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. Idaho’s annual Quality Progress Report is published annually at this website: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/child-care-providers/child-care-resources Annual program expenditures are reported in Idaho’s Fact, Figures, and Trends reports published here: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/facts-figures-and-trends 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. Professional Development Specialist staff positions for development and delivery of training and targeted technical assistance across the state. Professional Development System Annual incentives for recognition of child care providers achievements. Training Scholarships to assist child care providers access of training opportunities. Badge Recognitions to acknowledge child care providers professional development attainment. Cohorts Recognitions to enhance the knowledge and skills obtained. Regional office Quality Consultant staff coach providers in early childhood best practices. New targeted technical assistance modules are developed and delivered each year. ii. Developing, maintaining, or implementing early learning and developmental guidelines. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 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. IdahoSTARS will continue to utilize the state’s current Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), Steps to Quality. Steps to Quality is a six-step block system available to licensed and subsidy-certified child care facilities and Head Starts. IdahoSTARS has been engaging in internal and external listening sessions and workgroups for several years with the eventual goal of a launching a restructured QRIS system. 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. Our current and future investments in activities such as Infant and Toddler Mental Health endorsement, Reflective Consultation, and Critical Competency training are crucial steps towards enhancing the quality of child care for our youngest learners. By allocating resources to support our staff in these specialized areas, we are not only investing in their professional development but also ensuring that they are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. Collaborating with national partners further amplifies these efforts, allowing us to provide cutting-edge training and resources that ultimately benefit the well-being and development of infants and toddlers in Idaho. v. Establishing or expanding a statewide system of CCR&R services. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Idaho maintains a robust statewide system of CCR&R services. We would like to expand our Professional Development Specialists Position to include 1 to 2 more positions. This will support the delivery of targeted technical assistance and training. 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. Regional offices deliver Initial Idaho Child Care Program Orientations (IIO) that focus on compliance with licensing, monitoring, inspection, and health and safety standards. Child care Health Consultants respond to referrals for follow up on coaching from Health Inspectors and work with Providers to come into compliance. Idaho Child Care Program providers are required to take initial trainings focusing on Health and Safety Standards. These trainings are updated every three years. Providers are also required to take the annual training which IdahoSTARS develops each year and typically focuses on Health and Safety. General coaching from child care Health Consultants is often related to best practice in health and safety including compliance standards. 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. IdahoSTARS uses a six-step Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to evaluate and assess the quality of participating child care facilities. Participation is voluntary and requires the facility is licensed and subsidy certified. The QRIS, Steps to Quality, utilizes a suite of Environment Rating Scales (ERS) to assess the participating programs, plus an annual verification of the programs quality practices that results in a quality rating. All programs at Steps 2-5 receive an annual ERS assessment. Minimum scores are required for rating at Steps 3-5. The block verification for a step rating consists of 79 quality indicators that result in a rating of Steps 1-5. Step 6 is a fast- track rating for programs with a current accreditation or Head Start grant. viii. Accreditation support. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. IdahoSTARS supports programs on the way to and in maintaining national accreditation in a couple of ways. IdahoSTARS offers Quality Improvement grants for programs rated at Steps 2-6 requiring materials or training to meet their quality improvement goals, including but not limited to creating an environment that meets accreditation standards. IdahoSTARS also offers an accreditation grant for programs at Steps 3- 6 that covers the cost of fees associated with national accreditation including self- study, application for accreditation or renewal. 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 IdahoSTARS QRIS system, Steps to Quality, currently uses 79 quality indicators to verify a program’s quality step. The quality indicators span all seven of IdahoSTARS quality domains: Business Practices, Health, Safety and Wellness, Environments, Child Development, Curriculum and Instruction, Inclusion and Diversity, and Partnerships with Families and Communities. 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. [ ] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [x] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. Child Care Health Consultants coach providers in filling out emergency plans. IdahoSTARS coaches work individually with providers in emergency planning, safety, and well-being. These coaching sessions are logged into RISE Application. IdahoSTARS also has an emergency planning targeted technical assistance module that providers can request. 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.