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 Lead Agency posts the approved ACF-218 Quality Progress Report to the following website: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/childcare/ccdbg 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. The Lead Agency will continue to spend CCDF funds to support new and current training and professional development opportunities for the child care workforce through various external vendors. CCDF funds will be used for to support Child Care Foundational Trainings and training and technical assistance activities with the YoungStar vendor, SHINE Early Learning, to provide face-to-face and on-demand computer-based trainings. The Lead Agency will also fund training and professional development through the WECA, WI Registry, and CCR&R contracts. 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 Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards are currently undergoing revision, a process that may take several years to fully complete. Following revision, new training for the child care workforce will have to be developed to support implementation. DCF currently funds WECCP to assist with the revision process and development of workforce training supports. 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. The YoungStar quality improvement system has begun a five year revision process. CCDF funds will support the revision process, as well as supporting the current and future implementation of the YoungStar program for providers. 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. Pre-licensing support to individuals interested in becoming infant and toddler child care providers will continue to be funded by CCDF. The Lead Agency will utilize CCDF funds to support increasing the quality of child care through training and technical assistance with outside agencies including SHINE Early Learning/YoungStar, WECA, WI Registry, and the CCR&R network. 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. CCDF funding will continue to be used to support a statewide system of CCR&R services that provide referrals and technical assistance to families, training and technical assistance to child care and school-age care providers, and community collaboration, outreach, and visibility. 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. Pre-licensing support to individuals interested in becoming child care providers will continue to be funded by CCDF, which directly facilitates compliance with Lead Agency child care licensing, monitoring, inspection, and health and safety standards. In addition, the state QRIS vendor SHINE Early Learning uses CCDF funds to provide targeted supports to assist providers who are out-of-compliance in specific areas as directed by the Lead Agency. 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. CCDF funds support the Lead Agency’s QRIS program through SHINE Early Learning to evaluate and assess the quality and effectiveness of child care services within Wisconsin. 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. CCDF funds are used by the Lead Agency to support the work of the cross-sector Healthy Early program as well as the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards to create high-quality program standards relating to health, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and physical development. Both Healthy Early and the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards will undergo revision and enhancement in the next five year cycle. 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.