Glossary

Competitive Contract: Multiple organizations placed bids on services needed. 

Sole-source Contract: Only one organization can bid on and provide the contractual services needed.

MOA/MOU: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are written agreement or understanding between parties to work together. 

Statewide: QRIS operates throughout the state.

Counties: QRIS only operates within certain counties.

Localities:  QRIS only operates within localities across the state. 

Other:  The service area of the QRIS operates in a different manner. 

State Agency:  A state administrative body or unit of government.

Resource and Referral Agency:  A local and/or statewide nonprofit organization involved in supporting child care services.  

Licensed center-based programs:  Non-parental, state licensed, center-based child care programs.

Head Start/Early Head Start:  Federally-funded preschool program providing services to low-income families. 

School-operated early childhood programs:  Early childhood or preschool programs operating within schools. 

Licensed family child care:  Non-parental, state licensed, home-based child care programs.

Legally licensed-exempt home based providers:  License-exempt, home-based care operating legally with a license such as a provider caring only for his/her relatives. 

Legally licensed-exempt center-based providers:  License-exempt, center-based care operating legally with a license such as before and after school run programs. 

School-aged programs:  Before- and after-school run child care programs. 

Programs with children receiving CCDF subsidies:  Child care programs serving children with Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Subsidies, which are subsidies that assist low-income families with child care costs.  

Programs with children receiving IDEA funding:  Child care programs serving children with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Funding.  

Other:  An other type of QRIS participating program.  

Participation by program type unknown:  Individual program participation was not reported.  

Voluntary:  Whether QRIS participation is voluntary for programs.

Mandatory by Law:  If the QRIS is not voluntary for all programs, types of programs required to participate by law.

Mandatory by Regulation:  If the QRIS is not voluntary for all programs, types of programs required to participate by regulation.

Mandatory by Funding Stream:  If the QRIS is not voluntary for all programs, types of programs required to participate by funding stream.

Other:  Any other form of participation. 

Initial reliability: The initial process to ensure a rater is accurately and consistently rating programs.

Ongoing reliability: The ongoing (annual or monthly) process to ensure a rater is accurately and consistently rating programs. 

Accredited center-based programs:  Nationally recognized center-based child care programs.

Head Start/Early Head Start:  Federally-funded preschool program providing services to low-income families. 

School-operated early childhood programs: Early childhood or preschool programs operating within schools. 

Accredited family child cares: Nationally recognized family child care programs. 

Legally license-exempt home based programs:  Home-based care provider operating legally without a license (i.e. a provider caring only for his/her relatives). 

Legally license-exempt center-based programs:  Center-based care provider operating legally without a license (i.e. child care programs run by religious organizations). 

School-age programs: Before- and after-school run child care programs. 

Blocks at early levels & points at later levels: At early levels, the hybrid rating structure uses blocks, meaning all standards in one level are met before moving to the next.  Higher levels incorporated a points system, which means each standard is assigned a certain number of points. Block standards met and the total number of points earned reflects a program's level.  

Mix of blocks and points at all levels: Each level is composed of mandatory standards (blocks) and additional points-based standards. 

Largely a point system with some specific requirements: The system uses a points rating structure but has some specific criteria.  A common example a licensing requirement that is equivalent to the first level.

Block: Block rating structures require all items at one level across all categories to be met before advancing to the next level. 

Points: Points rating structures assign points to each quality standard. The total points earned across all categories determine the level. 

Hybrid: Hybrid rating structures use both block and points to determine ratings.  Generally the lower level(s) are blocks (all criteria must be met) and points are earned across categories to reach higher levels. 

Total: The dollar amount of the overall funding for the QRIS for the most recent fiscal year.

Administration:  Administration funding sources for most recent fiscal year. 

Quality Improvement: Quality improvement funding sources for most recent fiscal year.

Evaluation: Evaluation funding sources for most recent fiscal year.

Child Care and Development Fund:  The QRIS is supported by the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Authorized by the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act and the Social Security Act, CCDF, in part, aims to improve quality child care and promotes coordination among early childhood development and after school programs.  

Foundation funding:  Funding is received from a non-governmental organization such as a nonprofit corporation or a charitable trust.  

State Prek funding:  State funding allocated to pre-kindergarten education.

State education funding:  State funding allocated to education.   

Local Prek funding:  Local funding allocated to pre-kindergarten education.

Local education funding:  Local funding allocated to education.

RTT-ELC:  Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge is a competitive grant aimed to support state's efforts to reach disadvantaged children and design and implement a system of high quality early learning programs and services.

RTT (K-12):   Race to the Top initiative includes a K-12 education reform focusing on four key areas: standards and assessment development, data system development, increase teacher and school leader support, and increased interventions for the lowest-performing schools.

Head Start: Head Start is federally funded program that provides early childhood education and other services to low income children and families.    

Part B:  Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides funds to state and local educational agencies. 

Part H:  Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) targets early intervention services. 

TANF:  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally-funded program providing temporary financial assistance for disadvantaged families and children.  

Quality award/bonus:  Monetary award or bonus used to improve a program's quality.  

Startup award:  Monetary award given to starting programs. 

Improvement grant:  Funds given to developing programs.

Lower quality levels: Providers who receive low ratings, as defined by their state's QRIS. 

Higher quality levels: Providers who receive high ratings, as defined by their state's QRIS. 

High-need communities: Communities with a high proportion of low-income, homeless, and/or migrant populations.  

Cultural communities:  Certain religious or ethnic communities. 

State agency partner: A partnered state administrative agency. 

Resource and referral agency:  A local and/or statewide nonprofit organization involved in supporting child care services.  

CLASS: Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is an observational tool used to determine the quality of teacher-child interactions and classroom environment in child care programs.

FCCERS:  Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) is designed to assess process quality in family child care programs conducted in a provider’s home.

ECERS-R: The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) is designed to assess process quality in  group programs for preschool-kindergarten aged children, from 2 through 5 years of age.

ECERS-E:  The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale- Extension (ECERS-E) is designed to be used with the Early Childhood Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), to measure of quality in education and care in programs.  

ITERS-R:  The Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ITERS-R) is designed to assess process quality in group programs for children from birth to 2 ½ years of age.

SACCERS:  The School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale (SACCERS) is designed to assess process quality in after-school group care programs for school-age children, 5 to 12 years of age. 

Self-developed/home grown tool:  QRIS created an observational tool.

Trained in-person by the tool's author:  The observational tool's author trains observers in person.  

Trained in-person by an official tool anchor:  The observational tool's trained anchor trains observers in person.   

Training completed online through the tool publisher:  Observers complete an online training made by the tool's publisher. 

Trained in-house by an unofficial trainer:  Observers are trained by an in-house, unofficial trainer, such as a colleague with previous experience.   

Exact agreement: The observation trainee's score must be in exact agreement with the tool's anchor.

Agreement within 1: The observation trainee must be in agreement with the tool's anchor.

At least 80% agreement: The observation trainee's score must match with at least 80% of the anchor's score.

At least 85% agreement: The observation trainee's score must match with at least 85% of the anchor's score.

Implementation:  The evaluation monitors the fidelity of the QRIS. 

Includes program outcomes:  Investigates whether the QRIS causes demonstrable effects on program-level outcomes. 

Includes child outcomes:  Investigates whether the QRIS causes demonstrable effects on child development. 

Includes systems outcomes:  Investigates whether the QRIS causes demonstrable effects on system-level outcomes. 

External:  An evaluation is carried out by evaluators independent of the QRIS.  

Internal: An evaluation is carried out by evaluators within the QRIS.  

Competitive contract:  Multiple organizations place bids on services needed.

Sole-source contract: Only one organization can bid on and provide the contractual services needed. 

MOA/MOU: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are written agreement or understanding between parties to work together.  

Funded through FTE: Funding comes from the salaries of employees responsible for public awareness.

Funded through a budget set-aside or line item: A predetermined amount is allocated for public awareness.

Program Administration Scale (PAS):  http://mccormickcenter.nl.edu/program-evaluation/program-administration-scale-pas/

Ratio and group size:  Child to Staff Ratio: the amount of staff required, based on the number of children present and the ages of these children. Group Size:  The number of children assigned to a caregiver/teacher or team of caregivers/teachers occupying an individual classroom or well defined space within a larger room.

Health and safety:  Regulations and procedures intended to prevent accident or injury in the facility. 

Curriculum:  Curriculum is an organized framework that outlines appropriate content to learn and delineates processes to achieve curricular goals 

Child assessment: Gathering information from formal child assessments to make informed instructional decisions.

Environment:  The evironment of the classroom including layout and materials used.  

Interactions: Teacher-child interactions. 

Accreditation:  Accreditation is the process in which certification of credibility is presented to programs that apply and meet certain standards/criteria. 

Family partnerships and engagement:  The involvement families in the program operations, ranging from parent advisory board to periodic family surveys.

Provisions for children with special needs:  Criteria specific to serving children with special needs is included in the QRIS.

NAEYC accreditation standards:  https://oldweb.naeyc.org/academy/criteria/teacher_child_ratios.html 

Caring for our Child Standards:  http://nrckids.org/index.cfm/products/stepping-stones-to-caring-for-our-children-3rd-edition-ss3/stepping-stones-to-caring-for-our-children-3rd-edition-ss3/ 

Head Start/Early Head Start Standards:  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ecd/ehs_ccp_101_final_hhsacf_logo_2014.pdf  

Ages and Stages Questionnaires: http://agesandstages.com/ 

Brigance Screens: http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/detail.aspx?title=BrigEC-Screens 

Batelle Developmental Inventory: http://www.assess.nelson.com/test-ind/bdi.html 

Early Screening Inventory-Preschool or Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten: http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/EarlyChildhood/prekscreen 

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL): http://clas.uiuc.edu/special/evaltools/cl02542.html 

Denver Developmental Screening Test Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic (LAP-D): http://www.chtop.org/Products/LAP-System/The-LAP-D.html 

Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS):  http://www.pedstest.com/default.asp

Ages and Stages Questionnaires: http://agesandstages.com/ 

Brigance Screens:  http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/detail.aspx?title=BrigEC-Screens 

Batelle Developmental Inventory:  http://www.assess.nelson.com/test-ind/bdi.html 

Early Screening Inventory-Preschool or Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten:  http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/EarlyChildhood/prekscreen  

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL):  http://clas.uiuc.edu/special/evaltools/cl02542.html  

Denver Developmental Screening Test Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic (LAP-D):  http://www.chtop.org/Products/LAP-System/The-LAP-D.html 

Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS):  http://www.pedstest.com/default.aspx 

Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care:  http://teachingstrategies.com/curriculum/

High Reach Curriculum package for Family Child Care: http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php

High Reach Curriculum for Toddlers & Twos: http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php 

The High Scope Infant/Toddler Curriculum: http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=62

Montessori: http://www.montessoritraining.net/curriculum_materials/infant_toddler_program.htm

Program for Infants and Toddlers (PITC):  https://www.pitc.org/pub/pitc_docs/home.csp

Core Knowledge: http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_live_data/view.php?id=1833&record_id=189 

Creative Curriculum for Preschool: http://teachingstrategies.com/national/national-system.html 

Curiosity Corner:  http://www.successforall.org/Early-Childhood/Powerful-Instruction/Curiosity-Corner/ 

DLM Early Childhood Express: https://www.mheonline.com/program/view/5/7/2180/DLM2011/ 

Everyday Math: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/about/ 

High Reach Curriculum package for Family Child Care:  http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php

The High Scope Preschool Curriculum: http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=63 

Houghton Mifflin Pre-K: http://www.eduplace.com/marketing/prek/ 

Investigator Club: http://www.investigatorclub.com/about-the-program.aspx 

Montessori: http://www.montessoritraining.net/curriculum_materials/preschool_kindergarten_program.htm 

Opening the World of Learning (OWL):  http://www.pearsonlearning.com/microsites/owl/main.cfm 

Project Early Kindergarten (PEK) bundle of curricula for centers (includes PEK manual, Everyday Mathematics and Doors to Discovery): http://prek.spps.org/funding_sources_2

Project Early Kindergarten (PEK) curriculum for family child care:  http://prek.spps.org/funding_sources_2

Scholastic Early Childhood Program: http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/secp/ 

High/Scope Infant-Toddler Child Observation Record (COR):  http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=851

High/Scope Preschool Child Observation Record (COR): http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=851 

The InvestiGator Club: Prekindergarten Assessment and Intervention System:  http://www.investigatorclub.com/about-the-program.aspx 

Opening the World of Learning (OWL): Planning and Assessment Teacher’s Guide and Observation Checklist: http://www.tupeloschools.com/domain/531

The Ounce Scale: https://www.ounceonline.com/

Teaching Strategies-Gold Assessment (TS-Gold): http://teachingstrategies.com/assessment/ 

Work Sampling System (WSS): https://www.worksamplingonline.com/ 

Brigance Inventory of Early Development II: http://www.triangleeducationassessments.com/ 

Desired Results Developmental Profiles: Infant/Toddler (2010) (DRDP-IT):  http://www.desiredresults.us/form_drdp.htm

Desired Results Developmental Profiles: Preschool (2010) (DRDP-PS): http://www.desiredresults.us/form_drdp.htm 

ERS:  Environment Rating Scales http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/

CLASS:  Classroom Assessment Scoring System http://teachstone.com/the-class-system/

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation   

Council on Accreditation (COA):  http://coanet.org/about/about-coa/

National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA): http://www.necpa.net/necpastandards.php

American Montessori Society (AMS):  https://amshq.org/School-Resources/AMS-School-Accreditation 

Association of Montessori International (AMI):  http://amiusa.org/about-us/

National Center for Montessori Education: http://www.public-montessori.org/about-us

Strengthening Families checklist:  http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/resources/SF_Program-SelfAssessment_2012.pdf

Program Administration Scale (PAS):  http://mccormickcenter.nl.edu/program-evaluation/program-administration-scale-pas/

Ratio and group size:  Child to Staff Ratio: the amount of staff required, based on the number of children present and the ages of these children. Group Size:  The number of children assigned to a caregiver/teacher or team of caregivers/teachers occupying an individual classroom or well defined space within a larger room.

Health and safety:  Regulations and procedures intended to prevent accident or injury in the facility. 

Curriculum:  Curriculum is an organized framework that outlines appropriate content to learn and delineates processes to achieve curricular goals 

Child assessment: Gathering information from formal child assessments to make informed instructional decisions.

Environment:  The evironment of the classroom including layout and materials used.  

Interactions: Teacher-child interactions. 

Accreditation:  Accreditation is the process in which certification of credibility is presented to programs that apply and meet certain standards/criteria. 

Family partnerships and engagement:  The involvement families in the program operations, ranging from parent advisory board to periodic family surveys.

Provisions for children with special needs:  Criteria specific to serving children with special needs is included in the QRIS.

NAEYC accreditation standards:  https://oldweb.naeyc.org/academy/criteria/teacher_child_ratios.html 

Caring for our Child Standards:  http://nrckids.org/index.cfm/products/stepping-stones-to-caring-for-our-children-3rd-edition-ss3/stepping-stones-to-caring-for-our-children-3rd-edition-ss3/ 

Head Start/Early Head Start Standards:  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ecd/ehs_ccp_101_final_hhsacf_logo_2014.pdf  

Ages and Stages Questionnaires: http://agesandstages.com/ 

Brigance Screens: http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/detail.aspx?title=BrigEC-Screens 

Batelle Developmental Inventory: http://www.assess.nelson.com/test-ind/bdi.html 

Early Screening Inventory-Preschool or Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten: http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/EarlyChildhood/prekscreen 

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL): http://clas.uiuc.edu/special/evaltools/cl02542.html 

Denver Developmental Screening Test Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic (LAP-D): http://www.chtop.org/Products/LAP-System/The-LAP-D.html 

Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS):  http://www.pedstest.com/default.asp

Ages and Stages Questionnaires: http://agesandstages.com/ 

Brigance Screens:  http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/detail.aspx?title=BrigEC-Screens 

Batelle Developmental Inventory:  http://www.assess.nelson.com/test-ind/bdi.html 

Early Screening Inventory-Preschool or Early Screening Inventory-Kindergarten:  http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/EarlyChildhood/prekscreen  

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL):  http://clas.uiuc.edu/special/evaltools/cl02542.html  

Denver Developmental Screening Test Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic (LAP-D):  http://www.chtop.org/Products/LAP-System/The-LAP-D.html 

Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS):  http://www.pedstest.com/default.aspx 

Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care:  http://teachingstrategies.com/curriculum/

High Reach Curriculum package for Family Child Care: http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php

High Reach Curriculum for Toddlers & Twos: http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php 

The High Scope Infant/Toddler Curriculum: http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=62

Montessori: http://www.montessoritraining.net/curriculum_materials/infant_toddler_program.htm

Program for Infants and Toddlers (PITC):  https://www.pitc.org/pub/pitc_docs/home.csp

Core Knowledge: http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_live_data/view.php?id=1833&record_id=189 

Creative Curriculum for Preschool: http://teachingstrategies.com/national/national-system.html 

Curiosity Corner:  http://www.successforall.org/Early-Childhood/Powerful-Instruction/Curiosity-Corner/ 

DLM Early Childhood Express: https://www.mheonline.com/program/view/5/7/2180/DLM2011/ 

Everyday Math: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/about/ 

High Reach Curriculum package for Family Child Care:  http://www.playandlearn.com/curriculum_highreach.php

The High Scope Preschool Curriculum: http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=63 

Houghton Mifflin Pre-K: http://www.eduplace.com/marketing/prek/ 

Investigator Club: http://www.investigatorclub.com/about-the-program.aspx 

Montessori: http://www.montessoritraining.net/curriculum_materials/preschool_kindergarten_program.htm 

Opening the World of Learning (OWL):  http://www.pearsonlearning.com/microsites/owl/main.cfm 

Project Early Kindergarten (PEK) bundle of curricula for centers (includes PEK manual, Everyday Mathematics and Doors to Discovery): http://prek.spps.org/funding_sources_2

Project Early Kindergarten (PEK) curriculum for family child care:  http://prek.spps.org/funding_sources_2

Scholastic Early Childhood Program: http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/secp/ 

High/Scope Infant-Toddler Child Observation Record (COR):  http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=851

High/Scope Preschool Child Observation Record (COR): http://www.highscope.org/Content.asp?ContentId=851 

The InvestiGator Club: Prekindergarten Assessment and Intervention System:  http://www.investigatorclub.com/about-the-program.aspx 

Opening the World of Learning (OWL): Planning and Assessment Teacher’s Guide and Observation Checklist: http://www.tupeloschools.com/domain/531

The Ounce Scale: https://www.ounceonline.com/

Teaching Strategies-Gold Assessment (TS-Gold): http://teachingstrategies.com/assessment/ 

Work Sampling System (WSS): https://www.worksamplingonline.com/ 

Brigance Inventory of Early Development II: http://www.triangleeducationassessments.com/ 

Desired Results Developmental Profiles: Infant/Toddler (2010) (DRDP-IT):  http://www.desiredresults.us/form_drdp.htm

Desired Results Developmental Profiles: Preschool (2010) (DRDP-PS): http://www.desiredresults.us/form_drdp.htm 

ERS:  Environment Rating Scales http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/

CLASS:  Classroom Assessment Scoring System http://teachstone.com/the-class-system/

National Association for the Education for Young Children (NAEYC):  http://www.naeyc.org/accreditation  

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): http://www.nafcc.org/

Council on Accreditation (COA): http://coanet.org/about/about-coa/  

National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA):  http://www.necpa.net/necpastandards.php 

American Montessori Society (AMS): https://amshq.org/School-Resources/AMS-School-Accreditation

Association of Montessori International (AMI):  http://amiusa.org/about-us/ 

National Center for Montessori Education:  http://www.public-montessori.org/about-us 

Strengthening Families checklist:  http://www.cssp.org/reform/strengthening-families/resources/SF_Program-SelfAssessment_2012.pdf