For more information...
The Child Development Division of the Agency of Human Services is the state agency charged with improving the well being of Vermont's children by ensuring safe, accessible and quality services are available for every child.
For more information on the Child Development Division and the services they offer, see the CDD website:
www.CDDVT.org
General Information about the STARS Program
- What is STARS?
- Where did the idea for STARS come from?
- What does STARS tell me?
- What’s the difference in the number of stars a provider receives?
- How does STARS help me place my child if my community has publicly-funded
pre-kindergarten? - Are STARS programs more expensive?
- Are there any tax benefits to enrolling my child in a STAR rated program?
- How do providers earn STARS and how does it benefit my children and family?
- How does STARS relate to Building Bright Futures?
- How does STARS relate to accreditation?
- How many STARS providers are in Vermont and how can I find them?
- Who can I contact if I have questions about STARS?
- How Can I Learn More About STARS?
What is STARS?
STARS is Vermont’s quality rating system for child care, preschool
and afterschool programs. STARS is a public/private partnership created
and led by the Child Development Division of the Vermont Department for
Children and Families. STARS gives parents one indication of quality when
choosing child care.
Back • Top
Where did the idea for STARS come from?
Vermont took the best parts of recognition systems from other states and
added feedback from local teachers, parents, health care workers and
other community members to create a program that would meet the needs
of Vermont children. STARS funding comes from the Vermont Child Development
Division (CDD) and generous private donors.
Back • Top
What does STARS tell me?
STARS rewards child care, preschool and afterschool programs when they
make their programs better. Any program that is participating in STARS
has gone above and beyond what the state requires of them. The more stars
a program has, the more successful it has been, but even one star shows
you that a program has made the extra effort to offer your child a
better experience.
Back • Top
What’s the difference in the number of stars a provider receives?
- One-star programs may be fairly new, just be starting on a path of growth, or be stronger in one area.
- Two-star programs may have made some progress in many areas or more progress in one or two areas.
- Three-star programs are solid and working to reach specific goals. They either have made substantial progress in two or three areas or have made some improvements across all five areas.
- Four-star programs are strong and have documented quality in all five areas. Many four-star programs are also nationally accredited.
- Five-star programs are outstanding in all five areas. Many five-star programs are also nationally accredited.
How
does STARS help me place my child if my community has publicly-funded pre-kindergarten?
Image courtesy of Mary Johnson Children's Center
Back • Top
Are STARS programs more expensive?
STARS participation does not affect the cost of child care. STARS providers
are eligible to receive a bonus linked to tuition reimbursement (subsidy)
rate, which may affect some families.
Back • Top
Are there any tax benefits to enrolling
my child in a STARS rated program?
A refundable tax credit equal to 50 percent of the Federal Child and Dependent
Care Credit may be available. The credit is based on payments to Vermont
child care providers who have achieved the three-, four-, or five-star
level. For details, contact the Vermont Department of Taxes or your accountant.
Back • Top
How do providers earn STARS and how
does it benefit my children and family?
Providers apply to be in STARS by answering questions and providing documentation
to back up their answers. STARS programs document their quality in one
of more of five areas:
• Licensing standards
• Curriculum and activities
• Training and education
• Families and communities
• Business practices
Back • Top
How
does STARS relate to Building Bright Futures?
The purpose of Building Bright Futures is to ensure that all Vermont
children are healthy and successful by improving the quality, affordability
and accessibility of services in the areas of health, early care and
education for families with children under the age of six. The
Building Bright Futures State Council is responsible for improving
the system by advising state departments and the governor on early
childhood policy and funding issues. Locally, 12 Building Bright Futures
Regional Councils, each with a director, engage the region in early
childhood issues, communicate gaps in service to the State Council
and develop, implement and monitor early childhood regional plans designed
to improve outcomes for families with young children.
The Building Bright Futures State Council supports the STARS program as a strategy to improve access to high quality child care, preschool and afterschool programs. The Building Bright Futures executive director is a member of the STARS Oversight Committee and the Building Bright Futures Regional Directors support the STARS program by raising awareness about the program and encouraging participation.
For more information about Building Bright Futures go to www.buildingbrightfutures.org
Back • Top
How does STARS relate to accreditation?
STARS and national accreditation are both indicators of quality.
Providers with national accreditation or STARS recognition have met voluntary
standards for child care that are higher than most state licensing requirements.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the
National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), and the National Afterschool
Association (NAA) are the largest organizations that accredit child care
programs.
Back • Top
How many STARS providers are in Vermont
and how can I find them?
There are STARS providers in every county in Vermont, with more joining
all the time. A list of these providers can be found on our STARS
Providers Map, or you can call the Child Development Division
at 1-800-649-2642.
Back • Top
Who can I contact if I have questions about STARS?
If you have any questions or comments about the STARS program, please contact
the Child Development Division at 1-800-649-2642 or email us at info@starsstepahead.org.
Back • Top
How Can I Learn More About STARS?
This website has information about child care providers, how they’re
rated, what incentives they get to participate, and how STARS is different
from Head Start and accreditation. You can also find other child care resources,
and a list of STARS providers near you.
Back • Top
STARS and Your Child Care Provider
- I’ve found someone to care for my child but they’re not part of STARS. Can they be?
- The person I’d like to care for my child is accredited but not a part of STARS. Should I be concerned?
- What can I do if the provider I like is not participating in STARS?
I’ve found someone to care for my child but they’re
not part of STARS. Can they be?
Any child care provider regulated through The Child Development Division
can apply to STARS if they have met state requirements, whether care is
given in someone’s
home, a center, a Head Start program, or a public school. They can contact
The Child Development Division for application materials.
Providers can be licensed and registered even if they aren’t a part
of STARS. But there are financial rewards for providers who sign up, and
The Child Development Division
requires programs to be in STARS or be accredited to qualify for certain
funding.
Back • Top
The person I’d like to care for my child is accredited but
not a part of STARS. Should I be concerned?
STARS is one indicator of quality. Accreditation is another indicator
of quality. Some programs have ratings from more than one. STARS focuses
more than the others on how well providers have exceeded state regulations,
and how involved they are in their community.
Back • Top
What can I do if the provider I like
is not participating in STARS?
Ask the provider about it. The program may be in the process of applying
for STARS or could use more information or parent support to become a
STARS provider. Contacting Learning Partners, the contracted program
administrator, or Jan Walker at the Child Development Division (info@starsstepahead.org),
can help clear up any questions or misunderstandings the provider may
have about STARS. Your interest as a parent can also help your provider
take the first step in the STARS application process.
Back • Top
