Qualistar Early Learning

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Impact Statement

"Only 1 in 7 (U.S.) child care centers provide the level of care that promotes healthy development and learning." (Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers).

Our primary goal is to ensure that quality child care is available for all children throughout the state of Colorado. We strive to ensure that children enter kindergarten ready to learn and to succeed, that parents are empowered with resources to make the best choices for the care of their children, that child care professionals have resources for professional and program development, and that the Colorado early childhood industry is viable and sustainable.

Qualistar Early Learning and its founding agencies have made significant strides in early childhood. We have provided Qualistar Ratings and Quality Improvement Plans for care centers in over 40 Colorado counties; helped more than 210,000 families find child care; provided safer playgrounds for more than 6,400 children; reduced child care provider turnover rates from 30% statewide to just 10% for those that receive the T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship; and invested more than $5 million in early childhood quality improvement throughout the state.

Quality care leads to quality outcomes for children, families and communities. Availability of quality care contributes to healthy child development, supports parents as teachers and nurturers, improves the productivity of the current and future workforce, reduces costs for special and remedial education, and enhances quality of life in communities. Research supports that the long term effect of quality child care is an integral component of healthy development. In fact, those who attend high-quality child care programs are more likely to graduate from high school, go to college, have greater earning potential, are more likely to become homeowners, and have a higher literacy rate. They are less likely to fail in school, become involved in juvenile violence, or other 'risk' behaviors.

Needs Statement

Our most pressing need at this time is to engage active new and multi-year donors to support the continuation and growth of our services and program implementation.

This year, we are seeking to reach our goal of raising $1 Million in supporting gifts, and are developing a comprehensive fund development strategy to reach our goal. Contributions made by individuals and businesses qualify for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Credit.

Background Statement

Qualistar Early Learning, a 501(c)(3) organization, was created in July 2004 as the result of the merger between Educare Colorado and the Colorado Office of Resource and Referral Agencies (CORRA). This innovative merger made Colorado the first state in the nation to combine its accountability system for preschools and child care facilities with its statewide network of 17 child care resource and referral agencies that assist parents in finding child care and providers in developing quality programs.

Qualistar provides multiple programs for the Colorado child care community and in collaboration with the Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies - these programs include: The Qualistar Rating; Rating Driven Quality Improvement Services; Parent Outreach and Education; TEACH Scholarships for child care professionals; and Medication Administration Training for staff at child care programs.

Executive Director Statement

As the new President and CEO of Qualistar Early Learning, and recently from Florida’s Office of Early Learning, a few of the things that attracted me to coming to Qualistar were its solid track record in providing statewide leadership in child care resource and referral services, the innovation around creating a quality rating and improvement system, and its comprehensive approach to early childhood services. Qualistar was the first in the nation to provide an accountability system which included the Qualistar Rating and Improvement system in coordination with a statewide network of Child Care Resource and Referral agencies. With the help of many generous funders, we are able to provide financial resources for capital improvements, technical assistance, and professional development for child care programs across the state, including scholarships to child care professionals to advance their education. Over the years we have been able to assist countless families find child care and understand the intricacies of locating quality child care in Colorado. The comprehensive collaborative system offered by Qualistar has a positive affect on children, families, child care providers, businesses, and communities, and also provides exponential, long-term positive outcomes for the entire state of Colorado.

Board Chair/President Statement

With a long history of success and innovation, Qualistar Early Learning stands out as the foundation of high quality child care in Colorado. With nearly 350,000 children under the age of 5 in the state, we provide vital resources and programs to advance the lives of our youngest citizens. We have recently expanded our departments to accommodate ever-expanding requests from child care programs for ratings and related programs, have secured resources to sustain scholarships, and have effectively staffed and structured our organization to advance the impact of our services. Our assets include a dedicated team of board members, a highly qualified staff, a solid network of service delivery agencies, and the most comprehensive child care related data tracking system in the state. As a non-profit organization, to maintain and expand this outstanding service, we continually grapple with the challenge of securing ample funds to support our work. While we benefit from the generous support of an esteemed group of consistent funding sources, we are now in the midst of advancing and expanding our funding streams to include a greater number of individual, corporate and foundation donors. To support these efforts, we are also launching new marketing to ‘get the word out’ to communities about the work of Qualistar. In addition to the programs and services that we offer, Qualistar is also attentive and involved in many aspects of legislative change to better support the education and care of the young child. Research shows that all of these efforts on behalf of young children result in positive long term outcomes – for individuals, communities and the economy. We hope you will support our continued efforts to set the standard for high quality care and advocacy for the children of our communities. Together, we can create a greater quality of life – one child at a time.