Resource Categories
Quality
DHHS Child Care Resources
DHHS Child Care Resources website
DHHS Licensure
Description: The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services requires that child care centers and family child care homes be licensed and meet specific requirements. Licensing Specialists are located throughout the state and provide oversight and monitoring of licensed programs.
National Association for the Education of Young Children - NAEYC
Description: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
Qualification/Services: Accreditation, best practice
Nature Explore Classrooms
Description: Through the Nature Explore program, we meld design and education theory into practice. Our process produces nature-based learning spaces that inspire wonder in your children and in you. We can help design or redesign an outdoor classroom that works exceptionally well in supporting children’s learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as language/literacy, the arts, and social/emotional development.
Primary Contact: Nancy Rosenow
Email: NancyR@natureexplore.org
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative
Description: The Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) was established in 2014 as a strategic initiative of the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. NECC is a consortium of leading early childhood organizations, and we operate within a lean but robust shared services organizational structure that facilitates knowledge sharing and cost reduction. The Collaborative’s early childhood organizational partners include Educare Omaha, Educare Lincoln, and Omaha Early Learning Centers.
Primary Contact: Shannon Cotsoradis
Email: scotsoradis@nebraskaearly.org
Phone: 402-301-3025
Qualification/Services: Exchange for materials, access to templates and samples of P&P, handbooks, forms, and HR and financial oversight
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative website
Step Up To Quality
Description: Step Up to Quality Child Care (SUTQ) has five levels, with licensing as the first, and a hybrid rating structure. Tiered reimbursement will be available at steps three through five; incentive bonuses are provided at steps two through five.
Primary Contact: Nebraska Department of Education (NDE)
Creating a Nebraska Early Childhood Professional Record System (NECPRS) User Account video
The Learning Child
Description: The Learning Child team with Nebraska Extension supports adults who play a role in young children’s lives providing information and resources about early child development.
