7.1 Quality Activities Needs Assessment

7.1.1 Needs assessment process and findings a. Describe the Lead Agency needs assessment process for expending CCDF funds on activities to improve the quality of child care, including the frequency of assessment, how a diverse range of parents and providers were consulted, and how their views are incorporated: The following tools and strategies help to assess needs for additional resources to support the implementation of the quality initiatives: Trainings: A general training plan is created each fiscal year which reflects workforce feedback and identifies training needs as reported in surveys conducted by trainers and coaches. For example, NJ’s statewide training agency, Rutgers GNJK Training Services, conducts an initial survey for each training session. The initial 10 question survey collects information regarding the session to acquire the participants’ feedback. Two weeks later, another survey is issued via email as a follow up to obtain information on how the participant has been able to utilize the information from the training session in their work. The two-week survey also includes questions regarding additional training topics needed to assess access and availability of training topics. In addition, a training plan is developed for programs and providers based on QRIS standards. For parents/caregivers specifically, we rely on pre- and post-surveys to support any trainings tailored to meet their needs. Our Inclusive Child Care Program uses assessment tools developed with the National Parent Center to determine needs for parents/caregivers of children with special needs. Also, training and supports are provided to parents to keep them informed of quality initiatives, demonstrate how to implement social-emotional techniques at home, as well as how to recognize quality elements in child care programs. DHS/DFD also works with the local CCR&Rs on county-specific needs assessments to help inform the training offerings for the next year. Beginning in October 2023, in coordination with DFD, all CCR&R agencies are now required to develop and submit a county-specific training plan, based on their formal needs assessment and training evaluation feedback, to ensure the PD needs of the local provider community are addressed. Coaching/Consultation: All our quality initiatives use a needs assessment designed to address provider and program needs to help direct coaching and consultation. The Early Childhood Leadership Institute (ECLI) at Rowan University supports the professional development of NJ’s coaches. Through an innovative and strategic progression, coaches receive training and small group sessions to better enhance services provided to programs. Through ECLI, coaches are able to self-reflect and define professional goals on their own professional development. Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS): Grow NJ Kids, DHD/DFD’s QRIS self-assessment, assists programs and providers with standards to measure program improvement. The development of Grow NJ Kids has provided a solid foundation and serves as a centering point for all our quality initiatives. For the past four (4) years, DHS/DFD has been working with the National Institute for Early Education Research to validate Grow NJ Kids Ratings. Over the next year we will be reviewing data from the evaluation and will be able to make improvements based on the feedback. Furthermore, each year the Center for Research and Evaluation for Education and Human Services (CREEHS) at Montclair State University, a Grow NJ Kids Rating Partner, evaluates the rating process which allows DHS/DFD and CREEHS to make needed refinements. The evaluation takes into consideration feedback from programs/providers, the workforce (inclusive of centers and family child care workforce, as well as the technical assistance providers), and parents. NJ-EASEL: Lastly, DHS/DFD has been working on building NJ-EASEL, which is the statewide Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS), was a part of New Jersey's Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant and continues to be supported through the Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 years. This initiative brings together the Departments of Education, Children and Families, Human Services, and Health in a cross-agency collaboration, supported by the Office of Information Technology. The goal of this project is to integrate early childhood data related to child, family, services, classroom, program, and workforce characteristics. Understanding the effectiveness of these programs and services will help to promote and enrich initiatives providing positive outcomes for young children. NJ-EASEL is a system to: ￿ Measure the impact of programs on the children and families these agencies serve. ￿ Help state level staff, local program administrators, providers, and teachers engage in continuous program improvement. ￿ Enable program administrators to make informed policy decisions. ￿ Answer key policy questions that can’t be answered from an individual agency's data system. Data integration is ongoing and being done in phases. Reporting and the timeline for integration were extended due to the pandemic and funding availability. b. Describe the findings of the assessment, including any findings related to needs of different populations and types of providers, and if any overarching goals for quality improvement were identified: As noted above, DHS/DFD contracts with the Center for Research and Evaluation on Education and Human Services (CREEHS) to conduct an annual evaluation related to GNJK processes, structure, and outcomes. The 2022 evaluation focused on the Grow NJ Kids continuous quality improvement phases from enrollment through rating. Key Findings in this evaluation showed: Phase One: Enrollment and Introduction to GNJK ● Recruitment for GNJK is both an active and intentional effort and primarily the responsibility of Quality Improvement Specialists (QIS) at county-based CCR&R agencies, however recruitment efforts and resources used during recruitment do not appear to be standardized. ● The primary incentive for Early Childhood Education (ECE) providers to engage in GNJK is to improve the quality of education and care for children they serve. The primary barrier for ECE providers to engage is the feasibility of GNJK ￿ specifically with regards to the time and effort required. ● ECE providers are generally satisfied with communication from QIS. ● CCR&Rs have contextualized knowledge of ECE providers in their counties which helps build and sustain relationships. Phase Two: Assess, Plan, and Support ● Technical Assistance Specialists (TASs) at the regional Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) and GNJK Training Partners provide a variety of supports to providers during phase two, which is intended to set them up for success in the rating process. ● Providers are generally satisfied with the supports offered through GNJK. ● Coaching and TA provided were highlighted as the biggest strength by ECE providers during data collection. ● ECE providers receive much of their GNJK updates and information from TASs which emphasizes the need to have clear and well-organized communication. Providers did report being satisfied with communication from TASs and GNJK Training Partners. ● Phase two is time-intensive and ECE providers find it difficult to balance and delegate the workload on top of their daily duties providing care. Data also suggest there may be confusion amongst providers about the focus of GNJK -- both the goals of the initiative and the process of participating and being rated. Phase Three: Rating ● The rating process is highly collaborative. ● Providers and GNJK implementing staff highlighted their satisfaction with the increased level of transparency and communication that happens throughout the rating process. ● ECE providers generally feel satisfied regarding the clarity of rating components (e.g., documentation, Provisional Rating of Programs packets). ● Data suggests there is an opportunity to streamline processes and documents, such as the re-rating process to make it easier for providers to achieve. Phase Four: Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) ● TASs have found creative ways to engage providers in CQI, though data highlights that some providers feel burnt out and less likely to engage in CQI post-rating. ● Providers feel that in-person CQI support would be beneficial to their motivation and ongoing improvement. ● CQI efforts do not appear to be standardized or well-communicated, with some providers sharing they were unaware CQI was a core component of GNJK. Overall GNJK Process: ● GNJK may not be accessible by all providers, specifically those who lack financial means of resources (staff, space, time). ● Providers’ perception is that parents and caregivers are not interested in GNJK, even though data from parents highlights that they value many of the components GNJK assesses (e.g., ongoing training and PD). ● Overall, there is a lack of knowledge about GNJK, or what a high-quality program is among parents and caregivers. Recommendations from the evaluation include: ● Explore options to standardize QIS processes and ways in which QISs can collaborate across roles within GNJK to ensure consistency in communication and expectation setting. ● Identify areas in NJCCIS where data processes can be improved by collecting feedback from GNJK implementing staff. ● Consider other potential avenues for recruitment, specifically for providers without existing relationships with their local CCR&R. This may include identifying additional partners in the community who may be better positioned and have existing relationships with ECE providers. ● Provide expanded offerings for training to increase accessibility, including offering training outside of working hours, on the weekends, or including self-paced training options that staff can complete on their own time. ● Explore options for scaffolding training based on experience. Consider streamlining processes, where possible, to limit the burden placed on providers, including the amount and type of documentation and training required. ● Explore options to standardize TAS processes and protocols to ensure all providers are receiving a consistent base level of support, while still allowing room for individualization such as frequency of check-ins, how communication happens, or the creation of resources outside of the standard protocol. ● Identify areas where more information may be helpful on the rating summary report to improve the feedback process, such as expanding on areas where providers may improve. ● Identify areas in which the rating and re-rating process may be streamlined, which may include regularly documenting and checking in on CQI efforts to understand where providers do not need to be providing large amounts of updated information or shortening the time between initial rating and re-rating. ● Consider developing a more structured protocol for CQI for TASs to follow that is clearly communicated to ECE providers. The purpose of the FY2023 evaluation was to engage stakeholders in envisioning the ideal structure of a QRIS in NJ. This involved intentional examination and documentation of the current process of implementation, in addition to exploring how stakeholders define quality within this context. This plan employed a mixed methods approach, collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources to inform the following process evaluation questions: 1. How is the GNJK process currently working? a. What are the characteristics of programs that applied for rating in FY2023? b. What is the distribution of programs across star ratings in FY2023? 2. Why do programs/centers choose to participate in GNJK? 3. How do ECE providers and GNJK supporters throughout NJ define ￿quality early childhood education￿? a. To what extent does this vary by program/center type or role? 4. To what extent are the existing GNJK training, supports, processes, and tools (e.g., ERS assessments) equitable and aligned with ECE providers’ and GNJK supporters’ definitions of quality? Where do they differ? Several findings emerged that cut across multiple phases of the rating process and related to the overall administration and implementation of GNJK. These findings relate to GNJK’s impact on ECE programs, GNJK’s reflection of quality, and family engagement. ECE provider participants shared ways in which GNJK has positively changed their program’s operations. These included the activities and practices of the program, as well as the activities and interactions with staff and families: ● Being more intentional about their practices (e.g., understanding the ￿why￿ behind making changes, having more clarity and direction on what changes to make). ● Being more supportive of staff (e.g., improving staff orientation, discussing professional development opportunities more often). ● Increasing family engagement (e.g., keeping families informed of changes being made in the classroom, engaging with the community more often). ● Improving administrative practices (e.g., maintaining documentation and records, developing business plans and budgets, documenting ways they address children’s behaviors). ● Improving classroom setup and interactions (e.g., utilizing the ERS tools to identify changes made in the classroom, improved and more cohesive transitions for children between classrooms). Recommendations from the evaluation include: ● Development of clearer protocols to guide Quality Improvement Specialists and Technical Assistance Specialists. ● Provide support to CCR&Rs for marketing and recruitment of Grow NJ Kids. ● Increased support of transition of programs from phase 1 to 2 of the GNJK protocol. ● Explore ways to streamline the self-assessment and QIP process. ● Develop additional resources for TA Specialists to support ECE providers on the various GNJK standards and requirements. ● Improvements to NJCCIS for the submission of documentation. ● Development of a more detailed CQI protocol and timeline and the integration of additional CQI tools for coaches and providers. ● Development of resources for ECE providers to efficiently communicate information about GNJK to parents and caregivers. The formal evaluation conducted by CREEHS provided insight about experiences in specific GNJK phases. The evaluation found that stakeholders believe that quality ECE involves professional and knowledgeable staff (supported by technical assistance) delivering curriculum and education that meet quality standards, practicing positive and purposeful interactions, fostering child development and social-emotional learning in a safe and nurturing environment, and engaging families through responsive communication. They believe that these efforts are diverse, inclusive, and equitable for all. In addition to the formal evaluation process, the services and supports provided by the various Quality Initiatives are evaluated on an ongoing basis. Many of the programs conduct annual satisfaction surveys, post- surveys/assessments, and focus groups/interviews. Training: Post-surveys and assessments are completed by the trainers who use the feedback to determine gaps and develop training opportunities to fill those gaps. As recommended by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training, accreditation is a way to link evaluation and assessment to training. The standards require lesson plans which include assessment of learning throughout and at the conclusion of a session. Through the NJCCIS/NJ Workforce Registry, a variety of training offerings are available to the workforce. All training agencies that are contracted by DHS/DFD track and report data on offerings, participants, and attendance. For example, in 2023 Rutgers GNJK Training Services trained over 6500 participants in 36 course titles in trainings offered in both English and Spanish. The most attended offerings were on the topics of curriculum and the NJ Early Learning Guidelines New courses are often added to the training schedule based on the identified needs of the workforce. These needs are communicated through quality partners, survey data, focus groups, and email. The following new courses were added in FY23 with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) along with STEAM. Over 165 participants attending the new sessions: ● Leading an Inclusive Early Childhood Program for Directors and Administrators ● Supporting Children with Disabilities with the Creative Curriculum (Preschool) ● The Creative Curriculum for Preschool: The First Six Weeks (offered in English and Spanish) ● Inspiring Interactions: Exploring the Teacher’s Role in Interest Areas for Preschool ● Celebrating Multilingual Learners with The Creative Curriculum ● The Power of STEAM: Leading Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics ● Learning with the Creative Curriculum ● High Scope Visual Schedules are for Everyone! Supporting Children with Varying Abilities in Inclusive Classrooms using Visual Schedules Coaching/Consultation: Coaches are available to help reinforce what is presented in trainings and to support implementation in the classroom, as well as for reflective sessions. For the time period from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023, approximately 7,478 hours of TA over 9,353 sessions were provided by our TA Specialists (TAS) or Quality Improvement Specialists (QIS) either virtually or on-site. Of those TA sessions, 27% included support or conversations related to the Environment Rating Scales and 47% were focused on curriculum implementation, teacher interaction and practices and learning standards. 45% of TA sessions included support related to administration and management. 25% included support around PD and workforce development, and 40% were for coaching or support related to family and community engagement. ECLI supports the professional development needs of early childhood leaders in New Jersey’s QRIS and other initiatives to increase quality. With a focus of helping to build leadership capacity for NJ’s early childhood community, the institute works with regional leaders and programs to build capacity and promote continuous professional growth through customized PD that focuses on evaluation, coaching, and training. ECLI regularly collects participant feedback to strengthen programs and ensure they are meeting the needs of participants. Feedback is gathered through satisfaction surveys after each PD activity and role-specific focus groups that ask participants to share their reactions to ECLI programming and offer suggestions for how it can be improved. In 2022-2023, ECLI provided 476.5 hours of training and support to 338 early childhood professionals in New Jersey. Participants in ECLI PD for 2023 included: ● TA Center Technical Assistance Specialists = 56 ● TA Center Senior Technical Assistance Specialists = 14 ● CCR&R Infant/Toddler Specialists = 18 ● CCR&R Quality Managers = 16 ● CCR&R Lead Trainers = 18 ● CCR&R Family Engagement Specialists = 23 ● CCR&R Quality Improvement Specialists = 18 ● CCR&R Subsidy Staff = 144 ● CCR&R Subsidy Staff Supervisors = 31 PD Offerings included ongoing training in Essential Knowledge and Skills via two (2) biannual training and reflective sessions, small group coaching, and through four (4) virtual workshops: 1. Every Child Can Fly: Including Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Education 2. Understanding and Supporting Communication Disorders in Young Children 3. Getting Back to Basics: Supporting Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development as We Emerge from the COVID-19 Pandemic 4. Techniques for Effective and Engaging Early Childhood Training Reported knowledge gains and improved competency to implement all the Biannual Training topics. Reported implementing innovative strategies and ideas in the following areas: 1. Interaction with the providers they serve 2. Strategies to promote self-care and avoid burnout 3. Empathy and compassion 4. Developing new resources and tools 5. Self-reflection practices Identified the following support of Small Group Coaching: 1. Collective problem solving 2. Exposure to new ideas and different perspectives 3. Provides psychological safety In addition to participant reactions and satisfaction, the ECLI evaluation framework evaluates the extent to which participants gain the skills, knowledge, and dispositions targeted by the PD opportunities and the benefits participants perceive they gain by participating in ECLI professional development. An end-of-the-year survey is used to gather that information. In the past year, 14 technical assistance professionals participated in the onboarding and orientation series. All participants reported knowledge gains in all orientation topic areas, and ingrowth in knowledge and increased ability to support the program to implement all GNJK standards. All reported growth in GNJK competencies. However, 50% or less reported being able to support a program to implement the following competencies: ● Cultural competency ● Adult learning principles ● Leading through change ● Capacity building 64% or more of participants reported very much growth in the following standards: ● Communication ● Coaching ● Observation and assessment ● Individual professional development plan implementation ● Reflective practice Furthermore, to support the development of high-quality program standards related to health, physical activity and physical development, providers may access support from NJ’s network of Child Care Health Consultants. This year the health consultants presented 39 Health and Safety Huddles to 1,582 participants; and completed a total of 273 virtual presentations for 5,168 participants. PD training topics included: Safe Medication Administration￿parts 1-3; Keeping Children Healthy; Children with Special Needs; Accidents Do Not have to Happen (English-Spanish); What’s in Your Lunchbox; Safe Sleep and Supervision; Come and Get It; Playground Safety; Weather and Water Safety, Sun Safety, Insect Repellant; and NJPIES (poison control)/Safe Kids. Family Engagement Specialists (FES) provide an array of services to support families' connections and increase their understanding of child development. This includes hosting regular "Books, Balls, and Blocks" events and Parent Cafes. Both activities support early screening for developmental delays, referrals for those families who may need additional resources, and follow-up for any developmental concerns. From October 1, 2022 ￿ September 30, 2023 FESs hosted 119 Books, Balls, and Blocks events for a total of 3,149 attendees which led to 796 children referred for additional follow-up after the initial screening. In addition, they hosted 169 parent cafes (1,137 attendees); and 182 family engagement events (2,520 attendees. Lastly, the FESs provided an additional 19,502 referrals. The types of referrals included: Child Care Centers; Family Child Care Providers; Home Visiting; Family/Child Advocates; SPAN; Child Welfare; Health & Human Service Agencies; Housing/Rental Assistance; Medical and/or Health Providers; Social Workers; Parent Educators; Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Groups; Utility/Energy Assistance. New Jersey’s Afterschool and Out-of-School Time Professional Network (NJSACC) supports the following deliverables between October 1, 2022 ￿ September 30, 2023. ● Ongoing technical assistance to previous participants in the Targeted Technical Assistance Program. During the reporting period NJSACC has reported 69 targeted assistances to 60 staff. ● General case-by-case TA as requested through the registry, by referral, or otherwise. ● Professional development and/or information sessions as necessary, appropriate, and/or requested. Training sessions were reported for 16 staff, and topics included Social- Emotional Learning (SEL) , Inclusion, Ages and Stages, Anti-bullying, Transgender Issues, STEM, Indoor Environment, Kids Included Together (KIT), Playground Safety, Afterschool Standards, Quality Leadership, Human Relationships, Healthy Snacks and Supporting Positive Behavior. ● NJSACC also supported providers in consumer education, including presentations, outreach, parent engagement, referrals to and from agencies, website information and other collaboration efforts. During the reporting period NJSACC reported 380 outreach support sessions to 308 staff. ● Collection, development, and sharing of high-quality resources, information, and updates relevant to the field. ● Revision of the NJ Quality Standards for Afterschool (NJQSA) Self-Assessment Tool, online training modules and professional development, per the recent equity and inclusion changes to the NJQSA. The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) has been providing support to a variety of targeted audiences. From October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023, SPAN has provided Technical Assistance for 32 Providers (35 attendees). Their Technical Assistance sessions included Inclusion, Promoting Family Engagement, Dual Language Learner, High Quality Child Care and other topics. SPAN has provided 73 Technical Assistance Sessions to 302 Families on the following topics: Early Intervention, Transition from Early Intervention, Special Education and Inclusion. SPAN provided 73 Provider and Family Trainings to 895 attendees. Training examples: Inclusion Awareness, Transition from Early Intervention, Transition to Kindergarten, Transition to the Early Elementary Grades, Early Childhood Transition (Spanish), Importance of Developmental Monitoring and Screening, Understanding Developmental Expectations and Red Flags in Child Development, Early Intervention and Special Education, and Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Outreach activities include on-site consultations, as well as interventions and referral services. There are a number of opportunities for DHS/DFD to receive feedback from stakeholders identified to support continuous quality improvement. Those opportunities can be separated into 5 broad categories: Leadership Support, Career Pathways and Advancement, Professional Development and Training, Marketing and Consumer Education and Systems Development and Expansion. Leadership Support: DHS/DFD and partners will explore expanding leadership development in targeted areas such as financial and business support with a focus on Family Child Care, Family Engagement, School Age, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Social Emotional Learning and Relational Health. And, Revisit/Revise, a Director’s Academy, that uses the framework and lessons learned from the HEART of Leadership Series. Lastly, build upon the business supports and Shared Service Alliances professional development and technical assistance processes to enhance the supports of the child care system. Career Pathways and Advancement: DHS/DFD and partners are in the process of developing a strategic plan inclusive of piloting an Apprenticeship program for ECE workers. During the pilot phase, NJ will research ECE worker wage scales across different systems to help inform wage scales. Considerations will be discussed to determine the best approach for aligning a wage scale with the career lattice. New Jersey remains committed to supporting and increasing the capacity of the workforce, particularly those working in settings that provide care for infants and toddlers. To do this, DHS/DFD will explore further opportunities to expand awareness of and access to the NJ Infant- Toddler Credential. NJ will explore additional opportunities to develop articulation agreements with local and state university partners to support movement within the NJ Career Lattice. DHS/DFD will work to develop improved processes for the NJ Scholarship Initiative. This includes a more efficient and transparent application process, increased consumer awareness and expanded support for those navigating their educational options. Professional Development and Training: DHS/DFD and its partners will continue to evaluate trainings and find ways to expand training offerings, including when they can be accessed. In addition, DHS/DFD will work with its training partners to develop a guide for training that shows alignment to requirements and progression of training. DHS/DFD will work in coordination with training partners to integrate PD planning tools and a course catalog within NJCCIS to support ongoing, personalized and progressive PD among the workforce. DHS/DFD and its training partners will continue to find ways to incorporate school-age provider trainings, developmentally appropriate practices from birth through school age, trauma informed care, curriculum, assessment and surveys. Marketing and Consumer Education: Considerations will be made to improve marketing of the child care program and its quality supports to families, providers and other systems, i.e., child support, TANF, DCPP, etc. DHS/DFD will work with partners to develop strategies and supportive materials to communicate to the workforce and consumers related to quality, training, scholarships, and other family supports. DHS/DFD will work to bring the consumer voice to the development of professional development. System Development and Expansion: DHS/DFD will explore opportunities to further include school-age initiatives and standards in NJ’s QRIS.