On April 21st, ECA and its partner RMC Research introduced current TA professionals working with Connecticut’s Early Childhood Professionals to a newly designed Technical Assistance Quality Assurance Framework. High-quality TA is designed and delivered in a way that includes evidence-based and research-informed, responsive content, provided in ways consistent with how adults learn and includes feedback loops to ensure quality.
The Quality Assurance (QA) system has three components: 1. The QA Framework, 2. QA Monitoring Tools, and 3. The QA Rubric and applies to all TA professionals, including trainers, coaches, mentors, and consultants. The session provided representatives of the OEC supported QIS Activities and OEC staff an opportunity to discuss what TA quality looks like or should look like, how we can measure it, and current data collection efforts to measure quality. Participants examined the comprehensiveness and relevance of Quality Assurance Elements and Indicators.
The work is part of a two-year project ECA is leading in collaboration with EASTCONN and OEC to define quality assurance criteria and implement a quality assurance process, including conducting a field test to refine the scope of QA criteria and process for implementation. ECA also will conduct needs assessments of technical assistance providers’ learning needs, program setting consultation needs, program setting professional learning needs, and preferred delivery mechanisms.