View COVID-19 resources for CCDF Lead Agencies, providers, and families. Learn about provider eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccination.
The National Database of Child Care Licensing Regulations is a tool for finding and searching state child care licensing regulations and licensing agency contact information. It also includes links to other state and national early childhood program standards.
National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance
The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance (ECQA Center) supports state and community leaders and their partners in the planning and implementation of rigorous approaches to quality in all early care and education settings for children from birth to school age. The Center's expert staff use collaborative approaches to do the following:
- Advance strong health and safety standards and licensing regulations that align with the Child Care and Development Fund and Head Start Performance Standards.
- Support the development and enhancement of state quality initiatives, including quality rating and improvement systems.
- Enhance quality assurance systems through the use of technology, data analysis, and research that promote continuous quality improvement, efficiency, and innovation.
Contact Us
Send your questions and requests to:
- QualityAssuranceCenter@ecetta.info
- 877-296-2250 (toll free)
Highlighted Tools and Resources:
The Program Standards Crosswalk is a tool designed to help States that are developing and aligning program standards for licensing, quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS), and/or prekindergarten programs, to search and compare the content of several sets of national standards.
The QRIS Resource Guide provides guidance for States as they explore key issues and consider decision points during the planning and implementation of a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS).
The Provider Cost of Quality Calculator is a tool that calculates the cost of care by levels of quality based on site-level provider data.
Resource Search:
168 resources found.
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A quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs. The Strengthening Families™ approach, developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), is a research-...
Many States and Territories have identified a goal of revising state licensing requirements. Implementing a successful change initiative requires a thorough assessment of the process, required resources, timing, challenges and context. Beginning a new process such as revising licensing...
States’ licensing systems are operating under competing pressures to both improve the health and safety of children in child care while maximizing administrative cost efficiencies. With limited resources, licensing administrators are working to ensure that monitoring visits focus on what is most...
The purpose of this research brief is to report on the licensing requirements and policies of group child care home licensing for all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Using data compiled from state child care licensing regulations and the results of the National...
The purpose of this research brief is to report on the licensing requirements and policies of family child care home licensing for all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Using data compiled from state child care licensing regulations and the results of the National...
The purpose of this research brief is to report on the licensing requirements and policies of child care center licensing for all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Using data compiled from state child care licensing regulations and the results of the National Association...
A quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs. QRIS are composed of five common elements: (1) standards; (2) accountability measures; (3) program and practitioner...
Program quality standards reflect the structure and practices of programs to provide safe, legal, and effective services to children. This document was developed to help inform States about current program quality standards found in licensing regulations, state-funded preschool program standards...
