality  First  financial   incentives  prior  to  being  assigned  a  star  rating  if  the  participant  is  completing  activities  for  the   Quality  First  Points  Scale  Assessment.       « Enrolled  participants  may  access  the  financial  incentives  up  to  the  maximum  incentive  amount   available  to  the  participant.  Participants  may  use  the  incentive  funds  to  support  purchases  of   developmentally  appropriate  materials,  facility  improvement  projects  and  professional   development  opportunities.     « All  purchases  must  be  made  through  the  Quality  First  Coach  and  will  be  documented  on  the   Quality  Rating  Plan  with  documentation  provided  in  the  Quality  Bonus  Report.         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  49   Post  Rating  Access   « 1  and  2  Star  Participants     If  a  1  or  2  star  rating  is  achieved,  the  participant  will  proceed  with  quality  improvement  planning   in  partnership  with  the  Quality  First  coach.  Participants  are  able  to  access  the  remainder  of  the   incentives  through  enhancement  grants  as  prioritized  in  the  quality  improvement  plan.     « 3,  4  and  5  Star  Participants     If  a  3,  4  or  5  star  rating  is  achieved,  the  participant  can  access  the  remainder  of  the  incentives  in   the  form  of  a  Quality  Bonus.    To  receive  the  Quality  Bonus,  the  participant  must  sign  the  Quality   Bonus  Agreement  and  identify  the  way  in  which  they  would  like  to  receive  the  Bonus.     Financial  reporting  is  required  as  indicated  in  the  Quality  Bonus  Agreement.       Grandfathered  Participants   « Participants  enrolled  prior  to  July  1,  2011  are  considered  “grandfathered”  in  the  Quality  First   program.  Grandfathered  participants  will  receive  their  initial  public  rating  at  the  3rd  assessment.   Prior  to  receiving  a  star  rating,  grandfathered  participants  will  access  incentives  according  to  the   ERS  and  CLASS  assessment  scores.     « If  a  grandfathered  participant’s  ERS  and  CLASS  assessment  scores  meet  the  3,  4  or  5  star  rating,   the  grandfathered  participant  will  be  required  to  go  through  the  Points  Scale  assessment  and  will   be  able  to  access  incentives  as  described  in  the  Pre-­‐  Rating  Access  section  above.     « If  a  grandfathered  participant’s  ERS  and  CLASS  scores  below  the  3  star  rating  upon  completion  of   the  Point  Scale  assessment,  the  participant  will  access  incentives  through  enhancement  grants.   Financial  reporting  is  required  as  indicated  in  the  Quality  Bonus  Agreement*.     *  Please  See  Quality  Bonus  Agreement   FINANCIAL  MONITORING     Incentive  Payment   Participants  eligible  for  a  Quality  Bonus  may  access  the  bonus  in  one  of  two  ways:   1. Purchases  of  materials  made  through  the  coaching  agency  on  behalf  of  the  participant,  and/or     2. A  cash  incentive  provided  to  the  participant  in  the  form  of  a  check.   Financial  Monitoring  for  Participants  Receiving  a  Quality  Bonus  Check   « The  Quality  Bonus  check  will  be  reported  on  the  FTF  quarterly  financial  report  on  the  month  that   the  check  is  given  to  the  participant.       « Participants  are  required  to  maintain  a  record  of  incentive  expenditures  on  the  Quality  Bonus   Report,  and  to  submit  financial  documents  (receipts,  invoices,  facility  project  contracts  etc.)  to  the   coaching  agency  of  all  expenditures  made  from  the  Quality  Bonus  on  a  monthly  basis.  All  receipts   and  the  Quality  Bonus  Report  must  be  turned  in  to  the  coaching  agency  by  May  1  of  each  year.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  50   Coaching  agencies  will  reconcile  financial  documents  with  the  Quality  Bonus  amount  given  to   participant.    Receipts  will  remain  on  file  with  coaching  agency.       « If  financial  documents  do  not  equal  the  Quality  Bonus  amount  provided  to  the  participant,  the   coaching  agency  will  provide  the  participant  14  days  to  submit  the  additional  financial   documentation  needed.  If  the  participant  is  not  able  to  provide  the  additional  financial   documents,  the  coaching  grantee  will  notify  FTF  of  “noncompliance  with  Quality  Bonus  financial   reporting.”     « Any  participant  that  does  not  submit  the  financial  documents  will  be  terminated  from  Quality   First.  Additionally,  FTF  reserves  the  right  to  recover  funding  if  it  is  determined  that  funds  were   misused  and  not  utilized  as  outlined  in  this  Quality  Bonus  Agreement.  Recovering  funding  may   require  the  participant  to  pay  back  the  total  amount  of  funding  received  through  the  quality   bonus  using  a  collections  process.       « FTF  will  notify  any  participant  that  is  terminated  due  to  noncompliance  with  the  Quality  Bonus   Agreement.       TAX  LIABILITY     First  Things  First  is  not  responsible  or  liable  for  any  tax  reporting  or  financial  liability  for  the  Internal   Review  Service  that  may  be  applicable  for  participants  choosing  to  receive  the  Quality  Bonus  in  the  form   of  an  incentive  check.    It  is  recommended  that  Quality  First  participants  contact  their  accountant,   auditor  and/or  financial  advisors  for  guidance  on  fiscal  reporting.     FUNDING  REQUESTS  FOR  INCENTIVES     Incentive  funds  are  not  distributed  to  the  participant  in  the  form  of  a  check  (only  the  Quality  Bonus);   rather  the  participant  is  assisted  by  the  coaching  agency  in  the  purchasing  of  materials,  supplies  and   other  specialized  services.  However,  funding  requests  for  incentive  checks  may  be  approved  by  the   coaching  agency  if  identified  in  one  of  the  categories  below:     1. Consultation  and  Specialized  Services-­‐  Fees  for  consultation  and  specialized  services  are   permitted  only  if  these  services  cannot  be  provided  by  the  Quality  First  coach,  child  care  health   consultant,  identified  program  personnel  (education  coordinator,  curriculum  specialist,  behavioral   health  specialist,  program  trainer  or  mentor,  etc.)  or  if  the  specialized  subject  matter  is  not   offered  through  community  based  training  and  other  resources.  (ex.  CPR/First  Aid  training,  GED   courses,  financial  planning,  playground  inspection,  behavioral  health  training  etc.)  The  rationale   and  impact  of  the  consultation  and  specialized  services  must  be  identified  in  the  Quality   Improvement  Plan.  Funding  requests  for  consultation  and  specialized  services  must  support  the   overall  quality  of  care  and  be  approved  by  the  coaching  agency.  Incentive  checks  must  be  made   payable  and  mailed  to  the  vendor  delivering  the  service  after  it  has  been  provided.  Invoices  are   required  for  documentation  and  record  keeping.     2. Facility  Improvements-­‐  Facility  improvement  projects  may  be  authorized  if  the  primary  function  is   to  improve  quality  of  services  provided  for  children.  Examples  of  facility  improvement  projects   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  51   include  but  are  not  limited  to:  shelving,  cement  slab,  fencing,  painting  and  carpet  installation.    A   facility  projects  liability  release  needs  to  be  completed  prior  to  approval  of  such  projects.     Incentive  checks  must  be  made  payable  and  mailed  to  the  vendor  delivering  the  service  after  it   has  been  provided.  Invoices  are  required  for  documentation  and  record  keeping.             • Incentive  funding  request  for  facility  improvement  projects  cannot  exceed  30%  of  the  total   incentive  funds.  If  the  funding  request  is  over  30%  of  the  total  incentive  funding  amount   awarded  to  the  program  the  program  must  get  approval  from  the  coaching  agency  and  the   coaching  agency.    The  rationale  and  impact  of  the  construction  project  must  be  identified  in   the  Quality  Improvement  Plan.    Incentive  checks  must  be  addressed  and  mailed  to  the   contractor.  Invoices  are  required  for  documentation  and  record  keeping.    FTF  will  not  be   liable  or  responsible  for  any  damages  or  unsatisfactory  work.*Any  participant  using   enhancement  grants  to  fund  a  facility  project  must  complete  a  liability  release  form.     • For  Leased  Properties:    All  facility  improvement  projects  must  in  accordance  with  state  and   local  code  and  license  requirements  as  under  the  terms  with  the  tenant’s  lease.  Therefore,  it   is  the  tenant’s  responsibility  to  ensure  that  approval  from  the  landlord  is  granted  for  tenant   improvements  and  for  selection  of  the  vendor.     3. Transcript  Payment-­‐  Incentive  funds  may  be  used  to  cover  the  cost  of  requesting  transcripts  for   staff  during  the  Quality  First  Point  Scale  preparation.    To  receive  a  prepayment  or   reimbursement  for  transcript  request  please  work  with  your  Quality  First  coach  to  fill  out  the   Transcript  Verification  Form.     4.  Staff  Release  Time:  Incentive  funds  may  be  used  to  cover  the  cost  of  staff  release  time  for   scholars  using  T.E.A.C.H.    scholarships.       5. Materials  and  Equipment:  Programs  that  have  a  specific  need  for  additional  learning  materials   and  equipment  my  used  incentive  funds  to  purchase  these  items  through  an  approved  vendor   provided  by  the  Quality  First  Coach.     DOCUMENTATION  AND  RECORD  KEEPING     « The  Coaching  agencies  are  expected  to  implement  a  system  to  track  and  verify  distribution  and   receipt  of  incentives.  Documentation  and  evidence  to  support  the  rationale  for  receipt  of   incentives  must  be  indicated  in  the  Quality  Improvement  Plan.    All  incentive  documentation   should  be  maintained  on  site  and  be  readily  available  for  review  in  the  event  of  an  audit,  appeal  or   funder  request.     « The  Quality  Bonus  Financial  Reporting  form  will  be  completed  by  the  participant  receiving  a   Quality  Bonus.    Completed  forms  will  be  submitted  to  the  Quality  First  coach.    For  more   information  on  the  Quality  Bonus  Financial  Reporting,  please  refer  to  the  Quality  Bonus  Policy.               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  52     QUALITY  FIRST  SCHOLARSHIPS     « Quality  First  Scholarships  go  to  families  with  eligible  children  who  are  birth  to  5  years   old.     « Scholarships  will  be  available  to  programs  participating  in  Quality  First  based  on  their   size  and  star  level  as  funded  by  regional  councils.   « Scholarships  are  determined  as  of  April  1st  of  each  fiscal  year  based  on  a  program’s   estimated  star  rating.   « For  families,  contact  602-­‐240-­‐6324  for  more  information.   « For  providers,  contact  602-­‐240-­‐6325  for  more  information   « Additional  information  is  available  through  the  toll  free  number  1-­‐866-­‐973-­‐0012  or  by   visiting  www.  azftfscholarshps.org   Star  Levels   %  Median   Rate  Paid   for   Scholarships   Size  Based  on  Licensed  Capacity  0-­‐5   1   2   3   4   5   75%   75%   85%   100%   110%   Maximum  Number  of  Quality  First  Child  Care  Scholarships   Child  care  scholarships  are  a  significant  component  of  the  financing   model,  providing  eligible  children  access  to  quality  early  care  settings.   Programs  rated  at  higher  quality  will  receive  a  higher  reimbursement  for   each  scholarship.  The  number  of  scholarships  and  payment  rate  are   determined  by  the  program  size,  program  location  and  star  rating.   Large  Center   (150+)   Medium  Center   (51-­‐150)   9   10   12   15   17   6   7   9   11   12   Small  Center   (50  or  less)   4   5   6   8   9   Group  Home   (DHS  10)   1   2   2   3   4   Family  Home   (DES  4    or  less)   1   1   2   2   2     ASSISTANCE  WITH  PAYMENT  OF  LICENSURE  FEES     « All  participants  enrolled  in  Quality  First  that  are  regulated  by  the  Department  of  Health  Services   (DHS)  will  receive  assistance  with  payment  of  licensure  fees.    50%  of  a  participant’s  licensing  fees   will  be  paid  by  FTF  when  they  are  due  every  three  years.  The  provider  will  remain  responsible  for   the  remaining  50%  of  the  licensure  fee  every  three  years.    Although  Quality  First  participants   regulated  by  DHS  must  be  enrolled  in  Empower  Pack,  they  do  not  receive  the  Empower  Pack   licensure  fee  discount  awarded  to  non-­‐QF  participants.    The  Quality  First  assistance  with  licensure   fees  is  not  optional  for  participants  regulated  with  DHS     DHS  Licensure  Fees  without  50%  discount   Group  Home   $1000   Small  Center   $1000   Medium  Center   $4000   Group  Home   $500   Provider  Amount  with  50%  discount   Small  Center   Medium  Center   $500   $2000   Large  Center   $7800     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Large  Center   $3900   Page  53     « Participants  that  receive  a  Quality  Bonus  (which  is  a  cash  incentive)  may  choose  to  use  their   Quality  Bonus  to  cover  more  than  50%  of  their  licensing  fees     Family  child  care  providers  regulated  by  Department  of  Economic  Security  (DES)  ONLY  and  tribal   participants  that  are  NOT  regulated  by  DHS  will  not  have  any  portion  of  their  incentives  designated  for   licensing  fees.     PROGRAM  CLOSURE/CHANGE  OF  OWNERSHIP     UNSCHEDULED  PROGRAM  CLOSURE     « In  the  event  of  unscheduled  program  closure,  participants  will  work  with  their  Quality  First  coach   to  establish  a  modified  schedule  to  continue  participation.  Examples  include  but  are  not  limited  to   the  following:         • Facility/property  damage  due  to  natural  disasters  such  as  fire  or  flooding     On-­‐site  staff/child  medical  emergency   • Health  epidemic/personal  medical  conditions   •     « If  the  program  does  not  resume  services  after  a  30  business  day  period,  the  program  may  be  dis-­‐ enrolled  from  Quality  First.    There  may  be  circumstances  that  require  an  extension  of  time  beyond   30  business  days  will  be  determined  on  a  case  by  case  basis  by  First  Things  First.     « Programs  that  are  dis-­‐enrolled  from  Quality  First  due  to  an  unforeseen  program  closure  lasting   longer  than  30  business  days  can  reapply  for  Quality  First  after  they  reopen.     EXTENDED  PROGRAM  CLOSURE     To  maintain  program  eligibility,  participants  must  provide  care  in  accordance  with  their  program   calendar  for  children  birth  through  age  five  throughout  their  enrollment  in  Quality  First.  If  there  is   extended  program  closure  due  to  reasons  indicated  below,  participants  will  be  dis-­‐enrolled  and  must   submit  a  new  application  for  consideration  of  future  enrollment.       •   • •   Loss  of  regulatory  status     Facility  closure   Relocation  to  a  new  facility  (outside  of  the  FTF  enrollment  regional  area)           Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  54   HOME-­‐BASED  PROGRAMS  ONLY     When  a  home  provider  loses  all  enrolled  children,  the  participant  must  notify  the  coach  and  indicate  the   last  day  of  care  that  was  provided.    Home  providers  will  be  given  45  days  (from  the  last  day  of  care   verified  by  the  participant)  to  replace  enrollment.       In  the  event  that  a  Coach  suspects  that  a  DES  Certified  Home  Provider  is  currently  not  serving  any   children  while  enrolled  in  Quality  First,  the  following  steps  should  be  taken:   1. Speak  directly  with  the  provider  to  determine  whether  children  are  currently  being  served   and  if  not,  document  the  last  day  of  care  for  enrolled  children  as  verified  by  the   provider.    Home  providers  will  be  given  45  days  (from  the  last  day  of  care  verified  by  the   participant)  to  replace  enrollment.       2. If  the  provider  does  not  verify  they  no  longer  have  children  enrolled  in  their  home  care   setting,  the  coach  will  use  the  next  two  visits  to  determine  evidence  of  the  provider  serving   children.    After  two  personal  visits,  the  provider  will  be  given  45  days  to  replace  enrollment   from  the  date  of  the  coach’s  last  personal  visit.           3. During  the  45  day  period,  the  coach  will  assist  the  participant  in  developing  a  marketing  plan   to  recruit  new  families.    After  the  marketing  plan  is  developed,  the  coach  will  maintain   contact  with  the  participant  through  phone  calls  and  email  communication.     4.  If  there  are  still  no  children  in  care  at  the  end  of  45  days,  the  program  will  be  dis-­‐enrolled   from  Quality  First.     INCENTIVES  REDISTRIBUTION     « In  the  event  of  a  program  closure  or  revocation  of  licensure,  or  no  longer  serving  children,   participating  center-­‐based  early  care  and  education  programs  and  family  child  care  homes  are   requested  to  redistribute  all  materials  and  equipment  purchased  with  Quality  First  incentives  to   other  Quality  First  enrolled  participants  within  the  regional  area.    Redistribution  of  the  materials   and  equipment  will  be  noted  in  the  extranet  by  the  Quality  First  coach.         « If  a  program  chooses  to  disenroll  from  Quality  First  participation,  materials  may  remain  with  the   provider  as  long  as  they  continue  to  serve  children.     Programs  that  are  relocating  across  regional  boundaries  are  able  to  retain  all  purchases  made        through   Quality  First.         CHANGE  OF  OWNERSHIP     « When  a  program  changes  owners,  Quality  First  may  continue  based  on  the  following  guidelines:   o DHS  licensed  programs  must  remain  in  good  standing  and  work  with  their  licensing   surveyor  to  ensure  that  the  proper  paperwork  has  been  filed  and  approved.   o Any  change  in  information  must  be  communicated  to  the  Quality  First  coach  in  order  to   update  the  program’s  information  in  the  extranet.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  55   o A  new  enrollment  agreement  must  be  signed  by  the  new  owner  to  ensure   understanding  of  the  Quality  First  program  guidelines  and  responsibilities.                                                 Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  56   SECTION  4:  ADMINISTRATIVE  PRACTICES     CONFIDENTIALITY     First  Things  First  respects  the  confidentiality  of  all  applicants  and  enrolled  participants.  All  Quality  First   partners  (coaches,  assessors,  child  care  health  consultant,  supervisors,  and  other  support  services)  are   expected  to  maintain  discretion  throughout  their  involvement  in  the  quality  improvement  and  rating   process.    Program  records,  staff  information,  assessment  results  and  quality  improvement  efforts  are   not  made  public,  nor  are  they  shared  with  individuals  outside  of  the  Quality  First  program.     If  a  participant  feels  that  their  confidentiality  has  been  compromised,  please  contact  the  Quality  First   Director  for  further  assistance:     Quality  First  Program   First  Things  First   4000  North  Central  Avenue,  Suite  800   Phoenix,  Arizona  85012   Email:    qualityfirst@azftf.gov   Phone:    (602)  771-­‐5000   Fax:    (602)  274-­‐6351                                                   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  57   MANDATED  REPORTING     Quality  First  coaches,  assessors,  child  care  health  consultants,  mental  health  consultants  and  inclusion   specialists  are  all  support  team  members  within  Quality  First  and  have  distinct  roles  to  assist  enrolled   early  care  and  education  providers  in  improving  quality  for  children  and  their  families.    Quality  First   support  team  members  are  not  representatives  of  regulatory  agencies  nor  will  they  serve  in  that   capacity.  However,  if  a  Quality  First  support  team  member  is  visiting  a  center  or  home  and  observes  that   a  child’s  health,  safety  or  well-­‐being  is  in  danger,  or  has  reason  to  suspect  child  abuse  or  neglect,  the   Quality  First  support  team  member  will  immediately  share  the  concern  with  the  director  or  program   designee.     Additionally,  as  representatives  of  a  state  program,  Quality  First  support  team  members  are  mandated   reporters  by  law  (as  outlined  in  the  A.R.S.  §  36-­‐2281).This  means  that  Quality  First  support  team   members  are  required  to  report  or  cause  a  report  to  be  made  regarding  any  suspected  incident  of  child   abuse,  neglect  or  endangerment  to  the  Department  of  Health  Services  or  the  Department  of  Economic   Security.                                     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  58     QUALITY  FIRST  INCIDENT  REPORTING  POLICY     POLICY  STATEMENT     Establishing  trust  and  fostering  positive  relationships  with  Quality  First  participants  is  an  integral   component  for  successful  quality  improvement.  During  on-­‐site  visits,  incidents  may  be  observed  that  are   non-­‐compliant  with  regulatory  standards.  As  monitoring  regulatory  compliance  is  a  function  of   regulatory  agencies  (i.e.  Department  of  Health  Services  (DHS),  Department  of  Economic  Security  (DES),   Tribal  Authority  and  Military  Government)  and  not  a  role  of  Quality  First,  support  team  members  (i.e.   coaches,  assessors  and  child  care  health  consultants)  must  be  sensitive  in  determining  when  incidents   need  to  be  reported  to  regulatory  agencies  and  when  to  utilize  incidents  as  teachable  moments  for   Quality  First  participants.     The  Incident  Reporting  Policy  provides  guidance  for  all  Quality  First  grantees  and  agency  partners  on   regulatory  reporting  for  witnessed  incidents  of  child  endangerment,  abuse  or  neglect.  When  reporting   such  incidents,  the  Quality  First  agency  partner  will  use  the  guidance  indicated  below  in  conjunction   with  any  agency  reporting  procedures.     TEACHABLE  MOMENTS   Incidents  used  for  teachable  moments  are  described  as  situations  that  are  “potentially  harmful”  for   children.  Potentially  harmful  incidents  have  the  potential  of  causing  a  health  and/or  safety  hazard  for   children  in  care.    During  such  incidents,  there  are  two  types  of  interventions  that  can  be  used  as   teachable  moments  to  support  the  program:     1. Immediate  Intervention     When  an  incident  is  observed  that  has  the  potential  of  causing  a  health  and/or  safety  hazard,  the   Quality  First  support  team  member  should  immediately  address  the  incident  by  informing  the   teacher,  director,  owner  or  program  designee  of  the  issue  and  the  appropriate  action  that  is   required.    Examples  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to:   • Teacher  leaving  children  unsupervised     • Using  inappropriate  discipline  (  i.e.  lengthy  time-­‐out,  using  extremely  loud  or  angry   voice)           •  Children  not  washing  hands  before  meals   • Child  not  buckled  into  high  chair     • Not  sending  sick  children  home   • Children  denied  second  helpings  of  meals     2. Training  and  Technical  Assistance     After  a  potential  harmful  incident  is  observed,  the  Quality  First  support  team  member  may  also   determine  that  some  additional  training  and/or  technical  assistance  may  beneficial  for  the   program.  The  Quality  First  support  team  member  may  provide  the  program  with  the  training  or   make  recommendations  for  health  and  safety  trainings  and/  or  technical  assistance  that  are   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  59   available  through  community  resources.  Training  may  also  be  provided  by  the  regulatory  agency,   Child  Care  Health  Consultant  or  other  community  resource.     The  training  and/or  technical  assistance  may  include  references  to  licensing  /certification   regulations,  Quality  First  standards  (  i.e.  assessments  and  Points  Scale)    or    the  Early  Learning   Standards  and  Program  Guidelines  for  High  Quality  Early  Education.       REPORTING  AN  INCIDENT     Incidents  that  require  reporting  are  situations  that  cause  “actual  harm”  or  reoccurring  potentially   harmful  situations  that  are  observed.    Incidents  that  cause  actual  harm  are  situations  that  are  life   threatening  to  the  health  and  safety  for  children  in  care.  Reoccurring  potentially  harmful  situations  are   incidents  that  that  have  been  observed,  addressed  and  documented  on  more  than  one  occasion.  In  such   situations,  it  is  the  Quality  First  support  team  member  who  must  report  the  incident  to  the  regulatory   agency.     Incidents  that  require  reporting  to  the  regulatory  agencies  should  include  the  following  steps,  as   applicable:     1. Immediate  Intervention     The  Quality  First  support  team  member  will  provide  immediate  intervention  to  ensure  the  safety   of  a  child  during  any  witnessed  incident.  This  may  include,  but  is  not  limited  to:  notifying  a   teacher,  caregiver  or  other  on-­‐site  staff  of  an  environmental  hazard  or  a  dangerous  situation  for  a   child,  providing  direct  assistance  to  a  child  in  danger,  or  removing  something  that  puts  children  in   danger.       2. Notification  to  Director/Owner/Program  Designee     The  on-­‐site  program  director/owner/program  designee  must  be  informed  of  the  witnessed   incident  on  the  day  that  the  incident  was  observed.  Every  attempt  should  be  made  to  notify  the   on-­‐site  director/owner/program  designee  PRIOR  to  leaving  the  site.  If  the  onsite  program   director/owner/program  designee  is  unable  to  be  reached  on  the  day  of  the  incident,  the  Quality   First  support  team  member  must  make  contact  within  48  hours.  All  contact  attempts  must  be   documented  with  date  and  time  in  the  activity  log.       3. Notification  to  Regulatory  Agency   Quality  First  support  team  members  will  report  incidents  to  regulatory  agencies  using  the   reporting  mechanisms  implemented  by  each  regulatory  agency.     • For  programs  regulated  with  the  Department  of  Health  Services,  reports  may  be  made   by  telephone  by  contacting  the  surveyor  on  duty  at  (602)  364-­‐2539  or  online  at   https://app.azdhs.gov/ls/online_complaint/CCComplaint.aspx     • For  certified  homes  regulated  by  the  Department  of  Economic  Security,  reports  may  be   made  by  contacting  the  local  Child  Care  Administration  office.  If  the  local  office  contact   is  unknown,  contact  the  Child  Care  Administration  Central  office  to  obtain  information   at  (602)  542-­‐4248.   • Reports  for  programs  regulated  by  Tribal  Authority  or  Military  government  are  made  to   the  offices  that  are  designated  for  regulatory  compliance.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  60     4. Notification  to  Quality  First       The  Quality  First  agency  partner  will  indicate  in  the  activity  log  when  an  incident  is  observed.  The   activity  log  will  provide  general  information  relating  to  the  incident  to  include:   • Date  of  incident       • Actions  taken  to  respond  to  incident  (i.e.  program  designee  notification,  regulatory   reporting,  informing  grantee  or  other  team  partners  as  applicable,  etc.)     • • Name  of  agency  partner  where  incident  supporting  documentation  is  held     The  Quality  First  Grantee  will  notify  First  Things  First  of  the  Incident  Report  within  one   week  of  the  report  being  filed.     5. Notification  to  Child  Protective  Services    or  Local  Authorities   • Quality  First  support  team  members  may  contact  Child  Protective  Services  (CPS)  and/or  local   authorities  as  deemed  necessary  by  the  Mandatory  Reporting  Law  of  the  State  of  Arizona:      The  Mandatory  Reporting  Law  of  the  State  of  Arizona   “Any  person  who  reasonably  believes  that  a  minor  is  or  has  been  the  victim  of  physical  injury,   abuse,  child  abuse,  a  reportable  offense  or  neglect  that  appears  to  have  been  inflicted  on  the   minor  by  other  than  accidental  means…shall  immediately  report  or  cause  reports  to  be  made  of   this  information  to  a  peace  officer  or  to  Child  Protective  Services  in  the  Department  of  Economic   Security,  except  if  the  report  concerns  a  person  who  does  not  have  care,  custody  or  control  of  the   minor,  the  report  shall  be  made  to  a  peace  officer  only.”    (Arizona  Revised  Statute  13-­‐3620)     The  Quality  First  Support  Team  will  work  collaboratively  with  the  regulatory  agencies  to  ensure   support  of  a  program  through  regular  communication.                       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  61   INFORMAL  DISPUTE  RESOLUTION  POLICY     POLICY  STATEMENT     The  Informal  Dispute  Resolution  Policy  will  be  implemented  by  the  Quality  First  agency  when  a   participant  has  a  complaint  with  a  Quality  First  programmatic  decision  and/or  policy.  The  informal   dispute  process  will  assist  in  addressing  complaints  that  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to  items  such  as:   personality  conflict,  communication  differences,  explanation  of  assessment  reports  or  any  programmatic   complaint  relating  to  coaching,  assessment,  or  consultation.  In  such  instances,  the  Quality  First  grantee   will  facilitate  the  informal  dispute  process  with  participants.      If  the  Quality  First  agency  partner  and/or   participant  believe  that  the  complaint  was  not  satisfactorily  resolved  after  the  initial  informal  review,   First  Things  First  will  then  participate  in  the  informal  dispute  process  and  attempts  will  be  made  to  assist   all  parties  in  reaching  a  reasonable  solution.         INFORMAL  DISPUTE  PROCEDURE     1. Informal  Review   • The  Quality  First  agency  should  make  all  attempts  to  resolve  complaints  through  direct   communications  with  Quality  First  participant.    In  this  step,  the  complaint  should  be   discussed  verbally  during  a  teleconference  and/or  scheduled  meeting  with  the  participant.     The  Quality  First  grantee  or  coaching  agency  should  document  the  discussion  with  the   participant  in  the  activity  log  of  the  extranet.       • If  it  is  determined  that  the  participant  is  reluctant  to  discuss  the  complaint  with  the  Quality   First  coaching  agency,  the  grantee  will  notify  the  Director  of  Quality  First.    The  Director  of   Quality  First  will  then  contact  the  participant  to  discuss  the  complaint  and  attempt  to   determine  a  solution.  First  Things  First  will  notify  the  grantee  of  all  discussions  and  meetings   related  to  the  complaint.       2. Formal  Review     • If  the  complaint  is  not  resolved  through  the  informal  review,  the  participant,  Quality  First   grantee  and  coaching  agency  may  proceed  to  step  two  by  submitting  a  Quality  First   Complaint  form.  The  Quality  First  Complaint  form  will  be  used  to  document  the  following:       o Description  of  the  complaint     o Previous  attempts  made  to  resolve  the  issue   o Recommendations  of  possible  solutions   *The  Quality  First  Complaint  form  must  be  signed  and  submitted  via  postal  mail,  e-­‐mail  or  fax  to:   Quality  First  Director   First  Things  First   Central  Avenue,  Suite  800   Phoenix,  Arizona  85012   Email:    qualityfirst@azftf.gov   Fax:    (602)  274-­‐6351         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  62   3. Upon  receipt  of  the  Quality  First  Complaint  form,  the  Quality  First  Director  will:   • Review  the  complaint  and  determine  if  the  process  was  followed.    If  the  Informal  Review  did   not  occur,  the  Quality  First  Director  may  recommend  that  the  Quality  First  grantee  and   coaching  agency  meet  with  the  participant  before  proceeding  further  in  the  informal  dispute   resolution  process.     The  Quality  First  Director  will  attempt  to  resolve  the  dispute  through  a  meeting  with  all   involved  parties,  first  separately  and  then  together.  The  Quality  First  Director  will  contact  all   parties  and  attempt  to  schedule  the  meetings  within  14  days  of  receipt  of  the  Quality  First   Complaint  form.     •   • The  Quality  First  Director  will  mail  a  letter  within  14  days  of  the  final  meeting  to  all  parties   involved  identifying  the  agency  decision.                                             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  63   CORRECTIVE  ACTION  PROCESS     POLICY  STATEMENT     The  Corrective  Action  policy  will  be  implemented  when  a  participating  center  or  home  fails  to  adhere  to   the  participant  responsibilities  as  outlined  in  the  Quality  First  Enrollment  Agreement.  The  corrective   action  process  is  initiated  after  the  coach  and  provider  have  discussed  the  areas  of  noncompliance  with   no  successful  outcome.    Programs  may  have  access  to  incentive  funds  if  deemed  necessary  to  support   compliance.     *Regulatory  deficiencies  are  handled  with  the  applicable  regulatory  agency.    The  corrective  action   process  is  not  used  for  regulatory  deficiencies.     PROCESS     « The  Quality  First  agency  will  determine  when  a  Quality  First  participant  fails  to  adhere  to  the   participant  responsibilities  as  outlined  in  the  Quality  First  Enrollment  Agreement.    The  notification   will  include  the  following:   • Documentation  of  how  the  participant  has  failed  to  adhere  to  the  participant   responsibilities,  including  any  applicable  and  relevant  dates     • Documentation  of  dates  when  the  participant  was  notified  about  the  concerns  noted   above       « The  Quality  First  grantee  and/or  agency  partner  will  implement  the  corrective  action  process  as   indicated  below:   • First  Notice     • Development  of  a  Corrective  Action  Plan   • Recommendation  for  enrollment  termination       « If  a  participant’s  performance  is  severe  and/or  repetitive,  steps  may  be  skipped  and/or  combined   as  approved  by  First  Things  First.         FIRST  NOTICE       « The  first  notice  must  be  in  writing  and  delivered  during  a  scheduled  in  person  meeting  with   participant.  The  first  notice  should  identify  the  following:   • Specific  incidents  of  concerns  relating  to  participation  and/or  performance.     • Specific  standards  in  the  Quality  First  Enrollment  Agreement  or  Implementation  Guide   that  were  not  followed.       • Necessary  actions  needed  to  remedy  the  situation.   • The  ultimate  consequence  of  recommendation  for  termination  if  participation  and/  or   performance  are  not  improved.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  64   *The  following  language  should  be  included  in  the  letter:    “Failure  to  improve  the  concerns  addressed   above  will  result  in  corrective  action.”     « The  Quality  First  grantee  and/or  agency  partner  will  document  the  meeting  discussion  and   attendees  in  the  participant’s  activity  log  in  the  extranet.    Additionally,  the  grantee  will  submit  a   copy  of  the  first  notice  to  First  Things  First.     DEVELOPMENT  OF  A  CORRECTIVE  ACTION  PLAN     « If  noncompliance  continues  or  is  repeated  after  a  first  notice  is  completed,  the  Quality  First   grantee  and/or  agency  partner  will  develop  a  Corrective  Action  Plan  (CAP)  in  partnership  with  the   participant.  The  CAP  will  assist  in  monitoring  performance  and  participation  in  efforts  to  foster  an   improved  commitment  to  quality  improvement.   • FTF  will  review  the  developed  CAP  prior  to  the  grantee  and/or  coaching  agency   reviewing  it  with  the  provider.     « The  CAP  will  be  used  and  include  the  following  components:   • The  program  name  and  address     • The  program  designee/main  contact     • The  date  of  the  probationary  period  (period  of  time  that  CAP  is  in  place)     • Grantee  Name     • Agency  Name     • The  date  of  the  first  notice     • Action  Item-­‐  The  specific  areas  of  participation  and  performance  that  resulted  in   corrective  action.         • Responsible  person  for  each  action  item   • The  target  completion  date  for  each  action  item  as  applicable   • Action  Deemed  Successful  When-­‐  The  action  to  be  taken  to  correct  the   noncompliance  and  persons  responsible.     « The  Quality  First  grantee  and/or  coaching  agency  will  review  the  CAP  with  the  provider  during  a   scheduled,  in-­‐person  meeting.   • The  Quality  First  grantee,  coaching  agency  and  the  participant  will  sign  the  CAP.     « If  the  participant  refuses  to  sign,  refusal  will  be  noted  in  place  of  the  participant’s  signature.    The   Quality  First  supervisor  and  coach  will  meet  regularly  during  the  period  that  a  CAP  is  being   implemented  to  discuss  and  document  the  participant’s  progress  of  lack  of  progress  for  each   action  item  in  the  Status  Update  column.   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  65   « Following  the  last  implementation  date  of  the  CAP,  the  Quality  First  coaching  grantee  and/or   coaching  agency  partner  will  meet  with  the  participant  to  review  the  CAP  and  identify  whether   participation  or  performance  has  been  improved.     RECOMMENDATION  OF  TERMINATION     « If  the  CAP  fails  to  result  in  improved  participation  or  performance,  the  Quality  First  coaching   grantee  will  notify  First  Things  First  and  recommend  termination.    First  Things  First  will  review  the   recommendation  for  termination  and  accompanying  documents.      First  Things  First  will  submit  a   decision  in  writing  within  10  days  of  the  submitted  recommendation. « Once  a  recommendation  of  termination  from  Quality  First  has  been  communicated  by  First  Things   First  to  a  participant,  that  participant  has  the  option  to  appeal  their  termination,  per  the  Appeals   Process.                                     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  66   APPEALS  PROCESS     POLICY  STATEMENT     The  Appeals  Procedure  will  be  implemented  by  First  Things  First  when  a  Quality  First  participant  has   requested  the  right  to  appeal  a  Star  Rating  or  enrollment  termination.    Star  Rating  and  enrollment   termination  are  the  only  two  appealable  actions  in  the  Quality  First  program.  The  Appeals  Process   includes  three  steps  indicated  below:   1. Review  of  Appeal   2. Administrative  Hearing   3. Board  Approval     REVIEW  OF  APPEAL     « The  Review  of  Appeal  is  intended  to  resolve  the  appeal  at  First  Things  First  before  moving  forward   with  an  administrative  hearing.     « A  participant  may  submit  a  Request  for  Appeal  within  60  days  of  being  notified  of  a  Star  Rating  or   enrollment  termination.  The  Request  for  Appeal  must  be  submitted  in  writing  to  the  Quality  First   Director  using  the  Request  for  Appeal  form  (attached)  and  sent  by  electronic  or  postal  mail  to:   Director  of  Quality  First   First  Things  First   Central  Avenue,  Suite  800   Phoenix,  Arizona  85012   Email:    qualityfirst@azftf.gov   Fax:    (602)  274-­‐6351       « Upon  receipt  of  the  Request  for  Appeal,  the  Quality  First  Director  and  Senior  Director  for  Early   Learning,  Chief  Program  Officer  (CPO),  and/or  Chief  Executive  Officer  (CEO)  will  review  the   Request  for  Appeal  and  provide  a  written  response,  which  includes  a  scheduled  meeting  date,  to   the  participant  within  14  days  of  the  receipt  of  the  request.       « Upon  receipt  of  the  Request    for  Appeal,  First  Things  First  Leadership  designee(s)    and  Quality  First   Director  will  review  the  following  as  applicable:       • Relevant  Quality  First  policy  and/or  procedure  in  the  Quality  First  Implementation   Guide     Assessment  Reports   • Quality  Improvement  Plans   • Documentation    of  previous    meetings/discussions,  activity  logs  and  written   correspondence     • Corrective  Action  Plans     •       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  67     « The  Quality  First  Director  and  Senior  Director  for  Early  Learning,  CPO,  and/or  CEO  will  meet  with   the  participant  and  provide  a  decision  on  the  Request  for  Appeal.         ADMINISTRATIVE  HEARING     « If  attempts  to  resolve  the  appeal  as  above  are  not  achieved,  the  participant  may  contact  the  Office   of  Administrative  Hearings  to  request  an  administrative  hearing  with  an  Administrative  Law  Judge.     Written  requests  must    be  submitted  by  postal  mail  to:     Office  of  Administrative  Hearings   1400  West  Washington  Suite  101   Phoenix,  Arizona  85007   Office  (602)  542-­‐9826  Fax  (602)  542-­‐9827   Website:  www.azoah.com     « If  a  participant  proceeds  with  an  administrative  hearing,  all  Quality  First  services  and  benefits,   including  incentives,  coaching,  assessment  and  consultation  services  will  be  placed  on  hold  until  a   decision  is  rendered.  The  only  possible  exceptions  to  this  hold  are  listed  below:   • If  a  participant  has  a  current  T.E.A.C.H.  scholar/employee,  that  person  will  be  able  to   continue  receiving  the  scholarship  for  the  remainder  of  their  current  contract.   • Quality  First  Child  Care  Scholarships  will  continue  until  a  final  decision  has  been  made   through  the  Administrative  Hearing.     • If  an  employee  has  been  deemed  eligible  for  an  award  through  FTF  Professional   REWARD$,  that  award  will  remain  valid  for  the  timeframe  for  which  it  was  awarded.       BOARD  APPROVAL       Once  a  recommendation  decision  is  rendered  by  the  Office  of  Administrative  Hearings,  the  First  Things   First  Board  will  review  the  decision  and  take  action  to  accept,  reject  or  modify  the  recommendation.  The   Quality  First  Director  will  notify  the  participant  of  the  final  Board  decision  in  writing.                       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  68   MULTI-­‐SITE  OWNER  GUIDELINES     DEFINITION  OF  MULTI-­‐SITE  OWNERS     Owners  and/or  regional  managers  of  large  corporations,  school  districts  or  Head  Start  programs.       ACCOMMODATIONS  FOR  MULTI-­‐SITE  OWNERS     « Multi-­‐site  involvement  will  initially  be  identified  on  the  Quality  First  application.       « To  the  extent  possible,  grantees  will  attempt  to  minimize  the  number  of  coaches  assigned  to   programs  owned  and/or  managed  by  the  same  corporation,  school  district  or  agency.   Accommodations  may  include  but  are  not  limited  to:     • Assignment  to  the  same  coach  and/or  agency   Attempts  will  be  made  to  assign  one  coach  to  all  participants  managed  by  the  same   corporation,  school  district  or  agency.  However,  if  a  coach  assigned  to  a  multi-­‐site   program  has  a  full  caseload,  newly  selected  programs  may  be  assigned  to  another  coach   within  the  same  agency.         • Assignment  to  a  coaching  agency  within  the  same  geographical  area   If  the  agency  reaches  its  maximum  amount  of  coaching  assignments,  the  grantee  will   attempt  to  make  assignments  to  another  coaching  agency  that  serves  programs  within   close  proximity  of  the  newly  selected  program.       QUALITY  FIRST  SUPPORT  TEAM  MEETINGS     « Quality  First  Support  Team  meetings  will  be  scheduled  as  requested  for  owners  and/or  managers   of  multiple  programs.  At  a  minimum,  the  meeting  participants  will  include  the  owner  and/or   manager  and  the  Quality  First  support  team  which  is  comprised  of  the  assigned  supervisors  from   the  child  care  health  consultation  and  coaching  teams.    The  assessment  program  manager,  FTF   Quality  First  staff  or  community  service  providers  that  support  the  program  may  be  invited  to   participate  as  requested  by  participant  or  coaching  grantee.             « Quality  First  Support  Team  meetings  may  be  used  to  provide  general  updates  on  the  improvement   progress  of  each  program  and/or  discuss  items  such  as:   • Successes  and  barriers  in  the  quality  improvement  process     • Assessment  reports     • Management  concerns     • Corporate  culture   « The  coaching  grantee  will  develop  the  meeting  agenda  and  disseminate  in  advance  so  that   participants  can  come  prepared  to  acknowledge  achievements  and  identify  resolutions  as   applicable.       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  69   SECTION  5:    QUALITY  FIRST  SUPPORT  TEAM     QUALITY  FIRST  SUPPORT  TEAMS:  YOUR  PARTNERS  IN  IMPROVING  QUALITY       Quality  First  participants  receive  on-­‐site  individualized  support  from  multiple  early  childhood   consultants  who  have  specialization  in  content  areas  that  will  assist  participants  in  achieving  and   maintaining  quality.     ASSESSOR     Assessors  conduct  formal  assessments  in  each  center  and  home  participating  in  Quality  First.    After  the   assessment,  the  assessor  prepares  a  formal  report.    The  assessment  reports  will  be  available  on  the   extranet  after  a  participant  is  officially  enrolled.    The  assessments  are  used  in  many  ways:     « Providing  data  used  to  calculate  a  Star  Rating     « Review  for  participant  strengths     « Review  for  participant  areas  of  need     « Provide  information  for  the  development  of  a  Quality  Plan     Assessors  are  trained  to  objectively  observe  instructional  practices.    Each  assessor  receives  training  on   all  of  the  instruments  utilized  by  Quality  First.  Training  may  only  be  provided  by  the  authors,  designees   of  the  authors,  or  those  who  have  been  trained  to  reliability  or  certified  to  train  on  the  instrument.     Training  for  assessors  is  extensive  and  takes  approximately  12  weeks.     Assessors  must  reach  and  maintain  a  reliability  level  of  85%  on  all  Environmental  Rating  Scales  (ERS)  and   a  80%  on  the  Classroom  Assessment  Scoring  System  (CLASS).  This  means  that  when  an  assessor  and   assessor  supervisor  and/or  lead  assessor  are  observing  in  the  same  environment  at  the  same  time,  they   will  score  the  same  85%  of  the  time  on  the  ERS  and  80%  of  the  time  on  the  CLASS.    To  assure  reliability  is   maintained,  assessor  supervisors  will  conduct  reliability  checks  on  every  tenth  assessment  conducted.     Assessors  who  are  unable  to  demonstrate  reliability  on  a  specific  tool  at  the  required  levels  are   removed  from  assessment  activities  until  reliability  has  been  re-­‐attained.     QUALIFICATIONS  OF  QUALITY  FIRST  ASSESSORS     The  role  of  the  Assessor  is  to  complete  the  assessment  tools  selected  for  Quality  First  in  early  care  and   education  settings  in  an  objective,  reliable  and  efficient  manner.     Assessors  are  required  to  have  a  bachelor’s  degree  or  higher,  preferably  in  education,  child  or  family   development,  social  services  or  related  field.    Assessors  must  have  experience  in  early  care  and  learning   and  a  minimum  of  two  years  of  knowledge  in  the  following  areas:   « Observational  assessments,  preferably  in  early  care  and  education  settings     « Verbal  and  written  communication     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  70   « Confidentiality  and  ethical  standards     « Cultural  and  linguistic  populations     « Computer  applications     COACH     Participants  in  Quality  First  receive  personalized  support  from  a  coach  whose  primary  role  is  to  assist  the   participant  in  achieving  and  maintaining  quality.         Quality  First  Coaches  provide:   « Training,  technical  assistance  and  mentoring     « Classroom  management  tips  and  techniques     « Curriculum  guidance  and  support     « Ideas  to  strengthen  family  involvement     « Team  support  with  all  Quality  First  support  services     « Guidance  on  how  to  use  financial  incentives  to  best  increase  quality     « Information  on  community  resources       Coaches  will  maintain  the  participants’  confidentiality  with  respect  to  assessments  and  other  program   information.  Coaches  will  be  respectful  of  each  provider’s  opinions  and  ideas  and  will  communicate  with   the  coaching  supervisor  and/or  Quality  First  staff  when  the  participant  achieves  milestones  or  faces   obstacles  in  meeting  the  goals  of  the  Quality  Plan.     QUALIFICATIONS  OF  QUALITY  FIRST  COACHES     Coaches  are  required  to  have  a  bachelor’s  degree  or  higher  in  early  childhood  education  or  a  closely   related  field.      Coaches  must  have  experience  and  knowledge  in  the  following  areas:   « Child  development   « Arizona  Department  of  Health  Services  child  care  licensure     « Curriculum  and  child  assessment  in  early  childhood     « The  Arizona  Early  Learning  Standards     « Inclusive  practices     « Community  resources     « Quality  indicators     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  71     « Adult  learning     EXEMPTION  REVIEW  PROCESS  FOR  ASSESSOR  AND  COACH  QUALIFICATIONS     1. Quality   First   coordinator   and/or   other   designated   members   of   the   First   Things   First   Policy   and   Research   Team   reviews   the   submitted   documentation   and   makes   the   decision   to   approve   or   reject  the  request  for  exemption.       2. If   deemed   necessary,   additional   information   may   be   solicited   from   the   grantee   in   order   to   make   a   sound  decision.       3. If  recruitment  efforts  are  found  lacking  in  rigor,  First  Things  First  will  require  the  grantee  to  design   an   action   plan   outlining   more   significant   recruitment   in   the   area   of   need   prior   to   awarding   an   exemption.       4. A   notice   of   approval   or   rejection   will   be   sent   to   the   grantee   within   10   (ten)   business   days   of   receipt  of  the  request.     5. At   no   time   may   more   than   30%   of   the   total   FTEs   hired   to   implement   Quality   First   coaching   or   assessment  by  any  grantee  hold  less  than  the  minimum  qualifications  required  through  the  grant.     CHILD  CARE  HEALTH  CONSULTATION     Program  Delivery:   CCHC  services  are  available  to  all  Quality  First  programs  in  a  flexible  3  tiered  collaborative  model  of   consultation.  Upon  enrollment  in  Quality  First  a  CCHC  will  be  assigned  to  your  program  to  visit  with  you   and  review  the  3  tier  service  levels.    As  a  collaborative  group  the  CCHC,  coach  and  yourself  will  decide   which  tier  level  meets  your  current  need(s).   **  Please  note  this  is  a  flexible  system  and  you  may  move  between  tier  service  levels  at  any  time.   Contact  the  Birth  to  Five  helpline,  your  coach  or  CCHC  to  request  a  change  in  tier  level  service.     Tiered  Service  Levels:   Tier  One:          Telephonic  guidance  -­‐Birth  to  Five  Help  line-­‐-­‐1-­‐877-­‐705-­‐KIDS  (5437)   A  provider  may  use  this  service  when  seeking  training  opportunities  or  have  identified  a  need  for  a   resource.  In  example,  a  resource  to  refer  a  parent  for  insurance.   Tier  Two:            Short  term  need-­‐  Issue  that  requires  (1-­‐4  visits)  In  example:  a  new  medical  diagnosis;  such   as  diabetes.     Tier  Three:    Comprehensive  CCHC  services     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  72         QUALIFICATIONS  OF  CHILD  CARE  HEALTH  CONSULTANTS     Child  Care  Health  Consultants  (CCHC)  are  Nurses  and  Master  prepared  health  professionals  who  have   completed  the  National  Training  Institute,  Chapel  Hill  NC,  CCHC  training  program.  Child  Care  Health   Consultants  support  Child  Care  Providers  and  the  families  they  serve  by  guiding  and  assisting  caregivers   in  the  management  of  health  and  safety  in  the  child  care  environment.         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  73   OTHER  QUALITY  FIRST  SUPPORT  SERVICES       Additional  support  services  that  may  be  available  in  a  participant’s  region  based  on  regional  funding  (not   all  services  available  are  listed  below).    Your  coach  will  be  able  to  provide  further  information  about  the   services.   « Arizona  Department  of  Education  (ADE)  -­‐  ADE  offers  free  training  to  all  early  childhood   professionals  throughout  the  state  in  a  number  of  areas.    ADE  mentors  may  be  available  to   programs  receiving  Pre-­‐K  scholarships.     « Arizona  Self-­‐Study  Project  (ASSP)  -­‐  An  accreditation  facilitation  project  for  early  care  and   education  programs  committed  to  improving  the  quality  of  child  care  for  Arizona’s  children.    ASSP   staff  provides  technical  support  throughout  the  accreditation  process  and  assist  programs  with   integrating  developmentally  appropriate  practices  into  the  learning  environment.     « The  “Birth  to  Five  Helpline”  for  Quality  First  participants  links  callers  to  experts  who  will  provide   telephone  consultation  in  the  areas  of  child  care  health,  early  childhood  mental  health  and   inclusion  of  children  with  special  needs.  The  Birth  to  Five  Helpline.  The  telephone  number  is  877-­‐ 705-­‐KIDS  (5437)     « Early  Care  and  Education  Inclusion  (ECEI+)  –  ECEI+  is  to  address  the  need  of  quality  early  care  and   education  for  young  children  with  special  needs  ages  birth  to  five.    Specific  focus  is  on  improving   the  skill  of  child  care  staff  and  providing  training  and  assistance  to  support  quality  inclusive   settings  for  children.     « Early  Childhood  Mental  Health  Consultation  System  (Smart  Support)  -­‐  Smart  Support  is  an   evidence-­‐based  strategy  proven  to  support  the  social  and  emotional  development  of  all  children   in  care,  and  help  providers  respond  to  children  with  behavioral  challenges.     « Teacher  Education  and  Compensation  Helps  (T.E.A.C.H.)  Early  Childhood  ARIZONA  -­‐    T.E.A.C.H.  is  a   comprehensive  scholarship  program  that  links  education,  compensation,  and  commitment  to   promote  professional  development  and  improve  the  quality  of  early  childhood  care  and  education   experiences  for  young  children.   For  more  information  on  support  services  available  in  your  region  visit  the  www.azftf.gov  website   and  click  on  my  regional  council.   The  staff  at  First  Things  First  that  supports  the  Quality  First  program  is  available  at  602-­‐771-­‐5000  or   qualityfirst@azftf.gov.               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  74   COLLABORATION  GUIDANCE     Collaboration  is  the  act  of  working  together  to  coordinate  service  efforts  to  meet  a  common  goal.      The   process  involves  teams  that  partner  with  one  another  to  obtain  greater  resources,  share  knowledge,   learn  together  and  build  consensus.      Collaboration  does  not  imply  any  type  of  authority  or  hierarchy,   but  a  group  of  people  with  similar  interests  and  complimentary  areas  of  expertise  participating  equally.   The  Quality  First  Coach  will  collaborate  with  other  early  childhood  education  consultants  including,  but   not  limited  to  Child  Care  Health  Consultants,  Mental  Health  Consultants,  Inclusion  of  Children  with   Special  Needs  Coaches,  Arizona  Self  Study  Project  Specialists,  ADE  Mentors,  DHS  Surveyors,  DES   Certification  Specialists  and  T.E.A.C.H.  Early  Childhood  ®  ARIZONA  Specialists  as  applicable  during  goal   setting  and  quality  improvement  planning  for  assigned  participants.    Joint  collaboration  activities  may   include  but  are  not  limited  to:   • Joint  visits  with  the  Quality  First  participant     • Planning  visits  with  the  early  childhood  education  consultants       • Feedback  and  input  on  the  Quality  Improvement  Plan  and/or  Quality  Rating  Plan   • Sharing  of  training  resources  and  materials     • Joint  trainings  and/coordination  of  events   • Communication  tools,  such  as  joint  activity  logs     This  joint  collaboration  with  early  childhood  consultants  will  require  Quality  First  coaches  to  have  a   service  coordination  role  in  facilitating  collaboration  opportunities  for  joint  quality  improvement   planning  and  on-­‐site  technical  assistance  support.    Quality  First  coaches  will  lead  coordination  efforts  in   scheduling  regular  joint  collaboration  opportunities  as  deemed  applicable  by  the  coach,  participant  and   early  childhood  consultant(s).   The  activity  log  on  the  Extranet  will  be  used  to  document  all  collaboration  activities  in  order  to   demonstrate  joint  efforts  toward  quality  improvement  planning  and  goal  setting.    Please  note  the   following  in  the  activity  log:   • • • A  brief  notation  of  the  purpose  of  the  meeting     Any  decisions  or  goals  set,  and     Future  plans  and  meetings     In  the  event  there  is  a  change  in  consultant  or  participating  Director,  coordination  efforts  will  be   initiated  by  the  Quality  First  coach  to  include  this  individual  in  the  ongoing  collaboration  efforts.         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  75   SECTION  6:    EXTRANET     QUALITY  FIRST  EXTRANET       INVITATION  AND  LOG  IN  INFORMATION     Each  Quality  First  Application  is  logged  into  the  Extranet  through  the  online  application  or  input  from   paper  applications  submitted  to  the  Quality  First  office.    Information  obtained  captures  the  applicant’s   current  status  at  the  time  of  application  and  updates  can  be  made  as  needed.     Once  an  application  is  selected  for  participation  in  Quality  First,  they  will  be  assigned  as  Selected   Pending  Verification.    The  participant  will  also  be  assigned  to  the  assessment  agency  by  the  Quality  First   staff  as  applicable.    These  assignments  will  automatically  be  noted  in  the  Extranet  activity  log.     Once  a  program  has  been  officially  enrolled  in  Quality  First,  the  coach  will  invite  the  provider  to  the   Extranet  through  the  orientation  tab.    The  provider  will  receive  an  email  notifying  them  of  this  invitation   with  a  user  name  and  temporary  password.    Once  the  provider  logs  into  the  Extranet,  they  can  modify   their  password  to  one  of  their  own  choosing.    Unless  there  is  a  change  in  Director  the  coaches  will  not   invite  the  provider  more  than  one  time  to  the  Extranet.     To  retrieve  a  participant’s  user  name,  a  coach  can  go  to  the  main  Extranet  log-­‐in  page.    Click  on  “forgot   user  name”  and  type  in  the  participant’s  email  address;  their  user  name  will  be  sent  directly  to  their   email.    A  password  or  user  name  may  be  re-­‐set  through  the  links  on  this  page.     DASHBOARD     The  opening  page  of  the  Extranet  is  called  the  Quality  First  Dashboard.    The  Dashboard  lists  contact   information  for  technical  support  (extranet@azftf.gov)  and  for  program  related  questions   (qualityfirst@azftf.gov)           The  Quality  First  Coach/Consultant  Announcements  section  lists  current  activities,  events,   announcements  or  resources  for  coaches  and  consultants.    These  announcements  are  only  visible  to  the   coaches  and  consultants  as  Quality  First  participants  (providers)  also  have  an  announcement  section   specifically  designated  for  them.    These  announcements  are  posted  by  FTF  staff.     « Quality  First  Coach/Consultant  Resources  (alphabetically  listed)     • CCHC  –  the  list  of  contractors  for  CCHC  services  is  available  by  region  with  specific   contact  information.   • Curriculum  and  Assessment  Resources:  Includes  options  for  Child  Assessment  Tools,   Infant  and  Toddler  Curriculum  Resources  and  Teaching  Approaches,  and  Preschool   Curriculum  Resources  and  Teaching  Approaches.   • Extranet  Guides  –  these  guides  are  available  to  assist  users  in  accessing  the  extranet  and   how  to  find  user  names  and  change  passwords.     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  76   • • • • Implementation  Guide  –  the  Implementation  Guide  is  available  in  English  and  a  Spanish   version  with  a  separate  appendix  document  where  Quality  First  forms  can  be  found  and   downloaded  for  use.   Provider  Reference  Manual  -­‐  this  manual  offers  a  simple  overview  of  the  Quality  First   program  for  providers  and  is  available  for  coach/consultant  use.    The  Provider  Reference   Manual  is  available  in  English  and  in  Spanish.   Recalled  Products  –  a  listing  of  materials,  furnishings  and  equipment  that  has  been   recalled  by  the  United  States  Consumer  Product  Safety  Commission.       T.E.A.C.H.    –  updates  regarding  the  T.E.A.C.H.  program  can  be  found  in  this  section  along   with  a  contact  list  of  specialists.     Quality  First  Provider  Announcements  list  current  activities,  events,  announcements  or  resources  for   Quality  First  providers/participants.    These  announcements  are  visible  to  the  coaches,  consultants  and   providers  so  all  have  access  to  the  same  information.    These  announcements  are  posted  by  FTF  staff.     « Quality  First  Provider  Resources  (alphabetically  listed)     • CCHC  –  the  list  of  contractors  for  CCHC  services  is  available  by  region  with  specific   contact  information.   • Curriculum  and  Assessment  Resources:  Includes  options  for  Child  Assessment  Tools,       Infant  and  Toddler  Curriculum  Resources  and  Teaching  Approaches,  and  Preschool   Curriculum  Resources  and  Teaching  Approaches.   • Implementation  Guide–  the  Implementation  Guide  is  available  in  English  and  a  Spanish   version  with  a  separate  appendix  document  where  Quality  First  forms  can  be  found  and   downloaded  for  use.   • Provider  Reference  Manual  -­‐  this  manual  offers  a  simple  overview  of  the  Quality  First   program  for  providers  and  is  available  for  coach/consultant  use.    The  Provider  Reference   Manual  is  available  in  English  and  in  Spanish.   • Recalled  Products  –  a  listing  of  materials,  furnishings  and  equipment  that  has  been   recalled  by  the  United  States  Consumer  Product  Safety  Commission.   • T.E.A.C.H.    Contact  List  –  this  section  provides  a  listing  of  T.E.A.C.H.  specialists  per  region   and  their  contact  information.                                   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  77   EXTRANET  EXAMPLES     The  following  are  examples  of  tabs  on  the  extranet.    There  is  help  text  noted  in  the  areas  of  the  extranet   tabs  to  help  coaches  and  providers  fill  out  information  on  their  programs.       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  78               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  79               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  80                   Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  81                 Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  82             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  83                                       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  84       Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  85               Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  86           Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  87         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  88             Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  89                                     Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  90   APPENDIX     Application   Arizona  Teaching  Certificate  and  CDA  verification  form   Assessment  Report  Clarification  Request   Bonus  Agreement   Bonus  Report   Complaint  Form   Corrective  Action  Plan   Cycle  Confirmation  Form   Enrollment  Agreement   SAMPLE  Lesson  Plan.  Infant  Toddler   SAMPLE  Lesson  Plan.  Preschool   Facility  Projects  Liability  Release   First  10  Days  Extranet  Checklist   Missing  Documents  Form     National  Accrediting  Organizations   Parent  Letter   Point  Scale  Administrative  Documents  Form   Points  Scale  Child  Assessment  Review   Points  Scale  Curriculum  Review   Points  Scale  Ratios  and  Group  Sizes/Retention   Program  Designee  Form   Quality  Improvement  Plan     Quality  Rating  Plan   Request  for  Appeal   Request  For  Early  Assessment   Request  for  Public  Rating   The  Day  of  the  Assessment  (letter)   Transcript  Verification  Form         Quality  First  Implementation  Guide  FY14        07.01.13     Page  91