Introduction
Research Questions
- What are some different TA approaches and practices licensing agencies use to support providers?
- What do licensing staff and CCEE providers perceive as the strengths and challenges in implementing or receiving TA within licensing agencies?
- How do licensing staff and CCEE providers think TA within licensing agencies could better support providers and improve quality?
Although it is common for licensing agencies to provide technical assistance (TA) to child care and early education providers, we know little about how they approach TA or how providers experience it. This report highlights findings from a case study of four licensing agencies’ approaches to providing TA. The report covers these topics:
- Approaches to licensing TA
- Goals of licensing TA
- Perceived strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement
Purpose
This exploratory case study sought to learn more about some licensing agencies’ approaches to offering TA, the perceived strengths and challenges of those approaches, and the experiences of providers who received the TA.
Key Findings and Highlights
- Each TA approach described in this case study was either integrated within regular licensing inspection visits or offered as a stand-alone activity outside of regular inspection visits.
- TA in these state licensing agencies focused on compliance with licensing regulations and also sometimes addressed program goals.
- Although interviewees shared stories describing successes of their approach, licensing agencies had limited data about how well the overall TA approach was working.
- Future research is needed to better understand the role of TA within licensing and how it supports providers.
Methods
Interviews were conducted with licensing administrators, licensing staff providing TA, and licensed center-based providers in four states.
Citation
Villegas, E., Harris, P., Simons Gerson, C., Maxwell, K., Johnson, N., & Vansell, C. (2024). Technical Assistance Offered within Child Care and Early Education Licensing in Four States. OPRE Report #2024-110. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Glossary
- Child care and early education licensing:
- Establishes regulations that must be met to legally operate a child care program. Child care licensing also monitors and enforces those regulations.
- Inspection:
- A visit to assess if a CCEE provider is meeting licensing regulations.
- Technical assistance:
- “The provision of targeted and customized supports by a professional(s) with subject matter and adult learning knowledge and skills to develop or strengthen processes, knowledge application, or implementation of services by recipients” (National Association for the Education of Young Children & National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, 2011, p. 18).