Keystone STARS Quality Coach - ELRC 15

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SERVICE AREA: Child Development & Family Services

PROGRAM: Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) 15

JOB OVERVIEW:

The STARS Quality Coach is a core component of the Keystone STARS program. Through the use of the Keystone STARS Performance Standards, the Quality Coach is responsible for guiding and directing early education and school-age practitioners toward achieving quality by engaging them in a Continuous Quality Improvement process. This position is responsible for the promotion of participation in Keystone STARS, with a specialization in upward movement in the system. With this specialization, the Quality Coach provides targeted professional development opportunities to support STAR level movement goals as well as regulatory referral responses. The Quality Coach acts as a resource, providing practitioners with information and support, assisting them to develop and implement appropriate plans to achieve the goals of providers in Keystone STARS. The Quality Coach works in conjunction with the Grants Specialist and grant processing partners to enable providers to access Keystone STARS grants and awards. The primary task of the Keystone Stars Quality Coach is to receive and review sources of evidence; interpret the Keystone STARS Performance Standards; guide programs through the process of understanding the intention behind the Standards; act as an expert on available resources; and make recommendations to the early education and school-age practitioners enabling them to move through the STARS process, submit grants in a timely fashion as required, adhere to STAR designation and renewal protocol, and annually project professional development/career pathway plans. This position reports to the STARS Manager and operates out of the Early Learning Resource Center office with a hybrid schedule of regular field time.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and maintain working relationships with a caseload of early care and education and school-age practitioners.
• Deliver coaching and presentations to practitioners encouraging the engagement of the continuous quality improvement process and the intent and requirements of Keystone Stars.
• Provide assistance to facilities interested in requesting grants or awards.
• Assist practitioners in setting individualized program goals and annual professional development plans in relationship to Keystone STARS standards.
• Provide targeted Professional Development opportunities tied to STAR level movement goals within the ELRC 15 region.
• Provide prescribed Professional Development and/or Technical Assistance in response to Regulatory Referrals from Certification partners for providers in the ELRC 15 region.
• Act as a resource informing practitioners of professional development events, career pathways, educational opportunities, additional grants, or consultants.
• Complete annual plans and projections with assigned childcare and school-age practitioners to enable them to complete the work toward achievement of a Keystone STAR level.
• Work with the supportive/collaborative systems to ensure the practitioner is able to access additional services as needed (e.g. IU, ELRC 15 staff, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, etc.).
• Using the available software, the specialist is responsible for recording the progress of all applications assigned to that desk (e.g., QRIS, PELICAN, PD Registry, internal tracking systems, etc.).
• Be responsible for ongoing reporting of the process of the program for practitioners in their caseload.
• Assist as necessary to facilitate STAR level designations, grant generation, closures, and audits.
• Attend and participate in meetings with partners such as Certification, PQA, and OCDEL; maintain ongoing communication with said partners.
• Coordinate with the Designator or STARS Manager to schedule designation visits.
• Maintain awareness of ongoing changes/improvements to the early care and school-age system.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and educational opportunities to augment skills.
• Coordinate, attend, and conduct meetings establishing a community of learners.
• Develop reports as necessary.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

SKILLS:

• Working knowledge of Keystone STARS Performance Standards and requirements
• Strong working knowledge of trends and best practices in early childhood education
• Knowledge of community organizations, social and human services agencies, childcare services and systems, Early Intervention, schools, etc., and collaborative interagency relationships
• Ability to effectively articulate the mission and vision of the Keystone STARS Program, PHMC, and the ELRC
• Ability to provide guidance, direction, and support to early care and school-age practitioners to facilitate Keystone STARS involvement and compliance with standards
• Ability to build positive reciprocal relationships with early care and school-age practitioners
• Ability to provide case management with timely and accurate reports and recommendations
• Ability to work effectively in a team
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and competing priorities
• Ability to maintain complete, accurate, and accessible files and records
• Ability to communicate effectively and work productively with colleagues, government agencies, program participants, parents, and other human services organizations, etc. in a positive, pleasant, professional, and productive manner in writing, by telephone, and in personal contacts
• Working knowledge of personal computers and networked systems and their use and applications for database management, tracking, reporting, etc. in a human services or similar environment

EXPERIENCE:

• Three years of work experience, preferably in early care and education and/or school-age programs or human services, involving some collaborative interagency work
• Experience in outreach, needs assessment, planning, marketing, or public speaking helpful

EDUCATION:

Bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field

SALARY GRADE: 18

PHMC is an Equal Opportunity and E-Verify Employer.