Evergreen Learning Coach, Erlaine Evangelista, conducted a three hour training cohort series on the  School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale Updated Version (SACERS-U). The sessions were scheduled  over three Saturdays – June 10, 17, and 24. Six afterschool providers from three different child care centers in  Saipan attended this cohort.  

SACERS-U is a rating scale designed to assess quality interactions and environment for children of  school ages 5 to 12 during their out-of-school-time. These scales assess what children directly experience in their  programs that influence the child’s development, including interactions that occur between staff and children and  among the children themselves. Also assessed are the interactions children have with the many materials and  activities in the environment, as well as those features (e.g. space, schedule and materials) that support these  interactions.  

During the training, participants had the opportunity to determine their program priorities and write concrete goals for further quality improvement practices on a sample Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) for their  school age program. A QIP is a document that helps a provider identify their areas of strengths and areas of  improvement and allows them to create a specific plan for achieving their goals towards improving their  practices. Both QIPs and SACERS-U self-assessment are required under Star 1 of Reach Higher CNMI – the CNMI’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Reach Higher CNMI helps identify quality child  care programs using a Star Level system from star 1 through 5. The higher the star level, the higher a program  implements quality practices.  

This training is made possible through funding from the Department of Health and Human Services,  Office of Child Care, CNMI CCDF Program under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.