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Child Care Subsidy Provider Handbook 36 Curriculum + Teaching Practices • Provider implements teaching practices aligned with Ideal Learning Principles, including developmentally appropriate, play-based, child- based and anti-bias/anti-racist approaches. • Staff professional development plans include support to create classroom environments that are culturally responsive and equitable. For example, creating lessons and selecting materials that represent children’s lived cultural and linguistic experiences; communicating to Black, Latine, Indigenous and other children of color, including those with disabilities, about how their identities are sources of brilliance and joy; and incorporating families’ knowledge and expertise into children’s learning experiences. • Provider has a systematic approach for evaluating and addressing the racial, ability, gender and linguistic diversity of classrooms’ materials including toys, books and environmental print. Assessing Quality Globally • Provider measures quality at the program and classroom/home level using equity-minded, valid and reliable tools. If no tool is available and/or only the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) or Environmental Rating System (ERS) is used, the provider uses separate tools, alongside global classroom quality measures, to specifically assess dual-language learning (e.g., Linguistic Interaction Snapshot, Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation-DLL) adaptation, bias and equity (e.g., Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale), and inclusion of children with disabilities (e.g., Inclusive Classroom Profile). • Provider ensures alignment between children and families’ experiences of quality and the observational measure through caregiver-program feedback loops. • Provider uses classroom quality findings to inform professional development and policy. Indicators of Quality Care3, 11, 12 WHAT DOES QUALITY CARE LOOK LIKE? Characteristics of quality in an early care and education setting include3,10: • Supportive adult-child and family relationships. • Partnerships with families that consist of mutual trust. • Safe, stimulating physical environments. • Frequent one-on-one, language-rich, adult-child interactions. • Opportunities for children to explore and learn across a variety of developmental domains — cognitive, language, emotional, social and physical. • Adult behaviors that are sensitive to the individual and culture. • Care is provided equitably and in an accessible manner. • Fair and positive experiences for all children, especially those who have been historically marginalized. • Efforts to identify and close disparities in child outcomes where they exist. To learn more about quality child care practices, download: Essentials for Choosing Quality Child Care Guide go.unl.edu/child-care