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Contact Info

Julie Montali
Christine Smith
Anjanette Jones
Linnea Hathaway
Joan Davidson
Nathanael Gale
Emma Baier
Jo Anne Dixon

sacramentocountyqris@scoe.net
(916) 228-2506


Raising Quality Together: Sacramento County's Quality Rating and Improvement System


Raising Quality Together (RQT) is Sacramento County’s Quality Rating and Improvement System.

The primary purposes of RQT are to:

  • Help families identify high-quality early learning settings. 
  • Assist early learning programs, directors and staff with their efforts to provide high-quality early care and education.
  • Offer research-based resources, information, and professional development to early learning programs, administrators and staff.

The Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is a voluntary program focused on creating a comprehensive system that establishes uniform standards of quality for early learning programs, and provides quality research-based support for licensed early care and education centers and family child care homes serving children birth through age five. 

Additional Information

Research studies have identified elements of quality for programs serving children age birth to five and their families. Raising QUALITY Together uses the following seven elements grouped under three core areas that are foundational for the Quality Rating and Improvement System.

Core 1: Child Development & School Readiness

Core 2: Teacher and Teaching

Core 3: Program and Environment

Featured Resources:


 
Raising Quality Together Menu of Options for CLASS
Raising Quality Together offers CLASS-related professional learning options to programs participating at Step 2 or Step 3 level to support their program in the implementation of the CLASS tool. The CLASS tool is an observation instrument...

 
ITERS R Expanded Scoresheet
Use this scoresheet to document the completion of the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) assessment....

 
Raising Quality Together: Sacramento County Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) 2018 - 2019 Tier Ratings
This document presents the 2018-2019 QRIS Tier Ratings earned by early learning centers and family child care homes participating in the Raising Quality Together (RQT) system....

 
Child Development Permit FAQ (American River College)
Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Child Development Permit acquistion, written by American River College (ARC) faculty. While some supports are ARC-specific, this document has valuable information for any early learning...

 
Raising Quality Together (RQT) 2019 - 2020 Site Binder (9/17/19)
This document explains the Sacramento County's Quality Rating and Improvement System: Raising Quality Together (RQT) program. Highlights include the services and supports available to participating early learning centers and...

 
Raising Quality Together (RQT) Quality Counts California Matrix
RQT uses the Quality Counts California Matrix to measure seven elements of program quality....

 
Professional Growth Plan (WPG and Child Development Permit Renewal)
This Professional Growth Plan can be used to document professional growth activities. Typically it is completed in advance of completing the activities to guide your growth as an early learning professional....

 
Raising Quality Together Quality Improvement Plan
Each program participating in RQT develops a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) to support continuous quality improvement. The QIP is developed by selecting goals based on the seven Elements of quality within the QRIS Matrix. The plan is the...

 
FCCERS R Expanded Scoresheet
Use this scoresheet to document the completion of the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) assessment....

 
Raising Quality Together (RQT) 2022-2023 Step 3 Star Chart
This document outlines the RQT Step 3 requirements and supports for the 2022-2023 program year....

 
Professional Growth Plan (WPG and Child Development Permit Renewal)
This Professional Growth Plan can be used to document professional growth activities. Typically it is completed in advance of completing the activities to guide your growth as an early learning professional....

 
ECERS R Expanded Scoresheet
Use this scoresheet to document the completion of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) assessment....

 
CAP 8 and CAP Expansion Course Chart
This document ideentifies CAP 8 and CAP Expansion coursework at participating California community colleges....

 
RQT Documentation Checklist - Earning 5 Points on Element 2: Developmental and Health Screenings
This checklist identifies the documentation necessary for an RQT-participating site to demonstrate an in-house developmental and health screening process to earn 5 points in Element 2: Developmental...

 
RQT ERS Action Plan
After completing an Environmental Rating Scale (e.g., ITERS, ECERS, FCCERS), RQT participating sites use this ERS scores to identify at least two areas of improvement. Sites use the RQT ERS Action Plan to develop a plan to improve those areas and identify on the Action Plan...

 
Raising Quality Together Professional Development Hours Handout
This handout provides guidance related to the professional development requirements identified in Element 3: Early Childhood Educator Qualifications....

 
CAP Course List
The California Community Colleges Curriculum Alignment Project (CAP) developed a 24 unit lower-division program of study supporting early care and education teacher preparation. Aligned courses taken at one college are accepted at another CAP participating college. The CAP Course...

 
RQT Element Guidelines 2022-2023
Raising Quality Together (RQT) sites can use the Element Guidelines during their Validation and Self-Validation preparation....

 
Raising Quality Together (RQT) 2022-2023 Step 2 Star Chart
This document outlines the Step 2 requirements and supports for the 2022-2023 program year....