Quality Improvement

Supporting Babies Through QRIS is a series of documents developed by ZERO TO THREE’s Policy Center to help ensure that Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) are supporting the unique developm…

This webinar presented ZERO TO THREE’s newly created Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) self-assessment tool and discussed ways to help states and jurisdictions identify QRIS components th…

Pennsylvania recently completed an 18-month process to update Keystone STARS, the state’s quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), to make it more flexible while maintaining rigor.

In June 2011, Connecticut became the first state to pass paid sick leave legislation.

Last week Nebraska passed the School Readiness Tax Credit Act, creating two new tax credits designed to increase access to high quality early care and education (ECE) programs.

Georgia launched a voluntary quality rating and improvement system in January 2012 with the expectation that 700 child care programs would begin participating in the first year.

North Carolina is working to reduce infant mortality rates and improve birth outcomes through its innovative Pregnancy Medical Home program.

As of 2016, Mississippi Building Blocks worked with 29 centers across the state, and over 500 early childhood programs in 31 counties have benefitted from free equipment, a research-based curriculum,…

State leaders in Minnesota are building an early childhood mental health system that connects evidence to practice, training, and policy.

In July 2015, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment with the Center for Public Partnerships and Research at the University of Kansas released a website and online toolkit aimed at strengthe…

Learn how the state is focusing on training of staff and foster parents demonstrates a commitment to the very youngest vulnerable children.

Iowa's Quality Rating System (QRS), is a voluntary rating system for child development homes, licensed child care centers and preschools, and child care programs that are operated by school districts…

Better Baby Care Indiana is a statewide initiative to promote the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and their families.

Illinois has a long history of engaging in efforts to ensure that all infants and toddlers have developmental and social emotional screenings and receive follow-up supports and services.

Florida Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) leadership have identified staff recruitment and retention as critical goals since the program began.

Read this brief summary of the full report, "Modeling Quality Costs for Delaware Stars: Report on the Program Cost of Quality."

In recent years the Colorado legislature has taken several steps to improve the accessibility of high quality child care in the state.

In California, the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program has been a catalyst for collaborative planning and systems building across programs serving young children and t…

Learn about California's collaborative effort to increase the use of standardized developmental screening tools and referral into early intervention services for all young children.

Here's how California is strengthening family engagement, investing in the early childhood workforce, and supporting local Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS).

Resource information on state policies and initiatives that impact infants, toddlers and their families

In June 2015, Washington passed a two-year state budget that included a $6.18 million increase for home visiting.

In 2005, Rhode Island Kids Count brought partners together to begin the conversation about creating a QRIS in the state.

The Nebraska Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (N-MIECHV) programs in Nebraska, including the Nebraska Panhandle region, metro areas of Lincoln and Omaha, rural counties in both nort…

"Look for the STARS" is a five-level quality rating improvement system (QRIS) designed by New Mexicos Office of Child Development under the Child, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) to help parents…

In November 2009, Lakes & Prairies Child Care Resource and Referral received a grant from United Way of Cass-Clay and the Fargo-Moorehead Area Foundation to implement a pilot Early Childhood Quality …

"T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) is an educational scholarship opportunity for early childhood providers in licensed child care center-based, group-based and family chi…

In August 2012, the Michigan Department of Community Health released an Infant Mortality Reduction Plan to combat infant mortality and reduce disparities among racial and ethnic groups.

In October 2010, Montana began field testing a revised quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that aligns research-based quality indicators with workforce development, financial incentives, and…

Parent Aware was originally available statewide to programs eligible for Accelerated Pathway to Rating (Accredited child care centers, accredited family child care providers, Head Start, Early Head S…

Early on, the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program leaders recognized that their clients were likely to have a number of stressors, including maternal and infant mental…

In 2014, Massachusetts conducted a thorough study of the state’s subsidized child care system in order to more efficiently and effectively manage the provision of child care services.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) have improved coordination between the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and Head Start/Early Head Star…

Missouri's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) team is comprised of the Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Parents as Teachers and the Early Head Start Home Based Option.

In early May 2008, former New Jersey Governor John S. Corzine signed into law paid family-leave legislation (A873), taking a major step forward in supporting the states working families. The legislat…

The Childrens Trust of South Carolina is South Carolinas Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grantee.

STARS for KIDS NOW is Kentucky's voluntary quality rating system for licensed Type I and Type II child care centers and certified family child care homes.

To coordinate state efforts to improve children's readiness for school, Ohio Governor John Kasich created an Early Education and Development Officer position within the Governors Office of 21st Centu…

Quality Improvement resource information on state policies and initiatives that impact infants, toddlers and their families

Oklahoma's Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) team prioritizes centralized intake in its collaboration, planning, and system-building efforts.

In December 2013, Georgia became one of six states to receive a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant in Phase 3 of the program.

In 2012, Illinois reapplied for and was awarded the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant and proposed the following targets to improve its early learning and development (ELD) sys…

Learn how Colorado is implementing the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant.

In 2012, Wisconsin reapplied for and was awarded the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant and proposed the following targets to improve its early learning and development (ELD) sy…

In December, 2013, New Jersey became one of the six newest states to receive a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant.

In December, 2013, Kentucky became one of six states to receive a Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant. Through this grant, the state is directing substantial resources to support…

In December 2013, Michigan received a four-year Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant.

Funding from the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant has allowed Massachusetts an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate early childhood education so that the state’s children h…

In December 2011, Maryland was awarded a four-year Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant and proposed the following targets to improve its early learning and development (ELD) syst…

Learn how the EQ initiative provides training, technical assistance, and support for three primary components.

This webinar featured the findings from a joint report entitled Expanding Access to Early Head Start: State Initiatives for Infants and Toddlers at Risk and highlighted two states’ efforts to expand …