The unannounced annual monitoring visit (annual monitoring) is an observational visit conducted each year to ensure that an ELP is continuing the quality level of care at which it was certified and to ascertain whether there are areas in which the ELP needs the aid of a mentor to maintain or improve the quality of care. Because this visit is unannounced, the ELP is not provided a two-week visit window. The assessor Assessor must ensure that he or she conducts the annual monitoring timely (prior to the yearly certification date but no earlier than three months from the date). Example: ELP is certified September 2020 to August 2023; the first annual monitoring visit is conducted before August 31, 2021, but no earlier than June 1, 2021.
When conducting an Annual monitoring visit requiring the review of category 1 and 3, Assessors may begin conducting the class observation until the provider is able to produce the evidence needed to score cat. 1 and 3, prior to the end of the assessment visit.
These visits are not eligible for reconsideration.
For non-nationally accredited facilities, Assessors will observe at least 50 percent of the classrooms to include at least one from each age group for Categories 2 and 4, as applicable. If the ELP has only one classroom for an age group, then the Assessor will complete the classroom assessment on that classroom. For ELPs that have more than one classroom for an age group, priority is given to new classrooms, classrooms that have experienced teacher turnover, and/or classrooms that have not previously been assessed either during the most recent full site assessment or during the most recent monitoring visit (for example, there was no enrollment at the most recent on-site visit). Dependent on the total number of classrooms and age groups served by an ELP, this may put the total classrooms observed over 50 percent. The Assessor will also review all staff training files (to include any new staff files for training plans, orientations, and such) and applicable facility measures in Categories 1 and 3 to determine whether any changes have been made since the most recent assessment. The purpose of this process is to help the ELP remain in compliance with all categories, especially training, during the three-year Texas Rising Star certification cycle.
All classroom observations should be, at minimum, one hour. The optional supplemental half hour is also still allowable, if the Assessor has not observed everything needed for scoring. This is applicable to both accredited and non-accredited Texas Rising Star facilities.
For mixed-age group homes, Assessors will reference the All Ages CARF to determine which measures are observed and will score all measures that are applicable to the ages of the children served. The observation will last at least one hour, with the option of 30 additional minutes. If the home has more than one grouping of children, the Assessor will observe each group for one hour, with the option of 30 additional minutes, referencing the applicable CARF according to the ages of the children in that group. Example: Licensed home has an infant toddler group with one teacher and a preschool group with another teacher. Assessor would complete two observations, one for each group. The Assessor will also review all staff training files (to include any new staff files, for training plans, orientations, and such) and applicable facility measures in Categories 1 and 3 to determine whether any changes have been made since the most recent assessment. This is to help the ELP remain in compliance with all categories, especially training during the three-year Texas Rising Star certification cycle.
For nationally accredited facilities, the Assessor will observe at least one hour with the option of 30 additional minutes, with 50 percent of the classrooms to include at least one classroom for each age group for Categories 2 and 4 only. If the ELP only has one classroom for an age group, then the Assessor will complete the classroom assessment on that classroom. For those ELPs that have more than one classroom for an age group, priority is given to new classrooms, classrooms that have experienced teacher turnover, and/or classrooms that have not previously been assessed either during the most recent full site assessment or during the most recent monitoring visit, for whatever reason (for example, there was no enrollment at the most recent on-site visit). Dependent on the total number of classrooms and age groups served by an ELP, this may put the total classrooms observed over 50 percent.