The QCC County Program Profile provides county data from the Common Data File (CDF) and the Annual Progress Report (APR). For counties that are a part of a consortium, the QCC County Program Profile provides a combined view of the CDF and APR. Both qualitative and quantitative data are presented to provide a local view of early learning and care climate.

The Fresno County voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) was created in 2009 as part of a locally developed 2008–2015 Fresno County Preschool Master Plan by a cross-section of dedicated early childhood education (ECE) advocates. These ECE advocates recognized that school readiness outcomes for children can be positively impacted by increasing and improving the quality and access to ECE programs.

In January 2012 Fresno County’s Local Consortia modified their existing tier matrix to incorporate the common tier requirements of the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) program. Fresno County has selected to adopt the California QRIS model with additional local requirements embedded in Tiers 2 and 5, which address children who are dual language learners and children with special needs. Fresno County Local Consortia’s goal is to have every ECE program demonstrate continuous improvement and/or strive to earn a five-star rating.

• CSPP-QRIS GB
• IMPACT
• First 5 Fresno County
• Infant/Toddler BG
• Migrant BG

• First 5 Fresno County
• Central Valley Children’s Services Network
• CPIN
• WestEd
• Fresno County Department of Public Health
• Fresno EOC Head Start
• Migrant Head Start
• CSU Fresno
• Fresno City College & Fresno Pacific University & small and large school districts
• Community Care Licensing Department

Since the launch of the Fresno County Early Stars QRIS, word-of-mouth marketing has been effective. Our program has drawn such an interest that we have not had the need to invest in large marketing campaigns to recruit providers. In addition to word-of-mouth, FCSS Project Specialists participate in local trade shows and community events (wherein the primary audience is child care providers) to conduct outreach and engage sites. In addition, FCSS collaborates with community partners, including the FindCare program of the local resource and referral agency and the Family Child Care Home Education Network, or FCCHEN; Migrant Head Start; the Local Planning Council; Fresno Area Child Care Consortium; Central California Association for the Education of Young Children (CCAEYC); and the Family Child Care Home Association, including the Latino branch. FCSS leverages these partnerships to share information about Early Stars, including the “open enrollment period,” which ensures providers receive a rating. Our website was also designed as an outreach/engagement source for providers, as well as parents and community members.

We use coaching, technical assistance, training, materials/resources, professional learning communities/communities of practice, and block/incentive grants.

Incentives/grants are provided to sites based upon their rating of 3, 4, and 5 stars.

From a preschool Center Director of a rural school district: Our program has had a great support from our coaches. They make visits to our site and respond to emails when we have any questions. They give teachers and myself tips to improve in certain areas. They provide us with information on different trainings that are given throughout the year. Participating in the Early Stars program has benefited us in many areas. Teachers and myself have had the opportunity to attend trainings to gain more knowledge in areas like safety, positive behavior, and observations (DRDP). We are fortunate to receive funds to improve the quality of our program and provide teachers with the proper tools to support children’s learning and interests.

From the CEO/owner of a center-based, private preschool: Before the Early Stars program everything was kind of all over the place, but since we have joined this program, our practices have been based on routines and repetition. We feel like this program has made a huge difference in us building relationships with parents and children by being on the same page and communicating with families about their children’s learning. They help us do this by teaching us how ASQs and DRDPs are supposed to be done correctly. Early Stars teaching helps us teach parents why we do ASQs and DRDPs and the importance of it. With the trainings that we get, it makes it easier for note taking and collecting observation about the children. Our classroom has improved drastically in the way it looks and with the children’s interest in them. We appreciate Early Stars.

From the preschool Center Director of a rural school district: Early Stars has helped build educator capacity. Our teachers and instructional assistant are more knowledgeable in the area of CLASS, ECERS, ASQ, and DRDP. The QRIS grant has allowed our center to pay teachers to attend professional development opportunities in various topics related to child development. Some of the topics include Teaching Pyramid, supporting dual language learners, ASQs, DRDP trainings, and working with special need students. Our preschool program is also able to promote our four-star rating. The QRIS grant has also allowed me to provide subs for lead teachers so they can attend weekly collaborative team and PLC meetings. During these meetings teachers can analyze the DRDP and other student data to develop lesson plan activities that would best support the learning needs of each student. Early Stars helps support our efforts for continuous quality improvements. Every year our center completes the Early Stars Action Plan. This action plan helps our center create specific goals towards achieving a high-quality star rating.

From a family child care home provider: The Early Stars program was the best decision I have made for my business. It has taught me about environment, how to work with children, health and safety practices, lesson planning, documentation, early education, and so much more. It has been a guide for me. It helped me look at my daycare and ask myself what my goals were and how I was going to get there. The Matrix for me was not just something I had to just achieve and forget about it; it was about the process of achievement, the learning. I have learned so much in the process that my questions started to get answered on its own. It has been great! I would recommend Early Stars program to any family child care program who wants to grow.

A CEO/Owner of a Center-Based Private Preschool shared: Before the Early Stars program everything was kind of all over the place, but since we have joined this program, our practices have been based on routines and repetition. We feel like this program has made a huge difference in us building relationship with parents and children by being on the same page and communicating with families about their children learning. They help us do this by teaching us how ASQs and DRDPs are supposed to be done correctly. Early Stars teaching helps us teach parents why we do ASQs and DRDPs and the importance of it. With the trainings that we get, it makes it easier for note taking and collecting observation about the children. Our classroom has improved drastically on the way it looks and with the children’s interest in them. We appreciate Early Stars.

A Preschool Center Director of a Rural School District shared: Early Stars has helped build educator capacity. Our teachers and instructional assistant are more knowledgeable in the area of CLASS, ECERS, ASQ, and DRDP. The QRIS grant has allowed our center to pay teachers to attend professional development opportunities in various topics related to child development. Some of the topics include Teaching Pyramid, supporting dual language learners, ASQs, DRDP trainings, and working with special need students. Our preschool program is also able to promote our 4-star rating. The QRIS grant has also allowed me to provide subs for lead teachers so they can attend weekly collaborative team and PLC meetings. During these meeting teachers can analyze DRDP and other student data to develop lesson plan activities that would best support the learning needs of each student. Early Stars helps support our efforts for continuous quality improvements. Every year our center completes the Early Stars Action Plan. This action plan helps our center create specific goals towards achieving a high-quality star rating.

A Family Child Care Home Provider shared: The Early Stars program was the best decision I have made for my business. It has taught me about environment, how to work with children, health and safety practices, lesson planning, documentation, early education, and so much more. It has been a guide for me. It helps me look at my daycare and ask myself what my goals were and how I was going to get there. The matrix for me was not just something I had to just achieve and forget about it, it was about the process of achievement, the learning. I have learned so much in the process that my questions started to get answered on its own. It has been great! I would recommend Early Stars program to any family child care program who wants to grow.