Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
BRIQCK: IMPROVE QUALITY OF EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM THROUGH EARLY LEARNING PROVIDERS. - The BrIQCK (Broward Investment in Quality Care for Kids) will assist the Broward County School Readiness Coalition (the Local Council) in implementing key enhancements to its plan for early education system reform in the county. The BrIQCK will focus on six key objectives: (1) pilot a model of a rated child-care licensing system to improve the quality of early learning programs; (2) help parents become more effective first teachers for their children; (3) increase a teacher's professionalism and competency through participation in training; (4) increase participation of families in primary and preventive health care; (5) increase and improve classroom-based services for young children with special needs; and (6) increase the community's awareness of the importance of quality early learning. Through a multi-pronged approach, the project will provide incentives to child-care centers to support the development and community buy-in for a rated licensing system to encourage sustained improvements in the early care and education system. Forty centers will be eligible to receive an average incentive of $8,500 based on proposals they submit, which detail their plans to strengthen teachers' professional development and competencies, promote retention of staff, involve parents, facilitate linkages to health care systems for their families, and support the identification and inclusion of children with special needs. The project will offer child-care sites intense support and technical assistance to ensure its quality goals will be met. The BrIQCK will also strengthen a community-wide professional development institute that will approve all training courses for Continuing Education Units, maintain a database to record all approved trainings a teacher has successfully completed, develop a community training calendar, and provide follow-up mentoring for new teachers.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).