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Quality Rating Systems: Common Categories of Quality Standards

A Quality Rating System (QRS) is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early care and education programs. Similar to rating systems for restaurants and hotels, QRS award quality ratings to early care and education programs that meet a set of defined program standards. These systems provide an opportunity for States to increase the quality of care and education for children; increase parents’ understanding and demand for higher quality care; and increase professional development of child care providers. QRS can also be a strategy for aligning components of the early care and education system for increased accountability in improving quality of care. Additional information about QRS is available on the NCCIC Web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/index.html#qrs.

All QRS are composed of five common elements: (1) standards; (2) accountability measures; (3) program and practitioner outreach and support; (4) financing incentives; and (5) parent/consumer education efforts. As of August 2007, 14 States (Colorado, District of Columbia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Vermont) have a statewide QRS.

QRS standards are used to assign ratings to programs that participate in QRS, providing parents and the public with information about each program’s quality. States typically use licensing standards as the starting point, or base of the system, upon which higher levels of quality standards are built. Every QRS contains two or more levels of standards beyond licensing, with incremental progressions to the highest level of quality as defined by the State. Systems vary in the number of levels and in the number of standards identified in each level. The types of standards used by QRS to assign ratings are based on research about the characteristics of programs that produce positive child outcomes.

The following is a sample of common categories of standards used by some States to assign quality levels to participating programs. Included within the categories are examples of criteria for meeting these standards. Although the categories and criteria are typically based on research, there is considerable variance across States. Links to the States’ quality criteria are available in the document, Statewide Quality Rating Systems (QRS) Standards/Criteria: Web Sites, available on the Web at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/qrs-criteria-websites.html.

The following categories are ordered by frequency, beginning with the most common.

I. Professional Development/Qualifications/Training

Examples of criteria:

• Obtaining a Child Development Associate credential or an A.A., B.A., or M.A. degree in early childhood education or a relevant field
• Receiving additional credit hours in early childhood education
• Increasing staff/director qualifications
• Increasing the number of staff training hours
• Obtaining a level on a State career path/lattice
• Participating in a State registry system
• Obtaining a membership in a professional organization
• Participating in professional development/growth activities
• Developing professional development plans

II. Accreditation

Accreditation is used in QRS in the following ways:

• As the highest rating (or level) of the QRS
• As a separate category of the QRS
• As one of the criteria for reaching the highest “step”
• As a standard for which points are awarded

III. Parent/Family Involvement

Examples of criteria:

• Organizing a parent advisory board
• Providing a bulletin board or newsletter
• Holding conferences and meetings
• Developing and distributing a parent handbook/written program policies
• Developing a parent resource center
• Developing and distributing a parent satisfaction survey
• Welcoming families at all times
• Developing and implementing a written system for sharing daily events
• Providing parents with consultation prior to children’s enrollment

IV. Learning Environment

Examples of criteria:

• Reading to children 15 minutes a day
• Providing developmentally appropriate materials
• Implementing weekly developmentally appropriate lesson plans
• Minimizing children’s transitions throughout the day
• Arranging space by interest areas
• Limiting the use of TV/videos to 2 hours per week
• Using culturally diverse materials and books
• Using early learning guidelines to shape program activities

V. Licensing Compliance/Status

Examples of criteria:

• Having no substantiated complaints
• Having no licensing citations
• Having a license in good standing
• Having a limited number of noncompliant occurrences
• Having no serious noncompliant occurrences

VI. Staff Compensation

Examples of criteria:

• Providing a child care benefit/discount
• Providing health insurance
• Providing paid family leave
• Providing paid sick leave with annual increments
• Providing paid vacation/holidays
• Providing a retirement plan/fund
• Providing a salary scale based on levels of education and/or experience
• Providing tuition reimbursement

VII. Administrative Policies and Procedures

Examples of criteria:

• Providing annual performance evaluations
• Holding monthly staff meetings
• Allotting planning time to staff
• Developing written job descriptions
• Developing written personnel policies
• Maintaining list of staff positions, salary, and tenure

VIII. Financial Management

Examples of criteria:

• Having an annual budget
• Having a financial record keeping system
• Having an annual reconciled financial plan
• Having an annual financial review conducted by a certified public accountant

IX. Program Evaluation

Examples of criteria:

• Using environment rating scales
• Developing and implementing parent and staff surveys
• Achieving retention goals/reducing staff turnover
• Conducting a self-assessment
• Developing written improvement plans

Other common categories of standards include the following:

• Staff-child ratios and group size
• Health and safety measures
• Special need provisions

Updated August 2007