QRIS/Star Ratings Systems...Feedback

[Heidi]

Each union is different!

Ours has been fighting against QRIS on our behalf. But, because our governor took away a lot of their powers, and not enough people join the union to actually give them leverage, it hasn't helped much.

They did, however, get a former daycare provider onto the legislator, and she has gone to bat for us time and time again on the extreme things DCF gets in their heads.

[Renae82]

I am currently participating in my state's QRIS or star rating system.

Since these programs are fairly new (within the last 5 years) and have not reached all states yet, the process is an on-going learning experience for both the state as well as the provider and families in care.

I am currently collecting feedback data from providers (both in home and center based) about their experiences with their state's QRIS program.

Basically I am wondering if any of you who do participate (whether just starting to or having completed the process) would be willing to share with me their feedback/comments/experiences.

• What do you like/dislike about the program? Providers are being held to higher standards, gives professional providers something to work towards. We are given a yearly grant as well as scholarships based on our star rating
• Does it work in the manner in which it was designed to? I think it would work better if all providers could participate. Right now there is a waiting list, I waited for nearly 2 years. So it is not really a tool parents can use while looking for child care because not everyone can participate.
• Are parents using it as a tool to choose/decipher quality care from other programs? See above. In fact many parents don't even know about it. In my area there are 10 providers that are participating. The majority of our providers are not even regulated
• Do you feel the program is provider friendly? Yes, for the most part though I have just entered the program
• Is it geared primarily for centers or in-home care or does your state have separate framework for each environment? Separate for each enviroment
• Is the highest star level attainable without a degree? There are up to 5 stars available, you can get up to a 3 or 4 without a degree, I don't remember which
• Does your state have specific curriculums you are required to use? No, but they must meet the state early learning standards, we can even create our own
• Does your state require assessments? How often and what types?I wasn't sure if this question meant assessments on the children or our program so I will answer both. We are required to do observations and assessments on the children though I am not sure how often as I just joined the program. If a provider is a 1-3 star they get 3 assessments per year (FCCERS, CLASS, and Quality). If they are 4-5 star they are assessed every 3 years.

ANY other feedback you want to give in regards to your experiences both during the rating process as well as afterwards that you are willing to share would be awesome!

If you don't want to post openly, you are MORE than welcome to PM me or e-mail me.

Hope that helps, I am fairly new to the program but so far it seems great.

[CityGarden]

I just got into our pilot program but haven't actually started yet. We should be starting in the summer.

just by looking at our sheet of requirements I noticed that we need to take additional training in things like ERS, CLASS, CA Learning Foundations and Frameworks, ASQ, DAP, and an assessment that I can't quite remember the name of right now. I'm already in the stipend program to get money for going to college to get my CA teaching permits (in CA most centers require a teaching permit especially quality ones and all preschool teachers are required to have one or have a teaching credential), so anyway ... a bunch of this training is also required in the stipend program so I won't have to retake the trainings. That will make my life that much easier.

Would you be willing to share or PM me what stipend program to get money for getting your Teaching Credential you are using? Also I have not heard of this program in CA, how is it going?

[spedmommy4]

I am currently participating in my state's QRIS or star rating . . .

• What do you like/dislike about the program?
• Does it work in the manner in which it was designed to?
• Are parents using it as a tool to choose/decipher quality care from other programs?
• Do you feel the program is provider friendly?
• Is it geared primarily for centers or in-home care or does your state have separate framework for each environment?
• Is the highest star level attainable without a degree?
• Does your state have specific curriculums you are required to use?
• Does your state require assessments? How often and what types?

ANY other feedback you want to give in regards to your experiences both during the rating process as well as afterwards that you are willing to share would be awesome!

If you don't want to post openly, you are MORE than welcome to PM me or e-mail me.

Like/dislike?
I'm in California so we are just launching ours.
So far, I like that: it's not mandatory, they assess providers on a variety of qualitys, they are soliciting provider feedback, California is soliciting parent feedback.

I dislike that: the FCCERS assessors are poorly trained and have ended up making a lot of providers feel terribly about their programs, they only allow one assessment (DRDP), and they push physicals for all kids. My issue with that has been that some parents don't take their kids and then you get penalized for not having the form.

Does it work in the manner it was designed to?

Sort of. Right now, I believe California intends it to get providers used to the QRIS system and incentivize providers to participate. It's doing that. I think that California would also like to see parents choose based on quality ratings but I haven't seen that happen.

Are parents using it? No, I don't believe so. First 5 isn't marketing that aspect of the program well.

Is the program provider friendly?
I personally did not experience any difficulty with the program or the process;however, I sit on the board of directors for our childcare association and I am hearing significant frustration from others. All the people assessing Providers are new to doing it and it's been a learning process for everyone.

Framework? Each has it's own framework.

Can you achieve the highest level of quality without a degree? It's possible but it would take a long time.

Specific curriculum? No, thank goodness.

Assessments? Yes, the DRDP assessment and ASQ screening twice annually.

[Meeko]

I've been clear elsewhere on the forum that I am strongly against this program. I have no interest in stars. I get my clients from ads in our local newspaper, and occasionally, from personal referrals. Not once in 20 years have I ever been sent a prospect from the county's referral service. So a rating would not benefit me. The parents I get know nothing about this program.

Even if I DID get several county referrals, I still have no interest in doing this. I provide "just like family", or "just like home" care. I have always gotten them at a very young age - some just weeks old - and kept them long term. (10-12 years) It seems, to my understanding of the system, that it is largely based on having a curriculum of some sort. Tell me how I would do that for my current group of 6-11 year olds?

To go even further, even if I DID do pre-school ages, I have zero interest in doing a formal curriculum, although I might reluctantly do a half-assed one next school year for 3 hours/day while the bigger kids are in school ... only because I need that income. But it's going to be by MY design, which I know for sure would NOT fit the stars system's criteria. I certainly don't want the government involved in it; telling me what curriculum is ok to use and sticking their noses in to make sure I'm doing it "right" (THEIR version of "right").

So... all that being said... it is currently voluntary in my state, and obviously I did not volunteer. But if, on the off chance, that perfect family checked with the county to be matched up with a provider in my small town, are they going to call the 3, 4, 5 star provider, or someone who isn't even rated?

Parents will think of it like Hotel stars. Wouldn't you rather stay at a 5-star hotel than a 1-star? Or worse yet, one that wasn't even good enough to warrant ANY stars?

You see, it discriminates against me. And it seems I've heard there are financial kickbacks for reaching certain plateaus? I could be wrong there, but something in the back of my mind is saying that I read that somewhere. If so, I'll never see any of that.

I don't want to run the type of program that the stars system wants. I want to have families enroll with me, have their kids come to my house and feel as safe and comfortable as they do in their own house, to make great friends here, to WANT to come here, to grow up here, to take them to the summer reading program, swim lessons, basketball camp at the local church, the free lunch program our town offers in summer, the awesome Lego store in town, the park, McDonald's playland on rainy days, etc., etc. I'm not the type to be tied down at home with a forced curriculum and schedule. My kids learn -- don't get me wrong!! I take every organically-occurring opportunity to teach. I've had some pretty smart kids go through here, and I recognize and nurture that. I just don't want to do it THEIR way (the state's). Call me a rebel I suppose. I just know that I have ZERO interest in the stars program.

I'm sure all that ^ isn't what you were after, but I feel pretty strongly about this.

Also, where's the money coming from to implement and maintain this system? I feel there are MUCH better places to put that money than to have Big Brother peering into my home. I don't begrudge those of you who like it. In fact, if this is for you, then I encourage you and cheer for you to receive the top star rating. It's just not for me.

I agree with every single word!!

[Febby]

I primarily have experience with STARS from a center-based prospective. Every center I've ever worked in was STARS rated.

What do you like/dislike about the program?
I like that it tries to reward providers who go above and beyond the basic regulations. I do like that, in my state, people from the program will offer quite a bit of assistance with figuring out how to actually achieve the requirements. I do not like that providers must be STARS rated to accept CCAP. I do not like that providers are being pushed into the program. I do not like that a STARS rating is not necessarily a reflection of the actual quality of care.

Does it work in the manner in which it was designed to?

It does to a certain extent. It has, in my state, help educate on providers on the various "best practices" and give providers goals. However, a center's STARS rating does not always actually reflect the quality of care and education.

Are parents using it as a tool to choose/decipher quality care from other programs?

The only parents I even know who care about a program's STARS rating are the ones who need a STARS rated provider because they receive CCAP.

Do you feel the program is provider friendly?

Yes, but only due to the amount of assistance available from our QRIS people.

Is it geared primarily for centers or in-home care or does your state have separate framework for each environment?

My state has separate requirements for type I (traditional) centers and for type II (in-home) centers and family providers. However, I do feel that most of the focus is on centers.

Is the highest star level attainable without a degree?

Any rating level can be achieved with at least a CDA; however, at the highest level (4 star) programs must be accredited by an early childhood development association, such as the NAEYC and meet that program's requirements as well.

Does your state have specific curriculums you are required to use?

No.

Does your state require assessments? How often and what types?

Yes, at least one STARS rating visit per year. A STARS rating visit is a ECERS evaluation plus confirming required paperwork. 4 star centers must also complete accrediation requirements separately.

While I truly dislike having inspectors and observers in my classroom, I do not feel that there is enough follow through (in my state) with the program. They come once per year (and this year they're behind, my center is four months overdue for a visit!) and they give providers a time frame in which they'll come. So if you were visited in September, you know they're not showing up in November. A lot of centers do not follow the guidelines/requirements for the rating level except during their visitation window.

Every center I've ever worked in has been STARS rated. The first center I ever worked at was STARS 2 and ended up being SHUT DOWN BY STATE due to not following a huge number of regulations, including obtaining proper background checks. They maintained that rating, without issue, until the center was shut down because they managed to get it together in time for their annual visit.