|
|
Quality Rating and Improvement System Assessment for Regulated Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Child Care Programs
|
Request Date: 8/19/2022 5:50:16 PM
Open Date:
Closing Date: 9/7/2022 4:00 PM
Intent To Bid Deadline:
Est. Dollar Value: $0.00
RFQ Number:
|
 |
Department for Children and Families
280 State Drive
Waterbury,
VT
05671
|
Locations:
Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Orleans, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor, State-Wide
Keywords:
Social Services, Consultant Services, Education Services, Child Care
Bid Description:
The Vermont Department for Children and Families’ (DCF) mission is to foster the healthy development, safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency of Vermonters. The Department is structured around six Divisions that deliver programs and services to Vermonters; one of those Divisions is the Child Development Division (CDD). CDD’s goal is to increase access to high-quality, sustainable services that are developmentally beneficial for children, strengthen families, and meet their needs in partnership with families, communities, schools, providers, and state and federal agencies.
Vermont’s STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) is the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a framework for recognizing, improving, and communicating the extent to which early care and education programs and providers demonstrate specified indicators of high-quality practice. A QRIS also provides a clear articulation of steps programs can take to progress from compliance with licensing regulations to attaining higher standards of quality (STARS Standards). STARS was developed in 2003 and provides a quality framework for licensed and registered child care centers and preschools, family child care homes, and school-age programs. One essential component of STARS is the assessment of all regulated child care programs utilizing established criteria as part of the quality rating assignment process. As of 2019, all regulated child care programs are automatically enrolled in STARS. The Vision of STARS is: All regulated early childhood and after school programs in Vermont are high quality, developmentally beneficial for children, and strengthen families. The Mission of STARS is: The Vermont STep Ahead Recognition System defines high standards for early childhood and after school programs, assigns ratings to those programs in accord with the standards, and promotes continuous quality improvement so that:
a. Families can identify quality programs that meet their needs, and
b. Programs get better at supporting families and children's learning, growth, and development.
CDD is seeking to enter into a contract or contracts with one or more vendors to provide in-person STARS assessments for regulated infant, toddler, and preschool child care programs. An estimate of three (3) to five (5) assessments would be completed per month or forty (40) to fifty (50) assessments annually; this is an estimate only, and the actual numbers of assessments requested may be lower or higher.
|
