Ready 4 K has promoted and many states are implementing Quality Rating Systems for early learning providers, much like hotel or restaurant ratings. According to NAEYC, there are 32 states (including the District of Columbia) that have implemented some form of a Quality Rating System (*** see comments for update). In Minnesota, our QRS is called Parent Aware Ratings and it’s being piloted in a few targeted areas by the Minnesota Early Learning Fund (MELF). The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has a column from 2007 about the expansion of quality ratings around the country.
Ratings are important because they help families to quickly know the level of quality a program provides. With a quick snapshot, parents know what type of care their children are receiving and the quality of that care. Ratings also provide a framework for allowing resources to flow to programs to help them improve and sustain their quality. and a rating system can lead to improvements to the quality of all the programs in a given area.
Rating systems vary by state. In Minnesota, we have a 4 star system that looks at how the program uses family partnerships, teaching materials and strategies, track learning progress, teacher training and education, and child safety. Programs are rated in each of the five areas and then are given a composite score of 1-4 stars. When programs are rated as one or two stars, they are eligible to work with resource personnel to help them improve their quality and be able to be rated again in the future.
Currently, the ratings are being piloted in just four areas: St Paul, North Minneapolis, Wayata School District, and Blue Earth and Nicollet counties. Visit the Parent Aware Ratings site for more information.
Do you work in a program that has participated in a Quality Rating System? What was it like? As a parent, how would a rating system be most helpful for you?
photo by barnabywasson
2 comments:
I just wanted to clarify one point on NAEYC's QRIS research: 16 states have implemented a statewide QRIS and another 28 are in some stage of QRIS development. For more information, you can read Elevating the Field: Using NAEYC Early Childhood Program Accreditation to Support and Reach Higher Quality in Early Childhood Programs here http://www.naeyc.org/policy/state/pdf/NAEYCpubpolReport.pdf and access other NAEYC QRIS resources here http://www.naeyc.org/policy/state/.
Thanks for the clarification. It's good to know that so many states are working to implement some kind of QRIS.
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