Qualistar Rating™ FAQs: Rating Process

Looking for more information?  Please click on the questions below to get detailed answers;

1. What is the Qualistar Rating™ process?
2. What is a Data Collection Window?
3. What is an Observation Window?
4. What are some helpful resources to help me prepare for my ITERS-R©, ECERS-R©, or FCCERS-R© observation?
5. What is a Quality Performance Profile?
6. What is a Quality Consultation?
7. What if a child care program is accredited by another agency not recognized in the Qualistar Rating™?
8. What is the process for disputing a Qualistar Rating™?
9. Do you accept foreign college transcripts for the Training and Education component of the Qualistar Rating?
10. How can I encourage families to complete the Family Partnerships Questionnaire electronically?

What is the Qualistar Rating™ process?

Step 1: Contact the Director of Qualistar Ratings to schedule a rating.

Step 2: Qualistar Rating Packet The program receives instructions to access a set of online forms to collect information for their rating. This includes a program’s rating window. Forms include family questionnaires to be distributed to families, program and classroom information, training and education forms for each staff member, a self-assessment, and a program documentation checklist that identifies the information that will need to be collected to document a program’s family partnerships activities. During this time, the program also collects formal training certificates and transcripts for each staff member. These forms can be submitted instantly through the internet, and are due at the end of the month in which they receive access to the forms. A Qualistar Rating Specialist is assigned to the program and contacts the program to review the forms. Programs will also receive log in information to give to parents. This will allow parents to access and complete the family questionnaires online.

Step 3: Observation Window During this 1 month window, a Quality Rating Specialist conducts ECERS-R©, ITERS-R© or FCCERS-R© observations and collects ratio and group size information. The Quality Rating Specialist will also gather documents pertaining to the Qualistar Rating™, including a release of information, a copy of a program’s child care license, transcripts or training information for each staff member, and Family Partnerships activity documentation.

Step 4: Calculation From the family questionnaires, the program documentation of family partnerships activities, and the training and education documentation of staff, the ECERS-R©, ITERS-R©, or FCCERS-R© observations, and from the ratio and group size information, the Quality Rating Specialist calculates a program’s Qualistar Rating™. The Quality Rating Specialist writes a Quality Performance Profile (QPP) detailing areas of strength and areas for quality improvement, as well a quality improvement plan. Programs that have rated previously will receive an electronic copy of their QPP by email, while new programs will receive their QPP in the mail.

Step 5: Consultation The Quality Rating Specialist schedules and conducts a consultation with the program to review the QPP. During this consultation, a program may choose to sign consent to publish form, if they would like their rating published.

What is a Data Collection Window?

A data collection window is a period in which programs collect Qualistar Rating™ information (transcripts and formal training certificates, training and education forms, the program self-assessment, family questionnaires and documentation that supports a program’s family partnerships activities). The data collection window occurs before the observation window. The Quality Rating Specialist collects this data during their first classroom observatio

What is an Observation Window?

An observation window is a one month period in which a Quality Rating Specialist administers the ECERS-R©, ITERS-R© or FCCERS-R© observation in each classroom, collects ratio and group size information, and interviews appropriate staff on the family partnerships opportunities provided by the child care/preschool program. Classroom observations are unannounced and can occur any time during this one month window. However, programs can identify dates (if needed) that do not represent a typical day (e.g. a fieldtrip, head teacher has a scheduled absence). The Quality Rating Specialist will not conduct an observation on these dates.

What are some helpful resources to help me prepare for my ITERS-R©, ECERS-R©, or FCCERS-R© observation?

For your convenience, this list identifies Website addresses for a number of early childhood related resources.

• To download a free copy of the Public Playground Safety Handbook please refer to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf
• For more information about the ITERS-R©, ECERS-R©, and FCCERS-R© please refer to the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ecers/
• For scoring clarification on the ITERS-R©, ECERS-R©, and FCCERS-R© please refer to Clayton Early Learning http://www.claytonearlylearning.org/training/assessment-tools/ers/ers-tools/

What is a Quality Performance Profile?

A Quality Performance Profile (QPP) is the feedback that a program receives which serves as a roadmap to a program’s quality improvement goals. The major sections of the QPP include:

1. The Early Learning Report: this report provides a brief overview of the components of the rating and how they are scored, as well as the number of points the program earned in each component. An overall point total and Qualistar Rating™ is provided in this document. The Early Learning Report also gives a brief outline of areas of strength in the program and areas for quality improvement. It is written in family friendly language and is the report that may be published to help families choose care for their children.
2. Rating Component Reports: these reports give the details of how the program scored on each item within a component of the rating. These reports allow a program to see the trends in their program at a glance, as well as how individual classrooms scored and how individual criteria were met or not met.
3. Classroom Reports & Score Sheets: these reports detail how each individual classroom scored on the ECERS-R©, ITERS-R© or FCCERS-R©, as well as a brief narrative outlining the strengths and areas for improvement by classroom.
4. Quality Improvement Plan: this is an action plan based on the narrative detail on the trends across the program by component including the strengths of a program and areas for quality improvement.
5. Qualistar Rating Certificate: a certificate with the overall Qualistar Rating™ that can be displayed.

What is a Quality Consultation?

The Quality Rating Specialist assigned to the program provides a consultation to the program within 1 month of the program receiving their Quality Performance Profile (QPP). During this consultation, the Quality Rating Specialist discusses the QPP with the program, as well as makes suggestions for quality improvement and points out areas of strength in the program. This is an opportunity for programs to ask questions about how items were scored and for the Quality Rating Specialist to give advice on how to implement recommended quality improvement strategies in the program. It is very important that someone from the program (usually a director or family home provider) read the QPP before the consultation

What if a child care program is accredited by another agency not recognized in the Qualistar Rating™?

If a program is accredited through another agency, a program can submit the accreditation standards to Qualistar with their rating information and Qualistar will review the standards. If the standards promote developmentally appropriate care for young children and the accreditation process includes a rigorous program assessment including an external program review, a committee at Qualistar may recommend that the accreditation be recognized officially in the Qualistar Rating™

What is the process for disputing a Qualistar Rating™?

If a program believes that a component or item was scored incorrectly and has supporting documentation to substantiate their belief, a program can submit a Ratings Dispute Form. This form is located in the back of the QPP and must be submitted to Qualistar within 30 days of the consultation. A committee at Qualistar reviews the dispute and makes a decision regarding its legitimacy. If the dispute is founded, the points earned or the rating (if applicable) will be changed and new reports will be issued to the program

Do you accept foreign college transcripts for the Training and Education component of the Qualistar Rating?

Yes, an equivalency evaluation must be obtained from an agency that is recognized by Qualistar Colorado. The following are acceptable equivalency evaluation agencies:

International Education Services AACRAO
World Education Services
Educational Perspectives
Globe Language Services
Consultancy on International Education

How can I encourage families to complete the Family Partnerships Questionnaire electronically?

• Give families their 3-digit access code and refer them to http://families.qualistar.org
• Set-up a computer at the front desk and have families check their names off of a list once the Family Questionnaire has been submitted successfully
• If applicable, add the http://families.qualistar.org link and 3-digit access code to your programs electronic newsletter
• Once a family member has successfully completed their electronic Family Questionnaire have them enter their name in a raffle for a free gift card or prize

Acknowledgements

• The Qualistar Rating™ is patented with the United States Patent and Trademark Office under US Patent Number 101980.504.
• Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale—Revised Edition, by Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer. (Teachers College Press, Copyright © 1998 by Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer.) Used with permission of the publisher and the authors.
• Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale—Revised Edition, by Thelma Harms, Debby Cryer, and Richard M. Clifford. (Teachers College Press, Copyright © 2003 by Thelma Harms, Richard M. Clifford, and Debby Cryer.) Used with permission of the publisher and the authors.
• Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale, by Thelma Harms, Ellen Vineberg Jacobs, and Donna Romano White. (Teachers College Press, Copyright © 1996 by Thelma Harms, Ellen Vineberg Jacobs, and Donna Romano White.) Used with permission of the publisher and the authors.