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As a parent, one of the most important aspects of a relocation is not just finding the right home but finding a quality child care solution. If you are considering a move to the Triangle, you will find there is an array of choices in childcare. The State of North Carolina, realizing there was a need to better educate parents about their options, and to distinguish among those providers that are committed to a higher level of quality, created the star rated license. But there is a learning curve to making your choice, as it involves some homework in how to navigate the licensing system.
A star rated license is issued to eligible childcare centers and family childcare homes by the Division of Child Development of North Carolina. If a facility is licensed and meets the basic compliance standards, it will earn from one star to five stars (highest standards achieved), based on two key standards: education and program standards.
Compliance
To be eligible for a star-rated license, schools must first be in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the Division of Child Development. Compliance visits are made at least annually by state licensing consultants. Typically these are “surprise” visits which helps ensure that each program is operating within compliance at any given time. In addition to an annual visit, the licensing consultant will visit a center to investigate any complaints filed. It is then up to the division to determine the validity of the complaint and take appropriate action if needed. Overall these visits help determine the compliance rating, which must be at least 75 percent compliance over the previous 18 months. This will make a center eligible for a star rating.
Educational standards
Staff education, as well as administrator education, is critical to the overall quality of a program. Prior to the rated license, this aspect was often overlooked. An administrator with a higher level of education and credentials may offer stronger overall management skills as well as knowledge of early childhood education, experience in the classrooms and teacher management. For a center to have a five-star rating, the director must have a degree in early childhood education or a related field, five years experience, and have completed a credentials program mandated by the state. Teachers and caregivers that are rated five-star will also have a degree in early childhood education (or a related field) and at least two years experience. Overall a five-star center must employ (at all times) a percentage of its lead teachers having the above qualifications.
Program standards
To determine program standards, a nationally recognized rating scale which was developed by Frank Porter Graham at UNC Chapel Hill, is used by trained evaluators who visit the center to observe the program and setting. Points are earned based on the overall daily environment. The evaluator will observe in the classrooms paying special attention to quantity, quality, condition and arrangement of toys/equipment. They also determine if the equipment is developmentally appropriate. They will observe overall teacher interaction with children: tone of voice, word choice, amount of verbal interaction, classroom management as well as teacher compliance with sanitation (hand washing, toileting, etc) and licensing. Finally, they will observe child-to-teacher ratios. Classrooms are scored in as many as 2,500 factors ranging from zero points to seven points. When they are averaged, an overall score for the classroom is determined. The overall score for the school is determined from the averages from each of the classroom evaluations. A five-star school must have an average no lower than a 5.0 to qualify for a five-star license.
Final Determination
For the overall rating to be five-star, a center must score from 13-15 points out of 15 possible points with seven points for each of the two standards: education and program. Childcare centers may also be eligible to earn an additional quality point supporting the educational or programmatic criteria. The additional point would be factored in to the final score given to determine the total number of stars earned.
Naturally, the goal should be to choose a school that has earned five stars, but this should be a decision you make based on this information, as well as your own visit and research, since a four-star or three-star may be a very good fit for your needs.
While the above information can serve as a helpful guide, you should know that the five-star license is a rigorous process. Finding your way through the maze can be daunting, especially if you are new to the state and are unfamiliar with the star rating system. The Division of Child Development has an excellent Web site, www.ncchildcare.net, which will not only review the star rating system but will provide you with a list of questions a parent can ask when phone screening, visiting and researching. The Web site will also provide you with a list of facilities which you can sort by county, city, number of stars on the license. You will also be able to see sanitation rating as well as violations and action taken. This is a great resource and one you will want to bookmark!
Throughout the Triangle, there are plenty of child care options from in-home, church and child care centers with ranging star ratings. You may find that the higher star rated options are in high demand with waiting lists however for many parents they feel the wait is worth it.
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