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. https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/eccd/reports-archives/ 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. Yes, DECCD offers training and technical assistance for infants & toddlers, preschool, as well as school age. The Nurturing Homes Initiative (NHI) offers one-on-one technical assistance and training specific to the needs of Family Child Care Providers. Professional development and technical assistance offered to family child care providers are provided below: Health & Safety Environments Keeping Children Safe Redirection Learning Environments Infant Development Physical Development Social/Emotional Learning Creative Arts Language Development Science Sand/Water Play Math Block Play Dental Hygiene WOYC ￿ Week of the Young Child Family Engagement. 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. The Lead Agency offers age specific trainings created from the MS Early Learning standards, they are as follows: ELS For Infants & Toddlers: Approaches to Learning ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Cognition ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Language and Communication ELS for Infants & Toddlers: Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development ELS For Infants & Toddlers: Social and Emotional Development ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Approaches to Learning ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Creative Expression ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: English Language Arts ELS for Three- & Four-Yer Olds: Mathematics ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Physical Development ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Science ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Social Studies ELS for Three- & Four-Year Olds: Social and Emotional Development. 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. Mississippi is replacing its current quality standards (i.e., the Standard Center Designation) with a Quality Support System (QSS) that will establish standards of quality built around teacher/child interaction, developmentally appropriate practice for different age groups of children and children that have special needs. These quality standards will apply to center-based child care and family home child care. Under the QSS, child care providers will earn badges based on the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), along with proficiencies/standards of quality (i.e., staff-child interactions, learning environments, curriculum & assessment, workforce development and support, family communication, and program management). These badges will be displayed on provider profiles for the public to view. Families will be able to find tailored child care services that best meet their needs and the needs of their children. Input and feedback from the child care provider community, parents, and other stakeholders has been and will continue be used closely in the development of each element of this 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. The new Quality Support System (QSS) includes infant and toddler quality standards that child care providers will implement with the assistance of targeted technical assistance and professional development around infant/toddler curriculum and developmentally appropriate practice. Center-based and family home providers will earn badges to show they have met these quality standards, which will be displayed on their public search profiles. The Lead Agency will also provide incentives (i.e, higher subsidy rates for infants/toddlers and/or classroom enhancements) to providers who work to build their capacity to serve infants and toddlers. Input and feedback from the child care provider community, parents, and other stakeholders will be used in the development of this system. 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. The Lead Agency has contracted with universities, community colleges, non-profits, and local government to operate a state-wide Resource and Referral Network. At the direction of the Lead Agency, the regional CCR&R offices are required to: (1) Provide parents in the State with consumer education information concerning the full range of child care options (including faith-based and community-based child care providers), analyzed by provider, including child care provided during non- traditional hours and through emergency child care centers, in their area. (2) Work with families who receive assistance to offer the families support and assistance, to make informed decisions about which child care providers best meet the specific needs of the child and family and is a high-quality program (as determined by the Lead Agency). (3) Collect data and provide information on the coordination of services and support. (4) Work to establish partnerships with public agencies and private entities, including faith-based and community-based child care centers, in an effort to increase the supply and quality of child care services and as appropriate, coordinate activities with the activities of the Lead Agency. Through these partnerships, the Lead Agency intends to have an R&R Networked comprised of over 50 sites, including four mobile R&R units that will travel to remote locations and offer R&R services across the state. 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 Mississippi State Department of Health will participate in technical assistance and coaching efforts as part of the Quality Support System (QSS). Licensing officials will be part of TA teams along with early childhood coaches and early inclusion/special needs coaches to assist child care programs with meeting quality standards along with health and safety standards. During TA visits, only Class I violations will be cited. The TA team will help providers address and correct Class II and Class III issues immediately on site. The TA team will support providers in helping alleviate any systematic issues that may be contributing to habitual violations. Regulations Governing Licensure of Child Care Facilities, Rule 1.25.9 Violations and Penalties, Source: Miss. Code Ann. §43-20-8. 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. Mississippi uses the Lift-ED system to track all professional development and quality improvement activities with center-based and family home child care providers. The Lift-ED system also captures quality assessments done with all providers and tracks improvements in assessments as child care providers receive training and coaching support. viii. Accreditation support. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 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. Training and coaching is provided to all child care providers on health, nutrition, and physical activity/development through the Lead Agency and its partnering organizations. The Lead Agency also provides training on the Pyramid Model, which is a social- emotional support framework for teachers and children. The Pyramid Model aligns with the type of social-emotional support used in K-12 school systems. Additionally, the QSS includes social-emotional support including trauma- informed care as a proficiency and will have badges to recognize child care programs for their efforts in supporting mental health for children they serve and their staff. 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.