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Colorado Shines Quality Improvement Coaching

Colorado Shines

Quality Improvement

When providers have support navigating the early childhood rating system, they can focus on giving the best quality care to their kids.

About Quality Improvement

As a local early childhood council, we administer the Colorado Shines Quality Improvement (CSQI) grant for Arapahoe County. Our program offers quality incentive funding and coaching to centers and homes throughout the county.

From the beginning caregiver to the seasoned professional, we provide support for all programs regardless of Colorado Shines rating and give YOU flexibility to design quality improvements that work with the unique needs of your program.

 
 
 
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What can you do with the Colorado Shines Grant Funds?

Colorado Shines Quality Improvement grant funds can be used for individualized coaching, professional development training, temporary teacher funds, early learning materials, and more.

In Arapahoe County, child care programs get hands-on support from our in-house staff. We work with directors and staff on topics like:

  • Center Safety

  • Curriculum

  • Business Practices

  • and more

Visit your Colorado Shines portal and apply today or reach out to our Quality Improvement team for assistance with the application process.

 
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Quality Improvement Menu of Services

Our goal is to provide support for all levels in Colorado Shines and give providers the flexibility to design and build quality improvements around the unique needs of their program.

Coaches cover center safety, curriculum, business practices, and more. We also connect directors and staff to ongoing training to stay up-to-date on best practices and changes in local and state policy. Make sure to take advantage of all our different services, wherever you are in the rating process.

 

Colorado Shines Level 1 Support Services

With Level 1 programs, we primarily focus on achieving a Level 2 rating. We help with:

  • Support around the Colorado Shines Application, including specific guidance for filling out a program profile, the Children, Workforce, Classroom, High Needs Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), and Quality Indicator Assessment information

  • Assistance with navigating the Professional Development Information System (PDIS)

  • Technical assistance/coaching support

  • Professional Development opportunities

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Colorado Shines Level 2 Support Services

We provide the following services for programs with a Level 2 in Colorado Shines:

  • Support with Colorado Shines Application updates

  • Ongoing assistance with navigating the Professional Development Information System (PDIS)

  • Help with Level 3-5 Documentation

  • Credentialed coaching towards best practice and quality improvement in your classroom

  • Curriculum and assessment guidance and implementation

  • Ongoing Professional Development opportunities

  • Individualized classroom support based on evidence-based tools such as the ERS tools

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Colorado Shines Level 3-5 Support Services

Once programs have achieved a Level 3 or higher, we provide support to maintain high quality and sustain your Colorado Shines Rating by providing:

  • Support with Colorado Shines Application updates

  • Ongoing assistance with navigating the Professional Development Information System (PDIS)

  • CLASS assessments and coaching based on Level of Readiness

  • Strategic coaching to sustain a Level 3-5 rating or increase a rating

  • Ongoing curriculum and assessment support

  • Ongoing growth and development opportunities

  • Mentor Level Status in our program

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Expanded Eligibility Opportunities!

ACECC is excited to announce that the Colorado Office of Early Childhood has expanded the eligibility requirements for their Colorado Shines Quality Improvement grant. If you weren’t eligible in the past, please take a look at the new criteria. There’s a good chance you’re eligible now for coaching and funding to improve your program!

Here are the new requirements:

Your program must have a Colorado Shines Level 1-Level 5 rating AND meet one of the following requirements:

  1. Serves a high needs population that meet any of the following definitions:

    • A child with a disability or developmental delay under age five who has an individual family service plan (IFSP) or an individualized education program (IEP) or medical care plan

    • A child who has a home language other than English (English language learner

    • A child from a household meeting income eligibility criteria for Colorado Child Care Assistance Program

    • A child who is migrant and meets the definition of “migratory child” in elementary and secondary education action (ESEA) section 1309(2)

    • A child who resides on Indian lands

    • A child who is in foster care, kinship care or receiving services through the child welfare system

    • A child who is eligible to receive free or reduced-cost meals pursuant to the provisions of the federal National School Lunch Act

    • A child who is experiencing homelessness or frequent relocations to new residences by the child’s family

    • Drug or alcohol abuse in the child’s family

    • A child living in the home with an abusive adult

    • Either parent of the child was less than eighteen years of age at the time of the birth of the child

2. Willing to serve children who qualify for Colorado’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) and hold a fiscal agreement

 
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Do you qualify under this new Expanded Eligibility?

Contact us today to get started on your quality journey!

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Emerging & Expanding (E&E) Grant

The Emerging and Expanding Child Care Grant Program is a state grant announced in early 2021 that aims to expand access and availability of licensed child care throughout the state. 

Grant awards support:

  1. The expansion of open and operating child care centers or family child care homes

  2. Or the start-up of a new child care center or family child care home

Costs may include but are not limited to staff training, background check fees, cleaning supplies, educational supplies, and capital and facility improvement costs.  Grant awards range from at least $3,000 to no more than $50,000.  Eligible entities located in a child care desert will be prioritized.

Child Care Licensing Specialists and Early Childhood Councils are providing support at the local level, including offering consultation to prospective programs on how to become licensed and assisting existing child care programs to expand their licensed capacity. If you are already participating in our CSQI program, your ACECC coach can help you with your application.

If you have questions and do not have an assigned ACECC coach, please contact us!

 
 
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Other Learning & Development Programs
Quality Improvement
Quality Improvement

Coaches cover center safety, curriculum, business practices, and more. We also offer directors and staff ongoing training to stay up-to-date on best practices, different rating scales, and local or state policy.

Workforce Development
Workforce Development

We offer affordable training for early childhood professionals, including a leadership community for directors, an Annual Quality Forum, and quarterly workshops.

Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care
Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care

We offer multiple low cost, interactive EQIT courses each year as part of statewide initiative to improve the quality of care in infant/toddler rooms.

Family Child Care Support
Family Child Care Support

We house and support A Caregiver Network, a network of support for family child care providers and other programs in Arapahoe County.

Scholarship Opportunities
Scholarship Opportunities

We offer scholarships throughout the year to people who are already working with young children or are interested in the industry.