VQB5 Participation Requirements
In response to state law, the Virginia Board of Education has established a unified measurement and improvement system (VQB5), with required participation for all of the following publicly-funded birth-to-five early childhood programs:
- Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI)
- Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE or IDEA Part B, Section 619 preschool)
- Title I Preschool
- Head Start/Early Head Start
- Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program
- Local government child care assistance, such as Fairfax’s Child Care Assistance and Referral (CCAR) program
- Federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS)
- Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) Mixed Delivery
- Federal Department of Defense Military Child Care Fee Assistance (MCCYN)
Programs that do not receive public funding have the option to participate in VQB5.
Annual Participation Requirements
To meet the participation requirements in the legislation, all publicly-funded programs are required to complete the following three activities each year.
- Sites must complete registration between August 15-October 1 in LinkB5, the VQB5 data portal. This includes entering information about optional use of a VDOE-approved curriculum for each birth-to-five classroom.
- Every birth-to-five classroom must complete two local CLASS observations, one in the fall and one in the spring.
- In addition to the two local CLASS observations, all participating sites must participate in external CLASS observations for each age-level served, between August 15 and May 31.
Sites should contact their local Ready Region lead agency for additional VQB5 information and support.
Participation Resources:
For additional details about VQB5 participation requirements and consequences for not completing required participation activities, refer to Section 3 in the VQB5 Guidelines.
For questions about VQB5 participation, contact vqb5@doe.virginia.gov