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.

All QRS are composed of five common elements:

1. Standards: QRS standards are built on the foundation of child care licensing requirements and add multiple steps between licensing and higher quality standards, such as those associated with accreditation.

2. Accountability measures: Accountability and monitoring processes are used to determine how well programs meet QRS standards and to assign ratings.

3. Program and practitioner outreach and support: Support for providers, such as training, mentoring, and technical assistance, are included to promote participation and help programs achieve higher levels of quality.

4. Financing incentives: Financial incentives, such as tiered subsidy reimbursement (which pays a higher reimbursement rate to providers who care for children from families that receive Child Care and Development Fund subsidies, and who meet standards beyond minimum licensing), are awarded to programs when quality levels are achieved.

5. Parent/consumer education efforts: Most QRS award easily recognizable symbols, such as stars, to programs to indicate the levels of quality and inform and educate parents.

As of July 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.

The following is a list of the 14 statewide QRS, along with links to additional information about these systems. Additional information about QRS is available under the Quality Rating Systems topic in the Popular Topics section of NCCIC’s Web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/index.html#qrs.

QRS Name and Web Site

State	Start Date	System Name and Web Site (when available)
Colorado	2000	Qualistar Rating System www.qualistar.org
District of Columbia	2000	Going for the Gold Web site not available
Iowa	2006	Iowa Quality Rating System www.dhs.state.ia.us/iqrs
Kentucky	2001	STARS for KIDS NOW Child Care Quality Rating System www.education.ky.gov/KDE/Instructional+Resources/Early+Childhood+Development/ STARS++for+KIDS+NOW+%28Quality+Rating+System%29.htm
Maryland	2001	Maryland Child Care Tiered Reimbursement Program www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/child_care/credentials/tiered
Montana	2002	Star Quality Child Care Rating System www.dphhs.mt.gov/programsservices/starqualitychildcare.shtml
New Hampshire	2006	Licensed Plus www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/CDB/licensedplus.htm
New Mexico	2005	Look for the Stars www.newmexicokids.org/caregivers
North Carolina	1999	North Carolina Star Rated License System http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us/parents/pr_sn2_ov_sr.asp
Ohio	2006	Step Up to Quality www.stepuptoquality.org/
Oklahoma	1998	Reaching for the Stars www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/cc/stars/
Pennsylvania	2002	Keystone STARS (Standards, Training, Assistance, Resources, and Support) www.dpw.state.pa.us/PartnersProviders/ChildCareEarlyEd/KeyStoneStarChildCare/
Tennessee	2001	Child Care Evaluation and Report Card Program (Required for all licensed and approved child care providers in Tennessee) www.tnstarquality.org
	2001	Star-Quality Child Care Program www.tnstarquality.org
Vermont	2003	STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) www.STARSstepahead.org

Updated July 2007