SOLAR Profiler
Select from the topics below to learn more about the SOLAR
Profiler or select print-friendly for a copy of the FAQs for future
reference. To download the FAQs in PDF format, click
here
[PDF, 186KB].
About the SOLAR Profiler
1. What is the purpose of the Profiler?
2. Who can use the
Profiler?
3. Can we read the Staff Skill Profiles before we begin to
use the Profiler?
4. What are some of the advantages of using the
Profiler?
5. Does the Office of Head Start require us to use the
Profiler?
6. Does our program need to pay for SOLAR?
Equipment and Skills Needed to Use the SOLAR
Profiler
1. Can we use the Profiler on both a PC and a MAC?
2. Do we need special software to use the Profiler?
3. What
capability does our computer need to use the Profiler?
4. Do we have to
be online to use the Profiler?
5. Do we need special training to use
SOLAR?
Accessing the SOLAR
Profiler
1. Can anyone access the SOLAR Profiler?
2. Do all ECLKC passwords provide access
to all parts of the Profiler?
3. How does our program assign Profiler
user level designations?
4. Can multiple users in our Head Start
program use the Profiler at the same time?
5. After we have logged into the Profiler, how
do we find our way around the site?
Activation Process for the SOLAR
Profiler
1. Why must we activate our program to use the
SOLAR Profiler?
2. How do we activate our program?
3. Why must
we provide descriptive information about our program during activation?
4. How do we know if our program is activated?
5. How often
must we activate our program?
6. Many of our staff members operate from
an administrative office instead of a center. How do we ensure that the correct
location for each staff member is included in his or her Profile?
7. Can we edit information on the activation page, once the program is
activated?
Staff Skill
Profiles
1. What is the purpose of a Staff Skill Profile?
2. What are skill indicators?
3. What is a custom indicator?
Scoring Staff Skill
Profiles
1. Who should score an employee’s Staff Skill
Profile?
2. What supervisory documents should our team use to score a
Staff Skill Profile?
3. What are the scoring levels?
4. What
types of training does our team need before we score the Staff Skill Profiles?
5. How should our team get ready to score a Staff Skill Profile?
6. How can we help our scoring team reach an agreement?
7. Our position titles do not match
the titles on the Staff Skill Profiles; can we still use the SOLAR Profiler?
8. When should we create Staff
Skill Profiles for new staff members?
9. How do we score Staff Skill
Profiles for staff members that perform more than one role? 10. We
created several Staff Skill Profiles for employees who left the program during
the school year. How do we ensure that their skill information is not included
in our composite reports?
11. When does the team use the N/A (Not
Applicable) option?
Entering Scores into Staff Skill
Profiles
1. Who should enter the data for each Profile?
2. How do we create a Profile?
3. We have begun a new Profile.
Why are all of the skill indicators listed as “N/A”?
4. How do we know
if a Profile has been completed for an employee?
5. Can we print a copy
of the Staff Skill Profiles that we completed?
6. How do we edit a
Staff Skill Profile once we have submitted it to the SOLAR Profiler?
7. Can we delete a Staff Skill Profile once it has been submitted?
8. Why can’t we open some of the completed Staff Skill Profiles that
are listed?
9. Why doesn’t our number of Staff Skill Profiles always
match the number of staff members we have?
Creating Reports Using the SOLAR
Profiler
1. What types of reports can we generate using the
SOLAR Profiler?
2. How do we generate a report?
3. Can we
request data from all Staff Skill Profiles in the same report?
4. Can
we generate regional or national reports if our program didn’t enter data into
the SOLAR Profiler?
5. Will our local reports include summary data from
our custom indicators?
6. How can our management team use the SOLAR
Profiler reports to determine our program’s staff development needs?
About the SOLAR Profiler
1. What is the purpose of the Profiler?
The Profiler is a Web-based database that documents and produces reports on employees’ mastery of the skills required for their positions. While the Profiler is not a performance appraisal system, you can use it to enhance and inform your appraisal process. After you prepare to use the Profiler you can score and create an electronic Staff Skill Profile for 6 categories of employees (e.g. classroom staff─preschool; classroom staff─infants/toddlers; directors, managers, and supervisors; family, health, and disabilities services staff; home visitors; support staff). Once you have completed scoring and entering your Profiles, the Profiler allows you to generate individual and composite reports on staff members’ skill levels across the program. You can also compare your program’s reports with regional and national composites.
2. Who can use the Profiler?
Head Start directors and their designees can use the Profiler. With specific Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center access, federal and T/TA staff, and Head Start-State Collaboration Office directors can run aggregate reports about regional and national skill levels, without any individual program identifiers. They cannot enter or access individual staff member or program skill level data.
3. Can we read the Staff Skill Profiles before we begin to use the Profiler?
Yes, we encourage you to view and download copies of each Staff Skill Profile in PDF format before you begin to use the Profiler. You mu st have Adobe Reader to download the profiles. Many programs find that it is easiest to score the Profiles by hand before they enter the data . By carefully reading the Staff Skill Profiles and accompanying About SOLAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), you can decide which scoring approach works best for your program.
4. What are some of the advantages of using the Profiler?
The Profiler can help your Head Start program create a picture of your employees’ overall skill levels. After you enter skill level data for each employee, you can generate aggregate reports that show staff members’ skill levels by center, by level of education, years of experience, or several other classifications. You can use this data to create staff development plans that truly address the needs of personnel. You can also track staff members’ progress by comparing data from multiple years.
5. Does the Office of Head Start require us to use the Profiler?
No, the Office of Head Start does not require that you use SOLAR. However, the Office of Head Start supported the development of SOLAR to help programs with T/TA planning, and it recommends that all programs try SOLAR.
6. Does our program need to pay for SOLAR?
No, SOLAR is free.
Equipment and Skills Needed to Use the SOLAR Profiler
1. Can we use the Profiler on both a PC and a MAC?
Yes, you can use the Profiler on either a PC or a MAC.
2. Do we need special software to use the Profiler?
No, you do not need any special software to use the Profiler.
3. What capability does our computer need to use the Profiler?
Because the Profiler is a Web-based application, you will only need a computer with an Internet browser and Internet access. A high-speed Internet connection is preferable, but you can also use the Profiler with a dial-up connection.
4. Do we have to be online to use the Profiler?
Yes, you must be online to enter data into the Profiler database and to generate SOLAR skill level reports. However, many teams find it useful to print out copies of the Staff Skill Profiles and complete them off-line.
5. Do we need special training to use SOLAR?
No, you do not need any special training to use SOLAR. Your T/TA providers may also be able to help you.
Accessing the SOLAR Profiler
1. Can anyone access the SOLAR Profiler?
No. Access to the Profiler is restricted to certain categories of Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) users. In most cases, Head Start directors and the employees they designate, Head Start federal and T/TA staff, and Head Start-State Collaboration Office directors are eligible for SOLAR access. However, anyone can download blank copies of the Staff Skill Profiles and the Planner .
2. Do all ECLKC passwords provide access to all parts of the Profiler?
SOLAR protects your program’s privacy and your employees’ privacy through a system of password-protected access levels. Head Start directors can provide access to managers, supervisors, and other staff members at three different use levels.
Level 1 Head Start Users (usually program directors or their designees) initiate and have access to all Profiler data. They do the following:
• Activate their programs.
• Enter data online about individual staff members in the SOLAR Staff Skill Profiles.
• View individual Staff Skill Profiles for staff members in their programs.
• Delete individual Staff Skill Profiles of staff members in their programs, under special circumstances.
• Run reports about their program’s staff skill levels.
• Run aggregate reports about regional and national program personnel skill levels.
• Generate aggregate reports for participating delegates (if any).Level 2 Head Start Users (usually program managers/designees) create Staff Skill Profiles and generate program, regional, and national reports. They do the following:
• Enter data about staff members in the Staff Skill Profiles.
• View the individual Staff Skill Profiles that they entered.
• Run reports about their program’s staff skill levels.
• Run reports about regional and national staff skill levels.Level 3 Head Start Users (usually supervisors/their designees) do the following:
• Enter data about staff members in the SOLAR Staff Skill Profiles.
• View the individual Staff Skill Profiles that they entered.Authorized Federal and Head Start T/TA staff, and Head Start-State Collaboration Office directors can also access SOLAR through their ECLKC username and password. These Level 4 Head Start Users do the following:
• Run reports about regional and national staff skill levels.
3. How does our program assign Profiler user level designations?
Your program’s director and management team should determine access to the Profiler based on your organization and its staffing pattern. We expect that directors will assign Level 2 access to service area and other managers who participate in the program’s planning processes. In most programs, Level 3 access will be assigned to front-line supervisors who are not typically involved in planning or to data entry personnel who will enter Staff Profile data for supervisors or other managers.
4. Can multiple users in our Head Start program use the Profiler at the same time?
Yes. Because the Profiler is Web-based, multiple users can log in at the same time.
5. After we have logged into the Profiler, how do we find our way around the site?
When you log into SOLAR with a recognized username and password, you open a home page that is different for each SOLAR user level . For example, users with Level 1 access can activate the system, view and complete Staff Skill Profiles online, and generate reports. Level 3 users can only view and complete Staff Skill Profiles. The tabs at the top of each page provide links to other Profiler pages. Click on any of these to move to another view. These pages also include a link to the home page.
Activation process for the SOLAR Profiler
1. Why must we activate our program to use the SOLAR Profiler?
SOLAR safeguards access to its data through its system of password-protected access levels and an annual activation process. Activation enables your program to create new Staff Skill Profiles and reports each year. During activation, your Head Start director can update information about program services and centers. They can also create up to 20 custom indicators to supplement the Staff Skill Indicators defined by SOLAR.
2. How do we activate our program?
Log onto SOLAR with your Level 1 password . You will be prompted to complete the simple activation process before you enter Staff Skill Profile data for your program. Once you complete the process, you and other staff members (Level 2 and Level 3) can begin using the full SOLAR Profiler. You will not be prompted to activate your program again until the next school year.
3. Why must we provide descriptive information about our program during activation?
Your program’s data will be added to the SOLAR Profiler database along with information from all other participating programs. Including information about your program’s auspice, size, and program options will allow you and other SOLAR users to create aggregate reports about staff members’ skill levels based on these and other criteria.
4. How do we know if our program is activated?
You can determine if your program has been activated for the school year by clicking on “My Program” on the Profiler menu. If the program is activated, this screen will show all of the data (program description, centers, custom indicators) entered for the school year. You will not be able to complete Staff Skill Profiles until you have activated your program.
5. How often must we activate our program?
You must activate your program in the Profiler once every school year. SOLAR defines the school year as August 1 through July 31.
6. Many of our staff members operate from an administrative office instead of a center. How do we ensure that the correct location for each staff member is included in his or her Profile?
When activating your program in the Profiler, your director (or his/her designee) should include the administrative office on the list of centers that he/she enters. Each location entered will appear on the Center pull-down list at the top of each Staff Skill Profile.
7. Can we edit information on the activation page, once the program is activated?
No, you can only edit the information on the activation page during your yearly activation process.
Staff Skill Profiles
1. What is the purpose of a Staff Skill Profile?
A Staff Skill Profile is a set of skill indicators—brief descriptions of skills that an employee exercises in carrying out his or her job—that is designed to enable your program to document consistent information about a staff member’s ability to perform the skills required for his or her position. SOLAR has Staff Skill Profiles for 6 categories of staff members: classroom staff─preschool; classroom staff─infant/toddler; directors, managers, and supervisors; family, disability, and health services staff; home visitors; and support staff.
2. What are skill indicators?
Each Profile contains between 25 and 60 standard skills that are broken down into categories. The Profiles were developed with input from the Office of Head Start, national experts, and members of the Head Start community. Each indicator begins with a short skill statement (e.g., supports parents in extending children’s learning at home; or meets federal, state, and program documentation requirements), and includes examples of how some employees exhibit these skills.You cannot change these standard skill indicators, but you can add custom indicators. Staff Skill Profiles also contain identifying information (e.g., job title, center, education level). This identifying information allows the Profiler to generate composite reports based on these and other criteria. Only your program has access to this identifying information.
3. What is a custom indicator?
If your program wishes to track staff skill items beyond the existing Staff Skill Profile indicators, you can identify and add unique indicators. For example, if your program is beginning to serve a new population in the community, you can add a custom indicator to track staff members’ performance in this area. Or, if your monitoring results identify a specific issue, you might want to create a custom indicator to address it. During the annual SOLAR activation process, your program’s director will have the opportunity to enter up to 20 custom indicators that will appear as numbers 7.1 though 7.20 at the end of each Staff Skill Profile. Directors are not able to change or add custom indicators until the next annual activation process.
Scoring Staff Skill Profiles
1. Who should score an employee’s Staff Skill Profile?
Your Head Start program’s staff members interact regularly with many managers and colleagues. Each of these individuals has his or her own perspective on employees’ skills. To ensure that Profiles accurately reflect a staff member’s skills, we recommend that a team complete each Staff Skill Profile . A team approach helps ensure accuracy and builds consistency across scorers. Ideally, your scoring team will include the supervisor who completes the employee’s performance appraisal and other managers or specialists who observe the employee’s work and review written records.
2. What supervisory documents should our team use to score a Staff Skill Profile?
In addition to the employee’s annual performance review, your scoring team can review any documents that provide information about the employee’s skill level. Observation or other supervisory notes can be very helpful.
3. What are the scoring levels?
When completing a Staff Skill Profile, your scoring team will determine the employee’s skill level for each skill indicator . You will rank the employee’s skill as “limited,” “adequate,” “strong,” or “exemplary.” These levels and a definition for each are the SOLAR scoring levels . You must have Adobe reader to download the scoring level definitions. You can download a copy of the scoring levels or click on the question mark (?) symbol when logged into the Profiler, which is below each level on the electronic Profile to view its definition.
4. What types of training does our team need before we score the Staff Skill Profiles?
Training your team on the Staff Skill Profile and the scoring levels will build accuracy and consistency. As you design your training process, build in time for team members to do the following:
• Learn about how SOLAR can support your program’s staff development efforts.
• Review and discuss the Staff Skill Profile they will use.
• Familiarize themselves with the scoring levels.
• Select supervisory documents that will inform scoring.
5. How should our team get ready to score a Staff Skill Profile?
How your team prepares for this work will depend upon your team’s experience with the Staff Skill Profile. If your team is scoring a Profile for the first time, team members will want to review the Profile, the skill indicators, and levels together. Your team should discuss and agree on staff members’ performance on each indicator that exemplifies a score for each scoring level.
6. How can we help our scoring team reach an agreement?
Engaging your scoring team in a discussion about staff members’ performance will help your team reach an agreement about what practice looks like at different levels. Be sure to discuss the examples presented in each indicator, the scoring levels, and other materials the field offers as objective guides (e.g., NAEYC Accreditation criteria), rather than comparing employees with each other.
7. Our position titles do not match the titles on the Staff Skill Profiles; can we still use the SOLAR Profiler?
Yes, you can still use the Profiler. However, to ensure that you capture data consistently for your SOLAR reports, you must assign the same job title to staff members who perform the same or similar duties .
8. When should we create Staff Skill Profiles for new staff members?
Ideally, your team should delay creating Staff Skill Profiles for new staff members until their supervisors have adequate knowledge of their skill levels. If delay is not practical, you may score skill indicators for which you have information and mark the rest as not applicable (N/A).
9. How do we score Staff Skill Profiles for staff members that perform more than one role?
Many Head Start staff members assume two and sometimes three roles. There are two ways to address such situations .
10. We created several Staff Skill Profiles for employees who left the program during the school year. How do we ensure that their skill information is not included in our composite reports?
Your program’s Level 1 user can delete a Staff Skill Profile from the “List Completed Profiles" page in the Profiler. Once a Profile is deleted, however, you cannot get it back.
11. When does the team use the N/A (Not Applicable) option?
The team uses the N/A option if it determines that the indicated skill is not part of the employee’s job responsibilities. You may also use the N/A option to designate those skills that you have not yet observed in new staff. Please note that scores for all skill indicators appear as N/A until changed by the scorer.
Entering scores into Staff Skill Profiles
1. Who should enter the data for each Profile?
Design a data entry process that works best for your program, its organization and staffing patterns, and the process you use to score Profiles . In some programs, a supervisor or other team member enters data as the SOLAR team discusses the staff member’s scores. In other programs, the supervisor or other team member enters data after the team has completed its discussion about an employee. Or, the supervisor may provide a paper copy of a completed Profile to a clerk who enters the data on the supervisor’s behalf. As with all personnel information, your program should develop safeguards to ensure the confidentiality of all SOLAR paper and electronic documents. Please note: The Profiler assumes that the SOLAR user who creates an employee’s Profile is the supervisor for that employee.
2. How do we create a Profile?
You can create a Profile in one of two ways:
• Select the “Create New Profile” option on the navigation menu. This option will take you directly to a page that provides instructions for creating a Profile. The first step is to select which of the 6 Profile types you wish to complete. Follow the instructions in the document to complete the process.
• Select the “List Completed Profiles” option on the navigation menu. This option will take you to a page that lists all of the Staff Skill Profiles previously completed for your program in a given year. You can sort the listing by center, supervisor, review date, and Profile type. If a Profile has not already been completed for a staff member, click on the “Create New Profile” link above the listing and follow the directions.
3. We have begun a new Profile. Why are all of the skill indicators listed as “N/A”?
“N/A” or “not applicable” is the default score for all skill indicators. To change the score, simply click on another scoring level for that skill indicator .
4. How do we know if a Profile has been completed for an employee?
Select the “List Completed Profiles” option on the navigation menu. The option will take you to a page that lists all of the Staff Skill Profiles previously completed for your program in a given year. You can sort the listing by center, supervisor, review date, and Profile type.
5. Can we print a copy of the Staff Skill Profiles that we completed?
Yes. You can print a copy of a Profile as you complete it by clicking on “Print” at the end of the Profile. You can also print a Profile by accessing it through the “List Completed Profiles” option on the navigation menu. Profiles will print in a portrait view.
6. How do we edit a Staff Skill Profile once we have submitted it to the SOLAR Profiler?
You can change a score while completing a Profile by using the “Edit” feature. You can revise the scores and the staff members’ identifying information until you click “submit.” Once you have submitted a Staff Skill Profile, it cannot be changed. If you need to revise a Profile, the person with Level 1 access can delete it so you can enter a new Profile.
7. Can we delete a Staff Skill Profile once it has been submitted?
Yes. But, to minimize the accidental elimination of completed Staff Skill Profiles, only Level 1 users can delete Profiles. If you are a Level 1 user, and you need to delete a Profile for a particular employee, click the delete button next to the staff member’s name on the "List Completed Profiles" page. Once you delete a Profile, you cannot reinstate it without re-entering the data in a new Profile.
8. Why can’t we open some of the completed Staff Skill Profiles that are listed?
To protect the privacy of staff members, SOLAR limits access to each Staff Skill Profile to the program’s Level 1 user and the manager or supervisor who originally created the Profile.
9. Why doesn’t our number of Staff Skill Profiles match the number of staff members we have?
If you have completed more than one Staff Skill Profile for staff members who have multiple roles, the number of Profiles will exceed the number of staff members.
Creating Reports Using the SOLAR Profiler
1. What types of reports can we generate using the SOLAR Profiler?
Users with Level 1 and Level 2 access can generate four kinds of local reports:
• A Matrix Report displays scores for all Staff Skill indicators for the selected sample of Profiles in chart form. Users can choose to have scores reported as raw numbers or percentages.
• A Ranking Report calculates a weighted average score for each indicator from the selected sample of Profiles and then displays the indicators in list form. Users can choose the order of the list from lowest to highest or highest to lowest.
• A Comparison Report allows users to compare skill level scores between their entire program, representative centers, or regional and national averages.
• A Thread Report provides users with staff composite scores on groups of related indicators in 7 topic areas: Empowering Families; Cultural Competence; Community Partnerships; Communication among Staff and Specialists; Planning; Documentation; and Assessment. Thread Reports can be generated for each Profile type or across Profile types.If you are a Level 1 user from a grantee program with delegates, you can also request reports for your delegate programs. If you are a Level 1 or 2 user, you can request reports that aggregate national and regional data. Federal and other staff with Level 4 access can generate similar reports for regional or national aggregate groups. You can use a variety of criteria (e.g., level of education, job title) to narrow your requests.
2. How do we generate a report?
Users with Level 1 and Level 2 access can generate SOLAR Profiler reports through the Local Report or Aggregate Report pages. SOLAR users who are federal and T/TA staff and Head Start-State Collaboration Office directors can generate Aggregate Reports only. First select the Staff Skill Profile and year for which you would like information. Then, select the type of report (e.g., Matrix, Ranking, Comparison, or Thread) and the search criteria (e.g., level of education, job title) you want to include in the report. For Thread Reports, local users can also select which Profile categories to include in the search.
3. Can we request data from all Staff Skill Profiles in the same report?
Matrix, Comparison, and Ranking Reports represent results from only one of the six Staff Skill Profile types. Local users can request Thread Reports that combine results for single, multiple, or all Profile types.
4. Can we generate regional or national reports if our program didn’t enter data into the SOLAR Profiler?
Yes, any user with a Level 1, Level 2, or Level 4 access can generate regional or national aggregate reports.
5. Will our local reports include summary data from our custom indicators?
Yes, each local SOLAR Profiler report will include data entered for the custom indicators . Custom indicators will not appear on regional or national reports.
6. How can our management team use the SOLAR Profiler reports to determine our program’s staff development needs?
Your management team can use many techniques to analyze SOLAR Profiler reports. They can generate:
• The Ranking Report to identify the skill indicators for which staff, on average score the highest or the lowest
• Multiple reports to determine if scores vary across different job titles (e.g. for lead teachers versus assistant teachers) or across centers
• Similar reports for each Profile type (e.g., Classroom Staff – Infant/Toddler, Home Visitors) to identify common themes across Staff Skill Profiles.
• A Thread Report to determine if there are pervasive program issues across the 7 programmatic themes addressed in this report: Empowering Families, Cultural Competence, Community Partnerships, Communication among Staff and Specialists, Planning, Documentation, and Assessment.By using these and other analysis methods, your management team can surface staff development needs. They can also use the SOLAR Planner to compare these needs with other needs identified through a review of other Head Start data sources (e.g., PIR, federal monitoring report, Annual Self-Assessment) and begin to develop a T/TA Plan for your program.
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