Coaching to Improve Child Care Quality in the District of Columbia: Perspectives of Community Leaders and Coaches. Research Report

To increase quality licensed child care supply, the District of Columbia implemented Capital Quality, a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that includes coaching supports. Urban Institute researchers interviewed leaders who oversee coaches working to help child care facilities improve quality and conducted focus groups with coaches in spring 2023. Researchers captured insights on the quality improvement process, promising practices for working with child care providers, methods to improve quality, and challenges faced by coaches and child care facility directors and owners. Prior Urban Institute research reported positive provider experiences with coaching and benefits from participating (such as improved morale and knowledge of quality practices), despite challenges. For the current study, the Urban research team reviewed a summary of the 2020 findings to obtain reactions and reflections about differences in 2023. This report presents findings from data collected in 2023 from the perspectives of leaders and coaches about the current benefits, promising practices, and challenges in quality improvement.