Quality Counts Inyo

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Their Early Years Are Important

The things your child learns and experiences in the first five years shape their development and the way they connect with the world around them. High-quality early learning experiences set your child up for success in school and in life.

As a parent or caregiver, you are giving your child a quality start by seeking out programs that offer high-quality early learning.

What Does High -Quality Early Learning Look Like?

Programs that provide high quality early learning have these key features:

• Small class sizes: so that children get more one-on-one attention.

• Engaging and enriching curriculum: so children are able to learn.

• Safe spaces: to promote children’s exploration and learning.

• Excellent teachers: that support children’s social, emotional, and physical development through positive interactions.

• Inclusive communities: that engage families in meaningful ways and embrace families’ cultures and home languages.

What is a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)?

QRIS is a nationwide initiative that works to raise the quality of early learning programs for children 0-5. Early learning programs volunteer to join QRIS because they are dedicated to providing the best quality of care to children. By participating in QRIS, programs receive a QRIS rating of quality, coaching, training and resources so they can continue to raise the quality of their program. In California, the QRIS is called Quality Counts California.

What is a QRIS Rating?

When an early learning program joins QRIS they receive a QRIS rating. The rating is based on a set of California state standards known to promote high-quality early learning for kids. Ratings help programs identify how they are already providing quality early learning and ways they can keep improving.

QRIS rating standards include:

• Interactions between teachers and children

• How teachers meet and support the developmental needs of children

• The health and safety of the classroom Staff qualifications and training

• Group size, number of children per teacher

A QRIS rating can be between one and five points:

Regardless of what level programs start on when they join QRIS, their commitment is to provide high-quality early learning to prepare your child for Kindergarten. QRIS programs value your child’s health, happiness and development just like you do.

Ratings can help you find high-quality early learning programs that can best meet their child’s needs.

Quality Counts Inyo Participating Sites

Sites Receiving a Quality Rating

Site Name:                  Site Rating: 

Bishop Indian Head Start 4

IMACA Little Promises                    5

IMACA Clarke St.                      5

IMACA Lone Pine     4

Round Valley State Preschool 4

West Bishop State Preschool 5

Bishop State Preschool 5

Big Pine State Preschool 5

Sites Committed to Quality:

Leonor Santana - Licensed Family Child Care Home Provider

Lorena Solorio - Licensed Family Child Care H

Lily Brooks - Licensed Family Child Care Home Provider

Mirta Ayala de Soto - Licensed Family Child Care Home Provider

Learn More About Quality Counts

To learn more about Quality Counts Inyo or about finding high-quality early learning programs contact Child Care Connection by email at childcareconnect@inyocoe.org or by phone at (760) 873-5123 x. 0.