Simply stated, our mission at Quality Assist is to improve the quality of early childhood care and education. Our approach to this challenge is two fold:

• Provide the tools and training teachers and administrators need to evaluate their own programs

• Offer professional development opportunities that promote the competence and advancement of  teachers and administrators.

Our starting point for program evaluation is the Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Education. Developed by Dr. Martha Abbott-Shim and Dr. Annette Sibley, the Assessment Profile is a comprehensive program self-evaluation tool. Since 1987 it has been used in a variety of projects, including two state-wide federally-funded Quality Initiatives to help Head Start centers in Georgia and Alabama prepare for NAEYC accreditation. It is also used as a pre and post-assessment tool in the STARS (Support, Training, Assessment, and Resource Services) project, which provides training and technical assistance to child care programs striving to comply with licensing rules and regulations.

Two versions of the Assessment Profile have been developed for more specialized use. The Assessment Profile for Family Day Care was designed for family child care settings and is used by the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) in their national accreditation system. The Assessment Profile Research Edition has been used nationally and internationally in numerous research studies as a measure of quality and developmentally appropriate practice.

Professional development is a cornerstone for providing high quality early childhood care and education. Teachers and administrators must have opportunities to improve their skills and to receive professional recognition. The annual Challenging Teachers Summer Institute is a week-long intensive training program that emphasizes self-directed learning and translating beliefs about child development into sound classroom practices. The Partners in Quality Mentor Program, established in 1994, prepares teachers and directors to mentor their peers and provide the support critical to the success of early childhood professionals.

Quality Assist is committed to achieving measurable outcomes in the quality of early childhood care and education and in the advancement of professionals working in the field. Our goal is to enhance the ability of early childhood programs to provide high quality care and to be responsive to the changing needs of the children and families they serve.