Capital Quality is DC’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) which measures the quality of licensed child care programs in areas that are known to make a difference in early learning quality, including the environment, program structure and teacher-child interactions. Child care programs that participate in Capital Quality are assessed each year using an evidence-based observation tool and receive a rating based on findings of the observation. These programs receive robust technical assistance and resources to support their continuous improvement and prepare for observations.
Families can find information about a child care program’s Capital Quality rating and observations scores on My Child Care DC. Child care programs that participate in Capital Quality have a “Capital Quality Profile” on their facility page. Families can use this information review and compare the quality of programs throughout DC and make informed decisions about where to enroll their child.
Webinars
- Capital Quality Rating Calculation Framework-Specific Webinars for Facilities with One Year of Valid Observation Data
- Capital Quality Rating Calculation Framework-Specific Webinars for Facilities with Two Years of Valid Observation Data
- Infant and Toddler Only (Presentation Slides: English | Spanish)
- Preschool Age/Pre-K Only (Presentation Slides: English | Spanish)
- Birth-to-Five (Presentation Slides: English | Spanish)
- Child Development Homes/Child Development Expanded Homes (Presentation Slides: English | Spanish)
Resources
For additional information on Capital Quality, please access the resources below:
- DC Capital Quality Provider One-Pager
- DC Capital Quality Provider Infographic
- DC Capital Quality Provider Talking Points
- DC Capital Quality Family Infographic
- Available in English
- DC Capital Quality Family One-Pager
- Available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese (Mandarin), and French
- DC Capital Quality Theory of Change Infographic
- Available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese (Mandarin), and French
- DC Capital Quality Accreditation One-Pager
Technical Guide
- Capital Quality Technical Guide (Updated August 2023)
Protocols
Current Year: 2025 Protocols
2024 Protocols
- OSSE Classroom Assessment Scoring System Protocol
- OSSE Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Protocol (Español)
- OSSE Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale Protocol (Español)
2023 Protocols
- OSSE Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Protocol
- OSSE Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale Protocol
2019-20 Protocols
- OSSE Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Protocol
- OSSE Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale Protocol
2018-19 Protocols
- OSSE Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale Protocol
- OSSE Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale Protocol
