Step Up To Quality is a voluntary Three-Star Quality Rating System now being piloted in select
early childhood programs licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Step
Up To Quality recognizes and promotes early care and education programs that meet quality
benchmarks over and above minimum health and safety licensing standards. With this pilot,
Ohio joins Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the District of Columbia in implementing quality
rating systems. A complete listing of states and a description of the systems is available at www.nccic.org under the topic of “tiered quality rating systems”.
The Step Up To Quality program rates providers on a 1 to 3 STAR rating system. Here is what each STAR level means: |
|
|
Lower staff:child ratios in their preschool classrooms
Teachers including the administrator that have at a minimum 4 hours of
additional child development training per year.
Provides an orientation for new staff, annual performance evaluations and
at least one benefit (such as insurance, paid leave, tuition reimbursement
etc.).
Teachers who are familiar with Ohio’s Early Learning Content standards.
|
|
|
Lower staff:child ratios in all classrooms
50% of the lead teachers have formal early childhood education
Teachers including the administrator that have at a minimum 8 hours of
additional child development training per year.
Provides an orientation for new staff, annual performance evaluations and
at least two benefits (such as insurance, paid leave, tuition reimbursement
etc.).
Teachers who are familiar with Ohio’s Early Learning Content standards.
|
|
|
Staff:child ratios in all classrooms either meet national high-quality child
care standards, or the program is accredited by the National Association
for the Education of Children (NAEYC)
All lead teachers have formal early childhood education
Teachers including the administrator that have at a minimum 12 hours of
additional child development training per year.
Provides an orientation for new staff, annual performance evaluations and
at least three benefits (such as insurance, paid leave, tuition
reimbursement, etc.).
Teachers who are familiar with Ohio’s Early Learning Content standards. |
|
|
