1st Web Posting March 2015 - QRIS National Learning Network

The Latest Resources: QRIS National Learning Network
March 19, 2015
"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."
- Lady Bird Johnson
News and Resources from the BUILD Initiative and QRIS National Learning Network:
Early Bird Registration Ends on April 1 for the 2015 QRIS National Meeting: Higher Ground - Taking Quality to Scale
The BUILD Initiative and the QRIS National Learning Network are hosting the 2015 QRIS National Meeting: Higher Ground Taking Quality to Scale on July 15-17 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD (eight miles
south of DC). Click here to view the draft agenda. Click here to view a list of draft plenary, workshop and discussion topics.
Click here to register for the meeting, pay via credit card (or check) and make your hotel reservations, all at the same time.
Space is limited! Register by April 1 to take advantage of the discounted Early Bird Registration Fee.
Interested in serving as a sponsor for the 2015 QRIS National Meeting? Contact Meghan Robinson at
mrobinson@buildinitiative.org.
External News and Resources:
Examining Changes to Michigan's Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) from the Institute of
Education Sciences
Documenting and improving early childhood program quality is a national priority, leading to a rapid expansion of Quality Rating
and Improvement Systems (QRISs). QRISs document and improve the quality of early childhood education programs and
provide clear information to families about their child care choices. This current study, authored by staff members from American
Institutes for Research, describes how early childhood programs were rated in Michigan's QRIS and examines how alternative
approaches to calculating ratings affected the number of programs rated at each quality level.
Linking Head Start Data with State Early Care and Education Coordinated Data Systems from the Early Childhood Data
Collaborative
As states work to craft strong cross-sector ECE systems, there has been a great deal of innovation around bringing Head Start
to the table in meaningful ways. The brief Linking Head Start Data with State Early Care and Education Coordinated Data
Systems examines the actions some states have taken. It describes the importance of including Head Start data in a coordinated
early care and education data system, relays what has been learned about current data linkage steps across states, and
presents action steps for state and federal leaders. In a recorded webinar hosted by the Early Childhood Data Collaborative,
findings from the brief are highlighted and state examples are provided from Georgia, New Jersey and Utah.
A Blueprint for Early Care and Education Quality Improvement Initiatives from Child Trends
As Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) continue to launch and mature across states, questions emerge from
stakeholders about how to design and implement effective quality improvement (QI) initiatives that accompany a QRIS. The
purpose of this report is to address questions about effective QI initiatives by proposing a blueprint of quality improvement
practices and design considerations.
The Provider Cost of Quality Calculator (PCQC) Now Available from the National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement
The PCQC is a tool that calculates the cost of care by levels of quality based on site-level provider data. The tool can help state
policymakers, child care providers and other stakeholders understand the costs associated with delivering high-quality child care
services. The slide deck from a national webinar showcasing the PCQC's potential is available here and the recording can be
accessed here. Issue briefs on the use of the PCQC are also available here.
Teachstone Free Webinar: What is Data-Driven Professional Development and Why Does it Work?
In this webinar, scheduled for March 26 at 2 pm ET, participants will learn how to leverage CLASS data to put coaches in the
driver's seat as they select and implement professional development that changes teaching practice. Click here to register.
Sign up to receive the QRIS National Learning Network's e-newsletter here.
Connect with BUILD Initiative on Social Media:
Contact us at dmathias@buildinitiative.org if you have new resources to add.
Find archived resource lists at http://qrisnetwork.org/newsletters.
Debi Mathias, Director, QRIS National Learning Network, BUILD Initiative