Coaching and Quality Assistance in Quality Rating Improvement Systems: Approaches Used by TA Providers to Improve Quality in Early Care and Education Programs and Home-based Settings

Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRISs) commonly offer on-site technical assistance (TA) and coaching to help early care and education settings achieve quality improvements and a higher QRIS rating. In surveys of administrators overseeing statewide QRISs, almost all states reported the use of on-site TA and coaching in both center-based and home-based settings. Coaching is also a key component of several pilot and local QRISs. While recently proposed definitions of technical assistance and coaching help distinguish these forms of quality assistance from other types of professional development it will be important to learn more about how on-site assistance is delivered and supported in QRISs. This report presents findings from an interview study with TA providers in 17 states that have statewide QRISs. The aims of the study are: (1) to learn about features of on-site quality assistance so that a key strategy used by QRISs to improve quality is better understood; and (2) to examine approaches used by TA providers in light of current research on early learning and quality improvement in order to consider the potential of on-site assistance, as it is currently being delivered, to improve quality.