The QSSB Program
Quality Start San Bernardino (QSSB) is a workforce development program that provides training, coaching, and community to early education and school readiness environments across the county. Environments include licensed child care centers, family child care programs, and preschools. Beyond the scope of these more traditional environments, QSSB has extended its work to partner with alternative settings, or license-exempt providers and community-based programs, like family resource centers, home-visiting programs, libraries, and more.
Why should I participate?
QSSB is a program that recognizes your commitment to creating the best early learning experiences possible. QSSB partners with early educators to create opportunities and support your dedicated efforts to increase the level of quality you provide to children and families.
Program Benefits
Programs that participate in QSSB will receive individualized coaching, goal setting, professional development opportunities, and peer-to-peer networking. All sites will create a tailored Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) that is in accordance with the California Early Childhood (ECE) Competencies. The QIPs will build on current strengths and identifiable areas of improvement.
Quality Counts Rating
California State Preschools enrolled in QSSB are assessed and given a quality rating on a scale of one (emerging quality) to five (highest quality). The ratings are based on the Quality Counts Continuum Framework. The framework evaluates early learning programs in the following areas:
- Child development and school readiness, including appropriate learning activities and use of child observation tools and developmental and health screenings
- Teachers and teaching, including lead teacher/family child care home provider qualifications and effectiveness of teacher-child interactions
- Program and environment, including ratios and group size, assessment of the classroom environment, and center director qualifications
For more information, visit our rating information page!
Frequently Asked Questions
Licensed and Private Center Facts
Licensed and License-Exempt Child Care Providers and Community Based Programs
TK and Alternative Program Facts
Transitional Kindergarten
Notes on the 2025-2026 Program Year for QSSB Participants
ECE Workforce Registry Update:
Due to funding cuts, the California Early Care & Education Workforce Registry will close for all Californians, and account-holders will lose access to their information. San Bernardino County child care providers will have access to their registry profile, documents and data, and the customer service help desk until June 30th, 2026. All user data must be downloaded prior to June 30th. Learn more here.
Coaching, rating, and assessments:
- Coaches will continue to support participants with coaching, resources, and hosting/sharing training and Communities of Practice. They will do so with a hybrid virtual/in-person approach. Be sure to check your email for training invites and/or visit the QSSB Training Calendar here.
- Not all sites are required to have a formal quality rating. However, some sites including select CSPP sites will receive a rating.
- Informal assessments will be offered this year for non-CSPP sites. These will be used to inform a site’s Quality Improvement Plan and will not be used for official purposes.
