On June 9, 2022, sixteen child care providers and directors from Saipan, and one from Tinian, attended a remote orientation on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Program, Quality Rating Scale and Improvement System (QRIS) and Coaching. The orientation was one hour and thirty minutes and was conducted by Evergreen Learning coaches Erlaine DLG Evangelista and Russelle Mae Ignacio.
The QRIS in the CNMI is called Reach Higher, CNMI. QRIS is a way to “assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early care and education settings.” This is similar to the ratings restaurants receive based on how they are rated during inspections, or how a hotel rates their quality and services using a star system (i.e., five-star hotel, etc.) The QRIS is a rating system using a Star Level rating as well, that communicates the quality of a child care program to families. The higher the star, the better-quality program the daycare center is.
The CCDF orientation is mandatory for all certified CCDF centers and must be attended by the program director to meet renewal requirements. The QRIS and coaching orientation are required for all new providers/teachers and directors to meet one of the indicators in Star Level 1. In addition, these orientations provide updates on the CCDF requirements, providers/teachers’ and directors’ responsibilities when it comes to technical assistance (TA) or coaching, documents to prepare before each program will be verified, and programs’ incentives and reimbursement when they reach a certain star level. At the end of the presentation, they are highly encouraged to reach out to Evergreen Learning coaches for any questions or clarifications regarding the orientation and to request TA to help programs meet the CCDF and QRIS requirements.
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