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Cat Herder 05:45 AM 01-12-2020
Originally Posted by dolores:
Congratulations CH !!! Must be a relief getting that done! Are you required to complete the QRIS or is it optional? If optional, why did you chose to do it?
It is optional, but our state advertises it in print and on tv continuously so if you don't participate private pay clients are less likely to enroll. Also, if you intend to accept subsidy, you must be enrolled. I don't plan on it, but if one of my current clients needed a subsidy I would like to have the option. Why burn bridges?

Like every other program that started out as optional, here, this will become mandatory so I decided to get in on the first wave in the sincere hope that by the time it is mandatory I will be well versed and competent in it. They (trainers, mentors, inspectors, CCR&R) let us know quite regularly that this won't be optional much longer.

I really do enjoy the training classes and seek them out for my own interest, so that portion of the process was enjoyable for me. College was two nights each week away from my family for two semesters and a lot of homework time, though. That was a heavy cost to me as I had teens at the time, their last few years at home. They learned by watching me struggle with college after 40, too, so not all was lost on that. They do not give credit for degrees in other fields and this field did not exist when I went to college.

I was told my college tuition would be reimbursed, but that fell through. I was told I had earned two different cash grants to reimburse all the supplies/materials I had to buy to fulfill the required environmental material lists, both fell through. I did receive some classroom supplies and furniture, so that was a nice plus. A good bit was not age-appropriate or useful to my program, so it was donated to a local church. It would be beneficial to be able to pick more tailored grant packages and I believe they are working on that. My investment was somewhere around $7,000 and countless hours when all was said and done. My playroom, curriculum, assessments and lesson plans are pretty awesome, now though, that is a huge benefit to me and my families.

I am supposed to be getting another cash grant soon, but I am not holding my breath. It did go much, much smoother this time, so I accomplished my original goal and feel pretty good with just that. I am once again confident I will be able to stay in business as long as I financially need to. That was at one time in question.
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