Bright & Early ND Overview

Building Quality is a new initiative of Bright & Early ND and is designed for programs that are ready to learn, grow, and make meaningful change. Whether you want to enrich your learning environment, explore curriculum options, strengthen your assessment practices, or build stronger relationships with children and families, this initiative helps you focus on what matters most to your program.

Over the course of 6 months, you'll work one-on-one with a coach to set goals, try new strategies, and find what works best for your program and the children you serve.

Ready to build your program's quality? Log in to the ND Early Childhood Hub to submit an application.

Demonstrating Quality is designed for programs ready to show how their practices align with the Bright & Early ND Quality Standards. By submitting evidence for review, you'll receive detailed feedback and an official Bright & Early ND Step 2, 3, or 4 Quality Rating.

Over the course of 3 months, you'll work one-on-one with a coach to gather and submit evidence for your Quality Rating review.

Ready to showcase your program's quality? Log in to the ND Early Childhood Hub to submit an application or visit the Bright & Early ND Resources page to learn more.

Maintaining Quality is designed for programs that have achieved a Bright & Early ND Step 2, 3, or 4 Quality Rating and want to sustain and build on their success. You'll check in regularly with a coach to reflect on your practices, review progress, and create a plan for ongoing improvement.

There's no need to apply, eligible programs are automatically enrolled in Maintaining Quality.

Programs that are preparing to demonstrate how their practices align to the Bright & Early ND Quality Standards will be required to complete a program observation. Each observation includes an on-site visit from a trained and reliable observer, a detailed summary report, and guidance on how to incorporate this feedback into your program's Quality Improvement Plan (QIP).

Ready to schedule your observation? Log in to the ND Early Childhood Hub to submit an application.

A healthy and safe environment is the foundation of high-quality early childhood experiences. When children are healthy and feel safe, they are better able to explore, build relationships, and engage in meaningful learning.

Programs that meet this standard:

• Are licensed by HHS and meet requirements for health, safety, staffing, and program operations
• Receive regular monitoring visits from a Licensing Specialist to ensure licensing regulations are consistently met
• Promote physical safety while supporting age-appropriate exploration and development

A knowledgeable and well-prepared workforce is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes for children. Ongoing professional development helps build the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to support children's learning and development.

Programs that meet this standard:

• Employ staff who participate in the Early Childhood Workforce Registry
• Support staff in advancing their education and Career Pathway placement
• Encourage ongoing professional development through training, credentials, and badges
• Build leadership and administrative capacity to strengthen the entire program

A high-quality learning environment includes both thoughtfully designed spaces and nurturing, responsive interactions. When children experience engaging environments and caring relationships with adults, they are more likely to engage deeply, think critically, and develop a strong sense of self.

Programs that meet this standard:

• Design indoor and outdoor environments that are organized, welcoming, and provide age-appropriate materials that encourage exploration and discovery
• Create learning experiences that reflect children's interests, developmental stages, and individual needs
• Foster warm, responsive interactions that support children's social, emotional, language, and cognitive development
• Regularly reflect on the learning environment to ensure they remain inclusive, engaging, and supportive of every child

Intentional curriculum and ongoing assessment help early childhood professionals understand children's development and plan meaningful learning experiences. Together, they ensure teaching is responsive to each child's strengths, interests, and developmental progress while supporting learning across all developmental domains.

Programs that meet this standard:

• Use a curriculum aligned with the North Dakota Early Learning Standards: Birth to Kindergarten to guide teaching and learning
• Conduct ongoing, observation-based assessments to monitor children's growth and development
• Use assessment information to individualize learning experiences and partner with families

Quality is an ongoing process of reflection, planning, and improvement. By using data to identify strengths and opportunities, programs can make informed decisions that lead to better experiences and outcomes for children, families, and staff.

Programs that meet this standard:

• Develop and implement Quality Improvement Plans
• Set measurable goals based on program data and identified needs
• Monitor progress toward goals and evaluate results
• Use information from observations, assessments, and family feedback to continuously strengthen program quality

If your program is licensed by HHS and is an eligible program type, you're automatically enrolled in Bright & Early ND with a Step 1 Quality Rating. From there, you can choose the initiative that best fits your program's goals and where you are in your quality improvement journey.

It depends on your goals. If you want to enrich your learning environment, explore curriculum options, begin using Teaching Strategies GOLD®, help your staff earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, or strengthen other areas of your program, Building Quality is a great place to start. This six-month initiative is designed for programs that are ready to learn, grow, and make meaningful change.

If you're ready to demonstrate how your program aligns with the Bright & Early ND Quality Standards and earn an official Bright & Early ND Quality Rating, Demonstrating Quality is the next step. During this initiative, you'll work one-on-one with a coach to gather and submit evidence for review and receive detailed feedback on your program's quality practices.

Applications are submitted in the ND Early Childhood Hub (hub). To apply:

1. Log in to the hub.
2. Navigate to your organization account.
3. Select "Quality Dashboard" from the left-hand navigation menu.
4. On the right side of the screen, select the application you want to submit.
5. Select "Review" for each section of the application. 
6. After reviewing all sections, select "Submit Application".
7. Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions, then select "Continue".
8. Select "Yes" to confirm and submit your application.
9. After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email with next steps.

To earn a Step 2, Step 3, or Step 4 Quality Rating, your program must demonstrate how its practices align with the Bright & Early ND Quality Standards. The Bright & Early ND Quality Rating Guide outlines the requirements for each step, including the Quality Indicators, readiness checklists, and required documentation or evidence.

Visit the Bright & Early ND Resources page to review the Bright & Early ND Quality Rating requirements and prepare your program for the application process.