(1) In addition to the minimum standards established for child care facilities and the operation of child care facilities under ORS § 329A.260 and subject to available funds, the Department of Early Learning and Care, in coordination with the committee designated by the Early Learning Council under ORS § 326.425 (3)(a), shall initiate development of a quality recognition and improvement system for child care facilities.

(2) The quality recognition and improvement system implemented under this section shall:

(a) Establish a set of standards that are used to evaluate the quality of an early learning and development program and to support program improvement.

(b) Consist of the following components:

(A) Standards that demonstrate characteristics of quality early learning and development programs.

(B) Monitoring of programs to evaluate quality based on established standards.

(C) Support for programs and providers of programs to meet quality standards, including training, technical assistance and financial incentives.

(D) Program quality recognition that is publicly available. [2012 c.37 § 130; 2013 c.624 § 86; 2021 c.89 § 1; 2021 c.631 § 41; 2023 c.554 § 13]