QUALITYstarsNY is New York State’s quality rating and improvement system. It is a voluntary and organized system that evaluates and improves program quality in early care and education programs. In addition, the five star rating system, based on four standard categories, will assist parents in making an informed decision when choosing a program or provider for their child.

Once fully implemented, New York State will join 20 other states that currently have a statewide quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). In the past ten years, 80% of the nation has become involved in some form of QRIS ranging from exploration of the process to full implementation.  

During 2010, 192 programs, providers and school districts throughout New York State participated in the field test for QUALITYstarsNY. The field test investigated the design and process of the system. The information and data collected during the field test is being used to shape how the system will be implemented.

In early 2011, the QUALITYstarsNY Evaluation Team released their report. Some of the key findings include:

Based on the results of the Environment Rating Scale assessments for all classrooms and home learning environments, participants scored generally in the adequate to good range on overall quality.

Participants were assigned the fewest points for the Qualification and Experience standards category. Administration qualifications and experience is particularly weak in centers, while teaching qualifications and experience was particularly weak in family/group family homes.

Family/group family child care home settings were assigned only a fraction of the possible points in most areas of Management and Leadership and  very few points in the curriculum subcategory of the Learning Environment category. This modality was strong in the subcategory of family involvement and support under Family Engagement.

The weakest area – other than Qualifications and Experience – for centers was policies and procedures under Management and Leadership. Public school was proved weak in communication under Family Engagement.

As a result of their participation in the field test, almost three-quarters of  participants learned more about quality, particularly if they had not reported participating in a quality improvement project.

Participants from all modalities wanted a clearer link between licensing and regulatory standards and QUALITYstarsNY.

About half of the participants would definitely participate in QUALITYstarsNY when implemented.

The majority of participating programs and providers of all types believed that state-wide implementation of QUALITYstarsNY was very important.

Programs felt that resources for making quality improvements was the most important  incentive to encourage and reward participation in QUALITYstarsNY.   

To read the full QUALITYstarsNY Field Test Evaluation Report or for additional information, go to www.qualitystarsny.org.

One way to prepare for full implementation of QUALITYstarsNY is to contact Mary Ann Brendler at the Council for an Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) assessment of your preschool classroom(s).  This free service is available to all OCFS licensed programs in Westchester County that serve preschool children.  After the ECERS, a Program Improvement Plan is created, followed by free technical assistance to make quality improvements based on the Improvement Plan. Through this process, staff learns about the criteria for quality learning environments and how to make quality improvements.  To read about the ECERS, go to http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/node/82.