North Carolina Division of Child Development The Road to NC’s Star Rated License Lorie Pugh Policy and Planning Consultant Regulatory Services Section

North Carolina Division of Child Development

The Road to NC’sStar Rated License

Lorie PughPolicy and Planning Consultant

Regulatory Services SectionJuly 2008


Drive for Change

• Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes Study

• Opportunity to include quality measures via higher standards

• Give parents more information

• Way to recognize providers that offer higher quality care


The Road to NC’s Rated License

• Initial state legislation passed in 1997

• Began to issue ratings in Oct 1999

• All Star Rated Licenses issued in Sept 2000

• New legislation passed in 2005

• All programs to be transitioned in 2008


Research-Based Components

• Program Standards – Staff/child ratio, group size, policies,

environment rating scale

• Education Standards– Staff education and experience

• Compliance with health and safety standards


Statewide System

• Child care centers – 5,040– School age programs– Public prekindergarten programs– Head Start

• Family child care homes – 3,871


Sm

art

Sta

rt

Child Care Subsidy

CCDF

Quality

ProfessionalDevelopment

Offi

ce o

f Sch

ool

Readin

ess

Quality Enhancements, TrainingTA, Grants, Enhanced Subsidy

Tiered Reimbursements

T.E.A.C.H.WAGE$Professional Dev. InstituteCommunity Colleges

I/T, School Age and Behavior SpecialistsT.E.A.C.H. Health Insurance

More at FourPre-K StandardsCurriculumB-K Teachers


Financial Incentives

STARS

CHILD CARE SUBSIDY

QUALITY


Star Challenges

• Maintaining subsidy rates to support quality

• Improving the star rated license system

• Communication and training


2-5 Star Centers and Homes from January 2000- January 2008

16

1428

23582706

29983564 3478

3806 3873

0532

1225

21692649

3015 3052 2904 2743

16

1960

3583

4875

5647

6579 6530 6710 6616

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

J anuary-00 J anuary-01 J anuary-02 J anuary-03 J anuary-04 J anuary-05 J anuary-06 J anuary-07 J anuary-08

2-5 Star Centers

2-5 Star Homes

Total 2-5-Star Licenses


Evaluation of the System

589

102

1480

994

422

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Centers 1* Centers 2* Centers 3* Centers 4* Centers 5*

Child Care Center License Type January 2004

509

251

1236 12311155

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Centers 1* Centers 2* Centers 3* Centers 4* Centers 5*

Child Care Center License Type January 2008


Evaluation of the System

In Five Star Centers:• March 2005 13.8% children • March 2008 24% children

Providers Who Completed the Rating Scales:• March 2006 47%• March 2008 62%


What We Tell Other States

“If you build it…”• Base it on research• Assess what you can do, then tailor to your

needs• Make it achievable• Make it understandable• Make it multi-level• Make it something you can administer • Have to have a baseline of support• Have to communicate with staff, providers and

the child care community


Contact Information

Lorie [email protected]

NC Division of Child Development1-919-662-4499

www.ncchildcare.net

Documents

North Carolina Division of Child Development The Road to NC’s Star Rated License Lorie Pugh Policy and Planning Consultant Regulatory Services Section