Quality Counts Mendocino
Building Brighter Futures: Supporting Quality Early Learning
MCOE serves as the lead agency for Quality Counts Mendocino (QCM), a multi-agency partnership that provides quality improvement support to participating 0-5 settings. Our partners include North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Rural Communities Child Care, First 5 Mendocino, NCO Head Start Child Development Program, Pinoleville Native American Head Start, and Round Valley Indian Tribes Head Start.
QCM provides onsite coaching for early education and care professionals across program types and implements the California Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) for California State Preschool Programs (CSPP) in Mendocino County. NCO Rural Communities Child Care provides coaching support to family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) and family child care home (FCCH) providers; MCOE provides coaching to center-based programs. QCM also supports the implementation of Early Education and Care's practice-based coaching frameworks, Embedded Instruction and Teaching Pyramid.
Stay in Touch With Quality Counts Mendocino
The Winter QCM Newsletter is available here!
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Quality Rating and Improvement System
QCM centers that receive CSPP funding through the California Department of Education are required to be rated through the QRIS, where they receive a quality rating score based on the statewide Quality Continuum Framework (QCF). Tier 4 and Tier 5 sites have achieved the highest levels of quality reflected on the QCF.
Sites that are rated at Tier 4 and Tier 5:
- Regularly observe and assess children's learning using the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) and plan curriculum based on that data;
- Support families in the use of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) screening tool at entry into the program and make referrals as indicated;
- Have lead teachers with an Associate's degree in Child Development/Early Childhood Education (CD/ECE) or Site Supervisor permit (Tier 4) or Bachelor's degree in CD/ECE or a program director permit (Tier 5);
- Received and scored highly on a Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) observation;
- Maintain minimum standards for teacher:child ratios and overall group size; and
- Have a Program Director with a Bachelor's degree or Program Director's permit (Tier 4) or a Master's Degree or Administrative Credential (Tier 5).
- Arena State Preschool
- Children's Garden
- Greenwood Preschool
- Nokomis Head Start/Early Head Start
- Peach Tree Head Start
- Peachland State Preschool
- Redwood State Preschool
- Round Valley State Preschool
- Talmage State Preschool
- Ukiah Unified Preschool Village - Bilingual
- Ukiah Unified Preschool Village - Inclusion
- Willits Head Start
- Brookside Preschool
- Calpella State Preschool
- Laytonville State Preschool
- Leggett Valley State Preschool
- Potter Valley State Preschool
- Small Wonders State Preschool
- Yokayo State Preschool at Nokomis
Workforce Pathways
MCOE provides support for center-based staff serving children 0-5, including professional growth advising, assistance with Child Development CTC permit applications, and educational reimbursements for unit-bearing coursework.
Home-based providers can access Workforce Pathways supports through Rural Communities Child Care. For more information, email childcare@ncoinc.org.
Play in Practice 2026 - March 14, 2026
Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Wyndham Garden Hotel 101 BIA Rd 228, Redwood Valley
Quality Counts Mendocino is hosting its third annual Play in Practice (PiP) event!
In addition to the importance of play, this year’s theme will focus on STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics! Attendees will walk away with practical strategies for infusing more STEAM play in their programs.
This year’s keynote speaker is MCOE’s own Kristin Hills who will share resources related to Count, Play, Explore, a statewide STEAM initiative. Breakout sessions will be facilitated by local educators as well as our CPIN Regional Lead!
This is a free event and lunch will be provided.
Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.
Questions? Contact Maddie Torrey mtorrey@mcoe.us, 707-467-5160
Main Contacts
Quality Counts California Lead
Director of Early Education and Care
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