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Josiegirl 02:26 PM 09-18-2018
Just got an email today saying the state is no longer getting the funding that has been allowing for all the annual participant's rewards. They're looking around for different funding but until then it'll be interesting to see if the participant numbers start dropping like flies. I know a whole lotta dcproviders that were only doing it for the $$ incentives. And especially now with jumping through even more hoops to get to a level 3 and beyond, I highly doubt as many will be motivated as they were before.
I know that $1000 every year I was getting, bought some nice materials, paid for dc insurance and a few other dc things.
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Blackcat31 03:16 PM 09-18-2018
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Just got an email today saying the state is no longer getting the funding that has been allowing for all the annual participant's rewards. They're looking around for different funding but until then it'll be interesting to see if the participant numbers start dropping like flies. I know a whole lotta dcproviders that were only doing it for the $$ incentives. And especially now with jumping through even more hoops to get to a level 3 and beyond, I highly doubt as many will be motivated as they were before.
I know that $1000 every year I was getting, bought some nice materials, paid for dc insurance and a few other dc things.
I am betting you are right. We have providers here that were rated at the highest level but when it came time to re-rate they purposely went down in stars just to work their way back up because....yep, you guessed it...with each star level came $1,000.

I expressed my issues with that to the state rep in our area and she said although it's not technically ethical it's not against the rules so they couldn't really do anything about it.

I think it's sad. It's the reason some states/areas are running out of funding altogether. I think it's all part of the "game" though that is played behind the scenes of many "social programs".

For example when I worked at Head Start, we were allotted a specific amount of money each year for supplies and if we didn't spend all of it, we got "in trouble" or reprimanded.

Even worse if you tried to save them a $ or two, you got in trouble too. I got called into my supervisors office once for not buying a Candyland board game from Kaplan for $25 and buying it from Walmart for like $4.95. When I questioned it all, they said "if you don't spend it all, we won't get the same amount plus more next year."

I understand how that works but I just couldn't play that game. Guess my conscious is still something I like to appease.

Will you still be getting monies this year for the work you've done so far? Are you rated yet? Or are you re-rating?
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Josiegirl 03:45 PM 09-18-2018
I had already emailed them a few weeks ago, letting them know I was not going to be renewing this fall. She tried to talk me into it but I said no, it takes too much time, money and head space that I'd rather be spending with the daycare kids.
I had a Christmas party a couple years ago for the dcfs, had a Santa, did a Santa Fund Drive(collecting money/food/toys to donate). It took a lot of time and money. It cost me well over $500 just for that 1 party. Granted, I didn't need to do something that extravagant but it can get costly getting involved with community service projects, family engagement and parties, etc. Last fall was the last time I had any family get-togethers, it was like an autumn fest day. It was fun but a lot of work. It burned me right out.
Anyways..... Less than a month away from turning 65, this old gal would like to go out the same way I came in, playing with the kids, reading them stories, baking cookies with them, just like this momma did with her own kiddos. Not killing myself proving anything to the state.
I'd been a 3 Star program for a few years and I don't believe it made me a better provider.
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Unregistered 11:02 AM 09-19-2018
in my state we have to purchase the approved item's with our own money and then submit receipts for reimbursement from ccr&r It's a pain.
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Cat Herder 11:34 AM 09-19-2018
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
in my state we have to purchase the approved item's with our own money and then submit receipts for reimbursement from ccr&r It's a pain.
Mine did the same thing with college tuition. Then they did not reimburse me after completion based on funding availability for my region. (it all went to tier 1 communities first, rarely ever goes further into middle-class areas)

I also spent over $5000 (useless stuff, mostly decorator) to comply but my community can't support tuition increases to offset the costs to participate. I am simply out a lot of time and money. I also lost potential clients because they assume coming here will be expensive based on the rating and call the illegal providers whom the state won't shut down.
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Gemma 09:43 PM 09-19-2018
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
the illegal providers whom the state won't shut down.
I often wonder why is that?
Why is the State so hard on us and not them? It's not like they don't know the existence of a bunch of illegal practices that advertise freely everywhere!

I quit the stars last year!
I only joined the program to stop solicitations, they were constant, through mail, e-mail, phone...it was overwhelming!
I only had 3 stars because I did not agree in their methods of child caring, and I refused to implement it into my program.
I decided to quit because:
1) I got tired of the constant reminders that I "could do so much more for my DCKs". Made me feel like no matter how hard I worked it was never going to be enough!
2) I was receiving reminders for appointment visits they set up without even checking with me first
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Annalee 04:07 AM 09-20-2018
QRIS/Stars has annihilated the FCC profession! AND THE STATE STILL DON'T GET IT!
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Cat Herder 05:04 AM 09-20-2018
Originally Posted by Gemma:
I often wonder why is that?
Why is the State so hard on us and not them? It's not like they don't know the existence of a bunch of illegal practices that advertise freely everywhere!

I quit the stars last year!
I only joined the program to stop solicitations, they were constant, through mail, e-mail, phone...it was overwhelming!
I only had 3 stars because I did not agree in their methods of child caring, and I refused to implement it into my program.
I decided to quit because:
1) I got tired of the constant reminders that I "could do so much more for my DCKs". Made me feel like no matter how hard I worked it was never going to be enough!
2) I was receiving reminders for appointment visits they set up without even checking with me first
I could have written this myself. I also just left for the same reasons.
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Annalee 06:24 AM 09-20-2018
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I could have written this myself. I also just left for the same reasons.
We can't leave! We can not participate and have n/p placed online but we still have to go through the process so when you click on n/p our results are still there. The STATE....go figure Went to a meeting Tuesday, and the QRIS person stood up to introduce himself and express how excited he was about entering the 18th year of assessment. Like providers are supposed to be excited about that??
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Blackcat31 06:57 AM 09-20-2018
Originally Posted by Gemma:
I often wonder why is that?
Why is the State so hard on us and not them? It's not like they don't know the existence of a bunch of illegal practices that advertise freely everywhere!
States can hardly afford to monitor licensed programs as it is. They simply don't have the resources (funds or staff) to monitor those that are illegally operating.

As for the star programs, it's doable in my state right now so I am participating. for now.

It's really nothing more than a massive waste of money that looks good on paper. Early Childhood "Education" Phhhffffttt... Let's worry about the foundation (quality CARE) before we attempt to build.... We all know what happens when you build your house on sand.
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Josiegirl 09:17 AM 09-20-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
States can hardly afford to monitor licensed programs as it is. They simply don't have the resources (funds or staff) to monitor those that are illegally operating.

As for the star programs, it's doable in my state right now so I am participating. for now.

It's really nothing more than a massive waste of money that looks good on paper. Early Childhood "Education" Phhhffffttt... Let's worry about the foundation (quality CARE) before we attempt to build.... We all know what happens when you build your house on sand.
Well said and so so true!!
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Gemma 10:46 AM 09-20-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
States can hardly afford to monitor licensed programs as it is. They simply don't have the resources (funds or staff) to monitor those that are illegally operating.

As for the star programs, it's doable in my state right now so I am participating. for now.

It's really nothing more than a massive waste of money that looks good on paper. Early Childhood "Education" Phhhffffttt... Let's worry about the foundation (quality CARE) before we attempt to build.... We all know what happens when you build your house on sand.
well said!
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