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VQB5 Data Verification Now Open (July 15-26) - See VQB5 Section for Details.
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Child Care Centers and Family Day Homes
Last Week to Apply for VDOE College Scholarships for Fall Semester Courses – Apply by July 22
Online applications will be accepted through July 22 for Virginia Child Care Provider Scholarships. Scholarship funds help pay for in-state tuition for APPROVED courses for FALL 2024 semester at Virginia’s Community Colleges and Montessori Certification Programs.
Seasonal Updates Webinar and Regional Listening Session on July 16
Join the Office of Child Care Health and Safety (OCCHS) for a webinar to receive updated information about the vision, goals and current events of the OCCHS as it relates to child day programs and family day systems. This webinar is relevant for licensees, owners, and directors who represent licensed programs, subsidy vendors, voluntarily registered homes, religious exempt centers, certified preschools, and license-exempt programs. Following the webinar, the OCCHS team will be available to meet with providers for an in-person listening session in the northern Virginia area. This is your opportunity to share your questions and thoughts with leadership of the OCCHS.
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Events: Seasonal Updates Webinar and Regional Listening Session
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Date: July 16
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Webinar Time: 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
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Listening Session Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
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Location of Listening Session: El Agave, 251 W Lee Hwy, Ste 640, Warrenton, VA 20186 (Note: Attendees are responsible for the cost of any food and beverages purchased)
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Webinar Registration
Initial Applications for Licensure Reminder
As Fall approaches, prospective child care providers are reminded that pursuant to 8VAC20-820-140 of General Procedures and Information for Licensure, initial applications for licensure should be submitted to the Department to Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) at least 60 days prior to a planned opening date to allow the VDOE time to act on an application. Check out the VDOE’s child care website to learn more about the application process by selecting the type of program that you wish to operate.
Clarification on 7/15 Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) New Provider Deadline - VQB5
Child care providers interested in becoming a subsidy vendor are welcome to apply at any point in the year. Applications submitted after July 15, 2024, will be processed as quickly as possible ahead of the VQB5 registration deadline of October 1, 2024. Sites with CCSP applications that are approved ahead of October 1, 2024, will be included in VQB5 for 2024-2025. If you have any questions about participation in the CCSP, please reach out to childcaresubsidy@doe.virginia.gov.
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Virginia Preschool Initiative
Visit the VPI webpage to learn more.
Early Childhood Special Education
Free Online Courses for Families of Children with Disabilities: Early Childhood Academy
The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) in collaboration with the VDOE, is offering a free self-paced online course focused on providing information for parents with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. The virtual, self-paced training will take approximately 7 hours to complete and can be accessed any time between August 16 and September 20.
New Resource: Interactive Training on Curriculum Framework Online
In this self-paced online training, early childhood professionals will learn how six key elements – assessment, scope and sequence, environment, activities and instruction, progress monitoring, and curriculum modifications – work in tandem to support young children with disabilities. Access the training on the VA LEADS Website.
Creating Connections to Shining Stars 2024
Creating Connections to Shining Stars is a collaborative effort between Virginia's Part C, Early Intervention and Part B, Early Childhood Special Education programs. The conference will focus on promoting and supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices in inclusive settings for infants, toddlers, and young children, both with and without disabilities. The conference is July 16-18 in Roanoke, Va.
Head Start
VQB5 - Virginia's Unified Measurement and Improvement System
Data Verification Now Open through July 26!
As of July 15 through July 26, all sites that participated in VQB5 during the 2023-2024 year have the opportunity to preview their quality profiles prior to results being posted publicly this fall. Data Verification provides sites with the final opportunity to verify information, review rating results, add ‘hours of operation’, and request corrections. At the conclusion of the data verification process, VDOE will review changes to quality profiles as necessary before finalizing and sharing publicly in the fall of 2024. Site administrators should review the information below for details about data verification completion.
Updates on RecognizeB5 for 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 – Notice to Eligible Educators
Since 2019, RecognizeB5 has provided a financial incentive to help attract and retain eligible early childhood educators in publicly-funded child care centers and family day homes that are participating in VQB5.
While the state has made a significant investment in RecognizeB5 for the 2024-2025 year, federal COVID recovery funding is scheduled to end in September 2024. This will impact future payments for RecognizeB5 as follows:
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For 2024-2025: Lead and assistant educators at publicly funded child care and family day homes will be eligible for a maximum of $1,500.
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For 2025-2026: Currently there are no funds for RecognizeB5 in the 2025-2026 state budget.
Educators who received RecognizeB5 in 2023-2024 received a notice with additional details via email on July 8. Additional details and eligibility information can be found on the VQB5 RecognizeB5 webpage.
Ready Regions Systems Coordination Funding Announcement – Letter of Intent due August 16
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation is pleased to announce an upcoming opportunity for organizations to apply to lead Ready Regions early childhood systems coordination efforts in Virginia. The statewide Ready Regions network, established in the Code of Virginia (§ 22.1-289.05), is responsible for leading regional early childhood systems building and coordinating early childhood care and education services, including VQB5, in nine Virginia regions so that all children birth-to-five can thrive. Through a triennial competitive process, one lead agency will be identified to lead early childhood systems building work in each of the nine Ready Regions (Ready Regions map).
The first step in the application process is to complete a required Letter of Intent (LOI) which is due on August 16. For more information, including recorded and upcoming webinars related to the opportunity, can be found here.
Early Learning Support
STREAMin3's new Digital Curriculum Portal is now live!
Enrolled programs can login at streamin3.org/login to access all the new interactive features you need to customize your infant, toddler, and preschool plans from your browser, tablet, or phone.
Trainings will be held starting in August to help you learn about and use all of the new portal features. Save the date for August 14’s New Digital Portal Webinar 1:00-1:30 p.m. More details about professional development will be shared in next week’s Readiness Connections
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Ready B5 Recap Summer Edition is Here!
Click to view the Summer edition of Ready B5 Recap, the Quarterly Newsletter for Early Childhood Care and Education in Virginia.
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