Qualistar Rating

What Is Qualistar?
Qualistar Early Learning is able to provide you with the information about the quality of many of the child care programs you are considering through our rating process.

What is a Qualistar Rating?
Developed by 150 early childhood experts, the Qualistar Rating measures quality in licensed early learning programs, both home and center based that serve children birth to kindergarten. This four star rating system (with four being the highest) outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the program and provides a detailed plan for continuous quality improvement.

What does it measure?
Trained observers, who spend several hours in each classroom, collect information on five different quality components. All of the points that programs earn in each of these quality components are added together to arrive at a Qualistar Rating.

What are the Five Quality Components?
Learning Environment
Information collected about a program’s learning activities, physical environment, health and safety, and language development.
0-10 points can be earned.
Family Partnership
Information collected on ways a program develops relationships with families, serves as a resource for them and offers them opportunities to be part of their children’s early learning experience.
0-10 points can be earned.
Training and Education
Information collected on the work experience and formal early childhood education achieved by the providers working in the home or center. Centers: 0-10 points can be earned.
Family Homes: 0-7 points can be earned.
Adult to Child Ratios
Information collected on the ratio of staff members to children. Programs with lower ratios and groups allow quality individual learning experiences based on a child’s needs.
0-10 points can be earned.Accreditation
Information collected on whether the program is accredited through a national accrediting agency.
0 or 2 points can be earned.

How Can I, as a Parent, find out about Qualistar Rated Programs?

• When searching for child care, online, or by email, or by phone, be sure to look for and ask for programs that have a Qualistar Rating in your area.
• Download a program’s Early Learning Report. This is a short summary of the strengths and areas for quality improvement in a child care program. The report outlines the points that programs scored in each of the quality components of the Qualistar Rating and provides the overall star level that a program received.