Definitions
- Early Care and Education Programs: Early Care and Education Programs support the development and well-being of young children in a learning environment. These regulated programs meet the minimum state health, safety and administration standards required to serve children. Program settings include licensed family child care homes and center based (school-age care, community-based preschool, public preschool and child care centers), and certified in-home aides.
- Publicly Funded Child Care: Publicly Funded Child Care is a program that provides reimbursement to an eligible provider for the care of infants, toddlers, preschool children, and school children under age thirteen. Publicly funded child care is paid, wholly or in part, with federal or state funds distributed by DCY. Families may receive assistance with child care costs by contacting their county Department of Job and Family Services to determine eligibility.
- Step Up To Quality: Step Up To Quality is a tiered quality rating and improvement system designed to recognize the efforts of licensed early learning and development programs that take steps to improve the quality of services they provide. The search function retrieves a list of all early care and education programs with a quality rating equal to or higher than what is selected.
- Head Start: Head Start provides early childhood education and other services to eligible children, birth to age 5, and their families. Eligibility for Head Start is based on child age, family income, and unique child circumstances. Head Start programs receive federal funding to provide services that support family well-being and promote children's learning and development.
- Early Childhood Education Grant: Early Childhood Education Grant refers to programs that have received grant funding to provide high-quality preschool to four year old children in families who the program has determined meet the income eligibility requirements. These programs include child care programs, community-based preschool and public preschool.
- Accreditation: Accreditations are issued to child care programs meeting the standards established by one of the organizations listed below. These standards often exceed licensing requirements.
- Liability Insurance: Liability insurance provides protection against claims resulting from injuries and damage to people and/or property.
- Inclusive Child Care Program (ICCP): This designation is awarded to an Early Care and Education Program when staff have completed required courses and earned the Professional Early Childhood Inclusion Credential. The designation assists families with identifying programs who have staff educated to care for children with special needs.
- NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
- NECPA: National Early Childhood Program Accreditation
- NACCP: National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education Programs
- NAFCC: National Association For Family Child Care
- COA: Council on Accreditation
- ACSI: Association of Christian Schools International
- Cognia: Formerly AdvancED and Measured Progress