States With Rating Systems

[Heidi]

Hello-

How many of you live in states with rating systems? If so, how long have they been in place? Have you been in the field before and after it was implemented? What is your opinion on the subject?

I live in WI, which is in the process of introducing Youngstar, a 5 star rating system. I was a family provider for 10 years, then took a 10 year break, and started up again last February.

[Blackcat31]

My state is in the process of beginning a quality star rating system. Right now, it is only a pilot program in a few areas but I believe that it will be implemented across the state soon.

I for one cannot wait until it is in place everywhere. I think it gives parents the tools to sort out what it is they are looking for in a child care program.

As this forum demonstrates, there are a multitude of different styles of child care providers and facilities out there and it is often difficult for parents to sort throught that.

I also support the fact that providers who go above and beyond in either offering superior, quality care and/or receive training above the basic minimum requirments be recognized.

[nannyde]

We have it here but I don't know very much about it. When I found out that you are QRS 1 if you are registered but to get to QRS 2 you have to get Child Net Certification I knew it wasn't right for me.

I would never be able to pass Child Net certification so I haven't really looked into it too much.

I do have a couple of day care friends who have gone all the way to level five and it has not resulted in them being able to charge higher fees. Without good money in it that comes directly from the parents weekly... I can't see it really catching on here.

They have some grant money for equipment along the way but it is not enough money to compensate for the time the provider has to put into it to go up the levels much less the level of care she must provide specifically in educating kids.

[Unregistered]

I'm curious why you don't think you'd be able to pass and get the higher rating, Nannyde. If you can't, who could?

[nannyde]

I'm curious why you don't think you'd be able to pass and get the higher rating, Nannyde. If you can't, who could?

We don't do a developmentally appropriate program.

[laundrymom]

We don't do a developmentally appropriate program.

What makes you think that?

[nannyde]

What makes you think that?

I've taken the 24 hour child net series twice and I disagreed with pretty much their entire course.

The courses are for professional child care providers. I'm a babysitter. It just doesn't fit in with the services I offer.

[laundrymom]

I dont know what those classes are. I still disagree that you are a babysitter, . I think movie night and teen aged bubblegum ponytailed disposable income driving moms car on the weekends as being a babysitter. But to each his own. I can say from what I've seen, other than a few tiny items you could be accredited. At least as I see it. But you don't want to and that's fine. But I still think you are way way more than a babysitter.

[wdmmom]

It all depends on what you want to offer and whether you want to agree with what the instructors tell you.

I don't even want to waste my time. If I have to run my program the way they tell me, I'll be the first person lined up at the unemployment office doing job searches. I don't want to run my program the way someone thinks I should. I want to run it they want I want to run it.

I agree to disagree.

I am a glorified babysitter AKA childcare provider. Same difference.

[Sugar Magnolia]

FL has one, and I participate. I really LIKE the program. I did NOT like it the first year it started, because I only got 2 out of 5 stars, because I did not know about ECERS. I "opted out" the 1st year, because I was CRUSHED by the score. But I buckled down and worked hard, and I have scored 4 stars every year after that. It has been in place 4 years. I got $1800 to spend on the center last year. (Not this year, budget cuts). I love the program, it has REALLY helped me improve the environment. I don't like how I will never get 5 starts though. 75% is your ECERS scores, the other 25% is administrative junk. With a FT staff of two, (my PT staff doesn't count, altough she has a masters degree) unless my hubby goes back to college, we will NEVER be able to have "75% or more of full time staff has college degrees". Nor will I go through the fake busy work of "recording staff meetings" as the car ride home every darn day is a staff meeting. Nor will I prepare a "staff handbook" for my staff of me and my husband. Nor will I "complete 25 hours or more of continuing education" every year, I am so busy just running the school, I barely scrape out my required 10. So, I'll never get 5 stars, basically because they discriminate against me because I am a working, hands-on director, have a SMALL center, and refuse to do unneccesary busy-work. But I LOVE ECERS! And a love having the challenge. I will add this: my county does a TV/radio/print advertising of its Stars program. I have gotten at least 5 clients from having a high score published. It works. Parents DO care.

[Meeko]

I don't like what I hear so far about star ratings. Supposedly, you get more "stars" depending on what you offer. So that means daycare A can get 5 stars for offering calculus for kids and immersion Mandarin.
Doesn't matter if the kids get any love or not.

The place with only one star just offers love and hugs, home cooked meals and good toys.

And yet parents will automatically assume that day care A is better because they have more stars. They are going to think of it like a hotel or restaurant rating.

I think I run a good day care. But I only go to the minimum amount of training classes I need to to keep my license. WHY? Because my family is important to me. I work 60+ hours per week and I want to spend my free time with them and not listening to things I either already know from 25 years of child care or to garbage I don't agree with! And I have to PAY to go to most of them!

I do not offer foreign languages, elaborate field trips, pre-school courses with fancy names etc. I just offer loving care in a clean and healthy setting. I offer care that makes kids feel as close to home as possible and not as if they have been dropped off at mini college. Kids here know they are loved and safe and always will be.

Yet, I will get a lower star rating that the big center up the road because I don't offer all the fancy stuff. Kids there can go all day without an adult even talking to them personally. Kids there can be tended by someone who isn't even sure of their name.

But they deserve a higher rating because the pamphlet by the door shows they have French and German classes each afternoon and aerobics with a "real" instructor each morning. They'll take home tons of "worksheets" to show Mom and Dad how much they are "learning". The fact that the child was crying alone at recess and nobody even noticed won't bother their parents who are so glad their child is in a high "rated" facility.

Here's a concept. How about parents do their OWN research....instead of letting someone else tell them which day care's are "better" than others???

[laundrymom]

I am in the stars program here. Soon I'll be the highest level. I offer no foreign languages. I do offer some basic sign language. I have a safe environment, nutritious meals, child focused play based learning. Not a purchased curriculum. We were curious about butterflies, so we learned about them. We were curious about wind and kites. So we learned about them. I think my program is a well rounded home based learning one where we actively learn about our world. I know my level has helped to keep me at capacity. Others here arent as fortunate.

[Heidi]

In our state, at least 50% is based on teacher education (you have to have at least an associates degree to go 4 or 5 stars), and business practices. Here is the irony: many of the required business practices (like paid vacations and holidays) are things the state is no longer willing to pay (as of Aug of this year) for state subsidized families. To be a 5 star program, you also have to raise your rates annually, share your budget with your parent board (hah! I have 2 families, and can barely get one to talk to me on the way in or out because she's always in a hurry).

My understanding is, they put $10 million into this program to "improve quality". Now, most of it's been delayed for a year while they figure out more changes. It was supposed to be implemented in June, but they kept changing details and realized they couldn't rate everyone that quickly. BTW, besides that, there are 4 levels of regulation. provisionally certified, certified, licensed family, and licensed group. There is also a website where parents can look up your non-compliances, which I think is great. If they sight you for, let's say "failure to comply with a law", parents can now see your rebuttal. Failure to comply with a law might mean you sold drugs OR it could mean you didn't buy a carbon monixide detector for every level of your home! Something, btw, they have not written into the licensing regs but is a state law for 1 & 2 family dwellings, daycare or not!

[Sugar Magnolia]

I don't like what I hear so far about star ratings. Supposedly, you get more "stars" depending on what you offer. So that means daycare A can get 5 stars for offering calculus for kids and immersion Mandarin.
Doesn't matter if the kids get any love or not.

The place with only one star just offers love and hugs, home cooked meals and good toys.

And yet parents will automatically assume that day care A is better because they have more stars. They are going to think of it like a hotel or restaurant rating.

I think I run a good day care. But I only go to the minimum amount of training classes I need to to keep my license. WHY? Because my family is important to me. I work 60+ hours per week and I want to spend my free time with them and not listening to things I either already know from 25 years of child care or to garbage I don't agree with! And I have to PAY to go to most of them!

I do not offer foreign languages, elaborate field trips, pre-school courses with fancy names etc. I just offer loving care in a clean and healthy setting. I offer care that makes kids feel as close to home as possible and not as if they have been dropped off at mini college. Kids here know they are loved and safe and always will be.

Yet, I will get a lower star rating that the big center up the road because I don't offer all the fancy stuff. Kids there can go all day without an adult even talking to them personally. Kids there can be tended by someone who isn't even sure of their name.

But they deserve a higher rating because the pamphlet by the door shows they have French and German classes each afternoon and aerobics with a "real" instructor each morning. They'll take home tons of "worksheets" to show Mom and Dad how much they are "learning". The fact that the child was crying alone at recess and nobody even noticed won't bother their parents who are so glad their child is in a high "rated" facility.

Here's a concept. How about parents do their OWN research....instead of letting someone else tell them which day care's are "better" than others???

Meeko, love you dearly but I truly think you have a misconception. I don't teach calculus or Mandarin or have elaborate field trips or have tons of fancy stuff. I have a normal environment. And we have family daycares that participate and do quite well. The BIG centers, some do good, but some don't. A "fancy" place here doesn't even participate because they can't be bothered. And you DO have to have loving, positive interactions to score well, so it DOES count. Check it out, you may like it.

[Blackcat31]

I don't like what I hear so far about star ratings. Supposedly, you get more "stars" depending on what you offer. So that means daycare A can get 5 stars for offering calculus for kids and immersion Mandarin.
Doesn't matter if the kids get any love or not.

The place with only one star just offers love and hugs, home cooked meals and good toys.

And yet parents will automatically assume that day care A is better because they have more stars. They are going to think of it like a hotel or restaurant rating.

I think I run a good day care. But I only go to the minimum amount of training classes I need to to keep my license. WHY? Because my family is important to me. I work 60+ hours per week and I want to spend my free time with them and not listening to things I either already know from 25 years of child care or to garbage I don't agree with! And I have to PAY to go to most of them!

I do not offer foreign languages, elaborate field trips, pre-school courses with fancy names etc. I just offer loving care in a clean and healthy setting. I offer care that makes kids feel as close to home as possible and not as if they have been dropped off at mini college. Kids here know they are loved and safe and always will be.

Yet, I will get a lower star rating that the big center up the road because I don't offer all the fancy stuff. Kids there can go all day without an adult even talking to them personally. Kids there can be tended by someone who isn't even sure of their name.

But they deserve a higher rating because the pamphlet by the door shows they have French and German classes each afternoon and aerobics with a "real" instructor each morning. They'll take home tons of "worksheets" to show Mom and Dad how much they are "learning". The fact that the child was crying alone at recess and nobody even noticed won't bother their parents who are so glad their child is in a high "rated" facility.

Here's a concept. How about parents do their OWN research....instead of letting someone else tell them which day care's are "better" than others???

The program for star quality rating system in my state doesn't rate daycares based on how much love they offer. They are rated based on what curriculums and early childhood developmental assessment methods they offer. 5 stars means they offer more curriculum, the providers have more trainings and they follow an approved curricula that allows for the children in their programs to be assessed using a developmentally appropriate and approved method. Programs are rated on things such as:

Family Partnerships

Providers/early educators involve parents in the learning process and respect them.

Teaching Materials and Strategies

Providers/early educators use learning materials that effectively prepare children for school.

Tracking Learning

Providers/early educators track children's school readiness progress and regularly
share findings with parents.

Teacher Training and Education

Providers/early educators have the preparation and training needed to best prepare children for school.

Child Safety

The program space is clean and there are rules that help keep children safe and healthy

If you meet the requirements in those areas, you receive points for it. I personally think the rating system is a good thing and am looking forward to receiving recognition for the things I have done to go above and beyond the basic minimum......and I NEVER sacrificed my family so that I could further my training and I am a bit hurt that you think that because someone did go above and beyond to receive additional trainings that it was perhaps because I don't or didn't put my family first.

I also want to say, "what Sugar said....."