SRCD State Policy Fellow Portfolio Abstracts: Aimée Drouin Duncan, Ph.D.
2017-2018 State Policy Post-doctoral Fellow at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), Division of Early Learning (DEL), District of Columbia
Portfolio Entry 1: 2017-2018 Capital Quality Community of Practice Meetings (COP)
Project Overview:
Background: Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) administrators’ Community of Practice (COP) meetings are designed to support early childhood education and care providers’ capacity building around QRIS implementation and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). This support is provided through webinars and onsite coaching sessions as QRIS administrators enter the program.
Goal: To determine the effectiveness of monthly QRIS administrators’ COP meetings by analyzing satisfaction surveys and providing summary recommendations.
Contributions of Fellow:
- Analyzed trends in quantitative data and summarized supporting narratives.
- Provided overview of findings in a presentation to the state early learning executive leadership team.
Activity Focus Keywords: Data Analysis, Presentation
Policy Area Keywords: Community of Practice (COP), Continuous Quality Improvements (CQI), Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)
Portfolio Entries 2 & 3: Capital Quality Continuous Quality Improvement Plan Initial Findings
Project Overview:
Background: Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) are a method for assessing and improving quality in early care and education through Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). CQI components are measured by a Continuous Quality Improvement Plan (CQIP) and include measures of quality that align with existing national standards and accrediting bodies for early care and education.
Goal: To understand the ongoing self-assessment of child care providers through CQIP by conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
Contributions of Fellow:
- Compiled CQIP quantitative and qualitative data, and subsequently cleaned, coded, and analyzed data for a report to the state early learning and executive leadership team.
Activity Focus Keywords: Data Analysis, Written Report, Presentation
Policy Area Keywords: Continuous Quality Improvement Plan (CQIP), National Standards, Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), Self-Assessment
Portfolio Entry 4: Developing a State Family Engagement Framework
Project Overview:
Background: States can develop policies utilizing evidence-based systems to advance best practices and ensure equity and access to quality services for families across early care and education programs (e.g., Early Head Start – child care partnerships). Further, states are positioned to develop family engagement policies that are targeted and sustainable. A state-level framework is an opportunity to utilize existing resources, develop additional networks, implement, and evaluate family engagement practices that are designed to serve the specific needs of the state’s children and families (e.g., Early Head Start – child care partnerships, K – 12 grades).
Goal: To develop a state-level family engagement framework including goals, objectives, strategies, and a timeline, and to build a task force that will continuously evaluate the implementation of the framework.
Contributions of Fellow:
- Developed a family engagement framework and presented it to the early learning leadership team.
- Activity Focus Keywords: Framework Development
Activity Focus Keywords: Framework Development
Policy Area Keywords: Family Engagement