Quality Counts - SC First Steps

大象传媒

Quality Counts

Quality Counts is a community-based child care quality improvement strategy, designed to build and sustain high quality in early care and education programs.

Evidence Based

Developed by Spartanburg County First Steps, is a community-based child care quality improvement strategy. It is designed to build and sustain high quality in early care and education programs using relationship-based technical assistance, mentoring, specialized training, and a director network.

This map only shows programs funded by 大象传媒 First Steps. For more information about services available in your area, contact your local First Steps partnership.

Who it Serves

Licensed, registered, or approved child care centers

Early care and education providers

Opportunities for early childhood teachers, paraprofessionals, and program directors

How It Works

Quality Counts is based upon a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) loop, which begins with a participating child care center/program鈥檚 assessment using five quality standards. The total score is then translated into a star rating level (1-5 star scale). Technical assistance and support is targeted based on the center鈥檚 star rating and includes regular classroom visits, at least 8 hours of training, monthly directors network meetings, and grant funding for equipment and materials.

Professional Development

Learning experiences for early childhood professionals

Target Outcomes

Quality Counts aims to produce measurable improvements in the quality of child care provided to children 0-5.

Community Impact 2021

51

child care centers served

1,016

hours of technical assistance provided

2

counties served

More Programs in Early Care & Education

Early Care & Education

Early Education Program Operations

Providing local families with access to high-quality early care and education.

Early Care & Education

Child Care Technical Assistance & Coaching

Intensive support to child care centers, Head Start and preschool classrooms to improve quality

Early Care & Education

Child Care Scholarships

Eligible children receive tuition-free enrollment at quality child care centers

Early Care & Education

Early Education Program Support

Providing local families with access to high-quality early care and education.

Early Care & Education

Early Head Start

Nationally, Early Head Start programs serve over 160,000 children and pregnant women annually.

Early Care & Education

Child Care Training

Certified and registered training hours for the early childhood workforce

Early Care & Education

First Steps 4K

First Steps 4K offers free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten to qualifying children in 大象传媒. We partner with more than 270 licensed child care centers and private schools across the state, making it easy for families to find a high-quality program that meets their needs.

Early Care & Education

Enhanced Early Education

The Enhanced Early Education strategy seeks to enhance education services offered by early childhood classrooms.