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 Quality Progress Report and most recent ACF696 report are available to the public by request from the Department of Social Services and can be accessed online at: https://dss.sd.gov/childcare/stateplan/default.aspx 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. Child Care Services contracts with 5 agencies known as Early Child Enrichment (ECE) offices to provide training and technical assistance to state registered and licensed childcare providers to meet licensing requirements as well as improve program quality. The ECE System partners with CCS to provide services to child care providers and families that address other quality activities outlined in this plan thus measurable outcomes are reported under the other quality funding areas. 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 SD ECE System will provide copies of the SD ELG document through training opportunities such as the online, on-demand ELG training series as well embed content into other training offerings such as the SD CDA Training program. The goal of these trainings is to increase caregiver’s understanding of age-appropriate expectations for children’s development and learning and increase their ability to establish goals for children’s individual development and learning and to develop age-appropriate curricula and activities. 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. In the previous plan period, Child Care Services contracted with the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Quality Collaborative to complete a pilot of a state center-based, family daycare, and school-age Quality Recognition and Information System (QRIS) framework. Based on the outcome of the pilot, Child Care Services plans to move from pilot to statewide implementation in this plan period. Funding supports items such as program staffing and program incentives to enhance quality and reduce barriers. 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 South Dakota ECE System utilizes the Program for Infants and Toddler Care (PITC) philosophy of care and the Pyramid Model as the foundation for all infant and toddler training. A state pathway for infant and toddler training provides training for child care providers new to infant and toddler care through training towards an Infant Toddler Center-Based CDA Credential. In each of the five ECE offices, there is an identified infant and toddler specialist who provides training, technical assistance, and coaching to providers who care for infants and toddlers. Infant toddler funding will also be used to support grant funding for programs with infant toddler classrooms participating in the state QRIS program. 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. CCS utilizes CCDF quality funds to support the State's ECE System to promote the health, safety, and development of young children in child care settings. The ECE agencies coordinate and provide early childhood and school-age training, technical assistance, and coaching to assist programs in meeting state licensing requirements. In addition to training and technical assistance, CCS also offers grant funding opportunities to child care programs needing to meet licensing compliance issues. vii. Evaluating and assessing the quality and effectiveness of child care services within the State/Territory. [x] No plans to spend in this category of activities at this time. [ ] Yes. If yes, describe current and future investments. 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. The SD ECE System supports to assist programs in developing high quality standards through training opportunities such as Safe Sleep Policy, Early Learning Guidelines, and the SD Out- of-School Time (OST) Credential training. The SD ECE System also provides individualized technical assistance opportunities to support program leaders in implementing or revising policies. The fitCare initiative is a collaboration for children birth to age 5 that includes CCS, SD Department of Health (DOH), Sanford Children's and Sanford fit Initiative. The program was developed to help child caregivers provide a healthy lifestyle for children in all child care settings. Building on the work of fitCare, the Physical Activity Technical Assistance (PATA) program works with child care program directors and family childcare providers to evaluate and promote best practices within their program's physical activity policy. Finally, the Social and Emotional Foundations Project supports early childhood programs and families in an effort to prevent and/or limit expulsion and suspension practices in early childhood settings. Currently, the project provides services in the Rapid City and Sioux Falls areas via the local Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) program. 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.