Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS):Tier 1
This program has taken intentional steps to improve quality through these efforts:
- Completed a thorough licensing process through the State of California.
Tier 2
This program has taken intentional steps to improve quality through these efforts:
- Licensed and in good standing with state licensing agents
- Has been in business for at least two years
- Meets Child Health & Safety Standards
- Has attended an Increasing Quality training session
Tier 3
This program has taken intentional steps to improve quality through these efforts:
- Developed a written philosophy that defines its values, beliefs, and goals for children and families including guidelines for adult child interactions
- Maintains an accessible, organized, child-friendly indoor physical environment
- Adheres to a planned curriculum of daily activities and routines that support children’s learning and development
- Performs annual screenings on each child
- Creates consistency of care by employing a teacher who is with the children the majority of the day
- Offers instruction to children on healthy eating, fitness and toileting practices
- Developed a written policy on screen time and does not allow screen time for children under 2
- Employs a leader/director with a certificate in the field or equivalent training in early learning and development
- Employs a majority of staff members who have significant training in early learning, including training ethics and professional responsibility
- Supports continued professional development and training for staff
- Maintains a proven level of high satisfaction from and engagement with families
- Regularly evaluates staff on adult-child interactions, family partnerships and ethical practices
- Conducts an annual program evaluation
- Operates in accordance with sustainable business practices that support quality care
Tier 4
This rating indicates that a program has met all the requirements for Level 3, PLUS:
- Explicitly ensures the inclusion of all children through its program philosophy
- Provides shelves or containers that are labeled in the home language for all children in the program
- Provides gross motor equipment for play
- Promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion through its instructional materials
- Incorporates tools to individualize teaching strategies for each child
- Provides children with daily whole group activities
- Conducts child developmental assessments at least twice during the year
- Exceeds minimum licensing standards in its child-staff ratios
- Develops written guidelines for adult-child interactions that support children’s learning, language and concept development
- Improves children’s social skills through direct instruction and support
- Learns about child and family needs, interests, and traditions
- Employs a leader/director with an associate degree in the field or equivalent training
- Employs a majority of staff members who hold a certificate in the field or equivalent training in early learning and development
- Adheres to a strict policy regarding issues of confidentiality
- Has a business plan in place
- Requires staff to complete regular self-assessments on their professional performance
Tier 5
This program excels in essential standards that support quality learning for all children. This rating indicates that a program has met all the requirements for Levels 3 and 4, plus the following:
- Uses the program’s philosophy to guide key program and personnel decisions
- Labels shelves and containers with pictures
- Has indoor space available for gross motor activities
- Collects a variety of supplemental assessment information on children
- Uses screen time in an intentional manner related to instructional goals
- Is evaluated by early learning professionals to verify it uses best practices in adult-child interactions
- Encourages parents to play an active role in the program, sharing their communities and cultures
- Allows for family input from meetings or advisory groups
- Provides forms and essential program information in a manner that is understandable to all families in the program regardless of differences in language, literacy, or ability
- Provides information for families about educational opportunities available in the community
- Has a leader/director with a bachelor’s degree in the field or equivalent training
- Employs a majority of staff members who have an associate degree in the field or equivalent training
- Regularly observes employees on adult child interactions to ensure best practices are being implemented
- Provides substantial employment benefits to staff
