Keystone Stars Child Care Quality Initiative

Standards

Training/ Professional Development

Assistance

Resources

Support

Keystone STARS is a quality rating system that promotes quality improvement in early learning and school-age child care programs. A Keystone STARS designation informs parents that their children are in a safe, respectful environment in which they are learning new things every day to support their current and future successes in school and in life. Early learning child care programs participating in Keystone STARS can earn a quality rating score from a STAR 1 to a STAR 4. At each level, programs must meet certain quality standards in four key areas: staff education, learning environment, leadership/management, and family/community partnerships. The higher the STAR level, the higher the quality standards. A vital part of Pennsylvania*s early learning system, Keystone STARS works with child care programs, Head Start, school-aged programs, and programs certified by the Department of Public Welfare. Nearly 5,000 Keystone STARS programs are serving approximately 170,000 children from birth to age 12 in 2009-2010. Keystone STARS provides Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources, and Support (STARS) to its child care providers for promoting continuous quality improvement. Child care providers participating in Keystone STARS receive the resources and training opportunities they need in order to achieve higher child care quality standards. Quality child care will offer your child a stimulating, nurturing environment which should help prepare them for school and to reach his or her full potential. Quality care environments provide a stimulating, loving atmosphere in which children will mentally, socially, emotionally and physically thrive. The Performance Standards for Keystone STARS quality-rated child care providers are guided by the principle that quality early learning programs are the foundation for children*s success, and investment in the early care and education of Pennsylvania*s children is an investment in the future.

Additional Resources

A guide to help parents identify quality child care
A complete listing of Keystone STARS quality-rated child care programs
View the Performance Standards
Information for child care programs interested in joining Keystone STARS

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

STAR 2 :

• Effective July 1, 2008, directors and staff will meet specific levels on Pennsylvania's Early Learning Career Lattice.
• Directors participate in at least one professional growth and development activity annually and attend at least 15 hours of training annually.
• One staff member per classroom must have pediatric first aid certification, and all staff must have child abuse mandated reporter training. Staff must attend at least 12 hours of training annually.

STAR 3:

• Minimum qualifications for directors and staff increase.
• Directors enroll in the Pennsylvania Director's Credential.
• Directors participate in at least two professional growth and development activities and staff participate in at least one.
• Annual clock hours of training increase to 21 for directors and 18 for teaching staff.

STAR 4:

• Staff qualifications represent best practices for the early learning field.
• Directors participate in at least three professional growth and development activities.
• Staff participate in at least two professional growth and development activities.
• Annual clock hours of training increase to 27 for directors and 24 for teaching staff.

Early Learning Program

STAR 1

• Site obtains and maintains copies of the appropriate Learning Standards for all age groups in the program.
• Site completes an environment checklist.

STAR 2

• Child observations are completed at the beginning of a child's time in the program and once yearly after the initial observation.
• The program completes an environment rating scale (ERS) self-assessment and creates an Improvement Plan for low scores.

STAR 3

• Child observations must occur at least three times per year, and the results of the observations must be used to tailor the program to the child.
• A learning curriculum that incorporates the Pennsylvania Learning Standards is established.
• An ERS visit is completed with required minimum average and classroom scores.

STAR 4

• Assessment of the child is completed and shared with parents at least twice per year.
• The program's curriculum and assessment tools are cross-walked to the Learning Standards.
• The minimum ERS scores that the facility must meet increase.

Partnerships with Family and Community

STAR 1

• Families are provided information about their community and transitioning their child to other educational settings
• A "Getting to Know You" meeting is held with parents within 60 days of enrollment.

STAR 2

• If the child has an IEP or IFSP, the program requests a copy to inform classroom practice.
• Information about the child's day at the program is shared with parents.
• Parents are offered at least one conference per year.

STAR 3

• A plan is written to refer families to community resources.
• The program coordinates a group activity to include families in meeting the program's goals.
• Parents are offered at least two conferences and a group meeting about transition.
• The program sends a letter of introduction to community and school stakeholders regarding transition and participates in transition activities.

STAR 4

• Activities are implemented to meet IEP/IFSP goals.
• Policies regarding parent engagement and partnership in the planning and decision making for the program are implemented.
• The program offers parents an individual meeting about transition and develops and shares a plan for child transition with parents and stakeholders.

Leadership and Management

STAR 1

• Program develops and distributes a Parent Handbook
• Illnesses and injuries are tracked, and a prevention plan is enacted.
• A staff meeting has been held within the past six months.

STAR 2

• Program creates an operating budget and financial record keeping system.
• A personnel policy manual is created and shared with staff.
• System of site safety review and action plan created.
• Staff meetings held at least once per month.
• Director meets with staff to discuss quality and professional development.
• At least two employee benefits are provided to full-time staff.

STAR 3

• Teachers are provided paid lesson planning time monthly.
• Teachers are observed in the classroom, and they are provided feedback.
• Performance evaluations are provided to employees.
• A salary scale is created and shared with staff
• Three benefits are provided to full-time staff.

STAR 4

• An operational business plan, risk management plan, strategic plan, and financial review by a CPA are completed.
• A written code for professional staff conduct is instituted.
• Teachers are provided weekly paid lesson planning time and breaks.
• Four benefits are provided to staff

The Keystone STARS program

• Provides Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources, and Support (STARS) to facilitate continuous quality improvement.
• Is administered by six Early Learning Regional Keys. The Regional Key provides assistance to STARS providers with resources, the STARS Performance Standards and Worksheets, and professional development opportunities.

For more information about Keystone STARS Click Here.

To obtain a list of Keystone STARS participants, visit www.pakeys.org or call toll free:

• Central Regional Key 1-800 346-3020 Counties served - Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Somerset, Union
• Northeast Regional Key 1-800 528-7222 Counties served - Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming
• Northwest Regional Key 1-800 860-2281 Counties Served -Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren
• South Central Regional Key 1-800 864-4925 Counties Served -Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York
• Southeast Regional Key 1-877 660-2273 Counties Served -Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia
• Southwest Regional Key 1-877 349-4850 Counties Served - Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland

For the Complete list of Standards:

Performance Standards

Performance Standards

Regional Key Information

Provider Lists