Teaching, Learning & Assessment » Early Childhood Care & Education

VQB5 - Virginia's Quality Measurement and Improvement System

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Introduction

grinning child

To prepare all children for kindergarten, Virginia’s early childhood system must ensure that all children have quality teaching and learning experiences that meet their unique needs. In response to state law, Virginia has developed the Unified Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5) to measure and help improve the quality of all publicly-funded birth-to-five classrooms and support families to choose quality programming across program types.  


VQB5 Participation Requirements 

All publicly-funded birth-to-five early childhood programs are required to participate in VQB5 on an annual basis. Programs that do not receive public funding have the option to participate.

Measuring Quality in VQB5 

VQB5 measures the quality of infant, toddler and preschool teaching and learning based on two nationally recognized quality indicators: interactions and curriculum. 

  • Measuring Quality Interactions
    The quality of teacher-child interactions is measured in a developmentally-appropriate way with the use of the CLASS tool. VQB5 sites are required to complete two types of CLASS observations: local and external observations. 

  • Measuring Use of Quality Curriculum 
    Quality is measured through the optional use of a comprehensive curriculum that align with Virginia’s early learning and development standards. 

VQB5 Quality Profiles (Coming Fall of 2024!) 

VQB5 Quality Profiles will include information about performance on quality measurements and other topics of interest to families, policymakers, and the general public.

Supporting Continuous Quality Improvement 

Through frequent measurement and feedback, VQB5 identifies and intervenes where needed, dedicating targeted interventions and state resources for programs and classrooms where support is most critical. 

RecognizeB5: VQB5 Educator Incentive 

RecognizeB5 is an important component of VQB5 that provides direct financial incentives to support retention of teachers at publicly-funded child care centers and family day homes. 

Ready Regions 

VDOE annually funds nine Ready Regions to provide regional implementation of VQB5 and support coordination for every birth-to-five provider in the Commonwealth.  

VQB5’s Data System - LinkB5 

LinkB5 collects measurement and improvement data across early childhood programs participating in VQB5.   

Contact:
If you have questions about VQB5, please email VQB5@doe.virginia.gov. 

VA Quality Final Levels: 

Download and view VA Quality Final Levels as of June 30, 2022.