STARS-Very Interesting

[Country Kids]

Some of you may have known this but I found out that all states are doing the stars program except one-Missouri. There legeslation voted it down! I so wish ours had.

It is a voluntary program but I seriously think if you don't participate its going to hurt you in the end. I even found out that Head Starts will need to participate if they want to earn the STARS for their program. Only though if they go through the licensing process. It seems like they would have to though.

I do think its going to be an interesting process and its just amazing how I have seen so many changes in this industry in the last 20 years.

[Evansmom]

I can't seem to find any info for this on google for my state, TX. What does STARS stand for? Maybe I can look up info that way.

[blandino]

Some of you may have known this but I found out that all states are doing the stars program except one-Missouri. There legeslation voted it down! I so wish ours had.

It is a voluntary program but I seriously think if you don't participate its going to hurt you in the end. I even found out that Head Starts will need to participate if they want to earn the STARS for their program. Only though if they go through the licensing process. It seems like they would have to though.

I do think its going to be an interesting process and its just amazing how I have seen so many changes in this industry in the last 20 years.

We have the STARS program, and hate it. Any of the daycares in our area with higher star ratings are actually not the highest quality programs. The STAR system is all about paper work and not implementation. Also, most daycares get higher star ratings so that they can have a higher reimbursement rate for state subsidy. You also have to take state subsidy to get to any level higher than "1 star".

Therefore the daycares with more than 1 star are made up of mostly state subsidy clients (and those are the parents who tell me have the hardest time finding childcare). We have had 3 clients who qualify for state subsidy, but would never take their child to a daycare that accepts it - because of the quality of care.

** I should note that some nice daycares accept state subsidy, but keep their number of subsidy clients to the minimum amount required. So those spots are hardly ever available. I am referring to daycares that exclusively take state subsidy clients.

[MyAngels]

My state does it, but I looked up my county and there are only 3 home daycares with any stars. They are all 3 NAFCC accredited and they only got 3 out of 4 stars.

There are 3 counties that border mine and none of them have a single home daycare with any star rating.

I don't think I'll have to worry about it for awhile

[snbauser]

Already been here for at least the 6 years I have been here.

[Oneluckymom]

So far nothing in California.

[Country Kids]

So far nothing in California.

Interesting!!! They were talking about some stuff that was going on with Ca. with it.

Maybe just not in your area?

I was getting frustrated because I have learned alot on here about the STARS program and some of the things they were saying just didn't make sense. They also seemed to be getting frustrated with my questions because they seemed like they didn't like me knowing so much about it.

It was also said that no name has been chosen and some big committee was working on it. Nothing was said about the "meeting" Lucy went to and received $50 for. I'm still tempted to ask about it though because I don't like feeling like they don't want us knowing the "whole" picture.

[Heidi]

Interesting!!! They were talking about some stuff that was going on with Ca. with it.

Maybe just not in your area?

I was getting frustrated because I have learned alot on here about the STARS program and some of the things they were saying just didn't make sense. They also seemed to be getting frustrated with my questions because they seemed like they didn't like me knowing so much about it.

It was also said that no name has been chosen and some big committee was working on it. Nothing was said about the "meeting" Lucy went to and received $50 for. I'm still tempted to ask about it though because I don't like feeling like they don't want us knowing the "whole" picture.

That's because THEY don't know yet. They hate looking stupid, but it's a work in progress, and will be "tweaked" about a million times over the next 5 or 6 years, then get dropped.

[snbauser]

I was getting frustrated because I have learned alot on here about the STARS program and some of the things they were saying just didn't make sense. They also seemed to be getting frustrated with my questions because they seemed like they didn't like me knowing so much about it.

It was also said that no name has been chosen and some big committee was working on it. Nothing was said about the "meeting" Lucy went to and received $50 for. I'm still tempted to ask about it though because I don't like feeling like they don't want us knowing the "whole" picture.

Typical of these things. They don't want you questioning what they are doing until they have made up their minds of how they want it to work. Otherwise you might bring up something they don't know the answer to yet or something that makes all of them look dumb because they didn't think of it.

[DCMom]

It's called Parent Aware here.

Eventually every state will call it Universal Pre-K; all these different programs are just the framework of the bigger picture. And the powers that be get really defensive when you call it that

[slpender]

We have it in Florida but licensing has nothing to do with it. It is done through our local early learning coalition and they only handle state sub. kids and the voluntary prek so I don't have to deal with it.

[Country Kids]

I find it interesting it has been going for 10-15 years (true fact) and we still have to do pilot projects for each state. If it has worked that long for states why not use their programs.

Answer: Each state is different (yet its all about quality childcare). So in my eyes each state has a different idea of quality childcare-interesting. Reminds me sooooooooo much of the food program-federally funded but different for each state.

They bring this on board, get everyone ramped up, but seem frustrated when people ask questions, people seem to actually know something about it.

Answer: They had it thrown in their laps and told to do it. Our coaches are being trained to do it during the time our coaches are training us. Doesn't it seem everyone that is training should be trained before they start training others?

The speakers seem to forget that we have 3 different aspects of childcare for our state. What appllies to centers will not apply to me, yet they talk like its all one area.

Answer: Instead of training everyone at once, train all family chilcares and see what works, then work up to the next two levels. Don't be trying to train everyone at once and not even knowing what work and what doesn't.

Revisions have already been done and we haven't started! This worries me, as I'm thinking we could be 1/2 way done with this and they are going to switch it up again because the first 6 months didn't work out. Oh, by the way this will be implemented for our state in 2014 (summer) and we haven't even started the pilot program. Oh, yes our one trainer may have up to 50 people to try and be training.

Oh, yes I will probably be disappearing as there is no "personal" media time (facebook, tv, computor, nooks,ipads,etc) during childcare hours. I think this is really going to really back fire as they even meant naptime. The lady couldn't believe I was asking for clarification on this and it was commented, "during nap you need to be there watching the children!"

[nanglgrl]

I've been star rated for at least 6 years and I'm in Iowa. I don't know if I started when the program was first implemented here or later but it's really not a big deal. I'm working on my 3rd star and it's not difficult. It's all little things that take time to do like having the nurse consultant come over and run through a safety checklist of your space is worth one point, fixing some of the problems listed is another point and fixing all of the problems is another point. I just had that done a few weeks ago and got all 3 points at once because I had nothing to fix. I have an appointment next week for her to come and go over all of my files and it will work the same way. We have to earn a certain amount of points for each star and they have be a combination of every category.
I wish we were paid more by state subsidy by being star rated but we aren't. If Iowa implemented that it would probably be that star rated received the current subsidy payment (which is low) and non star rated received less.
At this point parent's don't care about, and most don't even know about the program here. I do it because I feel the need to set myself apart from other daycares as much as possible. It seems this field is becoming more competitive and I have to change with the times if I want to stay open.

[snbauser]

I think it is very interesting to read how the STAR rating is so different for each state. It would really be nice if they came up with something that was a little more universal though.

[Springdaze]

as far as i know, nj doesnt have one. might be wrong though. i wouldnt mind if it was truely obtainable and didnt cost a lot.