7.2 Use of Quality Set-Aside Funds

Lead Agencies must use a portion of their CCDF expenditures for activities designed to improve the quality of child care services and to increase parental options for and access to high-quality child care. They must use the quality set-aside funds on at least one of 10 activities described in CCDF and the quality activities must be aligned with a Statewide or Territory-wide assessment of the State's or Territory’s need to carry out such services and care. 7.2.1 Quality improvement activities a. Describe how the Lead Agency will make its Quality Progress Report (ACF – 218) and expenditure reports, available to the public. Provide a link if available. The Lead Agency will post the approved Quality Progress Report on the Alabama Department of Human Resources website. b. Identify Lead Agency plans, if any, to spend CCDF funds for each of the following quality improvement activities. If an activity is checked “yes”, describe the Lead Agency’s current and/or future plans for this activity. i. Supporting the training and professional development of the child care workforce, including birth to five and school-age providers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency currently contracts services with vendors and regional quality enhancement agencies to provide training, professional development, and technical assistance to the child care workforce through various initiatives targeting each of the developmental domains and health & safety topics in the CCDF required training areas. The Lead Agency contracts with Auburn University-Truman Pierce Institute to provide training to child care providers caring for afterschool-age children. Quality Enhancement Agencies offer a variety of training options including on-site training, day and evening trainings targeting teachers/caregivers of different age groups, and inclusive trainings through the Child Care Enhancement with A Purpose initiative. Trainings meet Alabama Performance Standards’ requirements, CDA subject areas, and the Alabama Pathways Development Core Knowledge areas. The State’s training subscriptions with Kaplan Early Learning Quorum’s E- Learning platform. These trainings offer support health & safety standards, specifically for child care programs receiving CCDF. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Training on the Alabama Early Learning Guidelines (AELG) is required for all providers participating in the Alabama Quality STARS. The Quality Enhancement Agencies are required to include training on the AELG as part of their basic training requirements which are provided online and in basic format. iii. Developing, implementing, or enhancing a quality improvement system. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency invests in and maintains a Quality Improvement program. iv. Improving the supply and quality of child care services for infants and toddlers. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency invests in and maintains an Infant Toddler Specialist Network that is housed at the University of Alabama and operates statewide, with one infant toddler specialist serving every region in the state. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. vi. Facilitating compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection and health and safety standards. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x]Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency funds training in both, in-person and e-learning formats for providers to gain instruction and guidance on meeting and implementing compliance measures in health and safety standards. The Lead Agency utilizes CCDF funds to provide inspectors known as child care consultants, which are tasked with inspecting child care facilities and monitoring compliance with the state’s licensing standards, as well as the state’s health and safety guidelines. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency will continue to conduct a Needs Assessment every two (2) years. viii. Accreditation support. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency funds the Family Child Care Partnership initiative to assist family child care providers to attain and maintain National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) accreditation. ix. Supporting State/Territory or local efforts to develop high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. The Lead Agency has established these indicators in its Quality Rating and Improvement System: physical activity, learning environments and curriculum, staff/provider qualifications and professional development, teacher/provider-child relationships, teacher/provider instructional practices, family partnerships and family strengthening, and early learning guidelines to develop high quality standards in child care facilities. x. Other activities determined by the Lead Agency to improve the quality of child care services and the measurement of outcomes related to improved provider preparedness, child safety, child well-being, or kindergarten entry. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 8 Lead Agency Coordination and Partnerships to Support Service Delivery Coordination and partnerships help ensure that the Lead Agency’s efforts accomplish CCDF goals effectively, leverage other resources, and avoid duplication of effort. Such coordination and partnerships can help families better access child care, can assist in providing consumer education to parents, and can be used to improve child care quality and the stability of child care providers. Such coordination can also be particularly helpful in the aftermath of disasters when the provision of emergency child care services and the rebuilding and restoring of child care infrastructure are an essential part of ensuring the well-being of children and families in recovering communities. This section identifies who the Lead Agency collaborates with to implement services, how match and maintenance-of-effort (MOE) funds are used, coordination with child care resource and referral (CCR&R) systems, and efforts for disaster preparedness and response plans to support continuity of operations in response to emergencies.