Quality Standards
QUALITYstarsNY Standards represent the best practices and policies in early care and education. Developed by leading experts in the field of early childhood learning and development, QUALITYstarsNY Standards are used to assess and rate the quality of an early childhood program.
Programs earn points toward their rating for meeting these key quality indicators, and receive a 1-5 Star rating. A rating of 4 and 5 Stars indicates a high quality early learning program.
Abbreviated Standards
Additionally, programs that already comply with a set of quality standards through Head Start or either NAEYC or NAFCC Accreditation have an abbreviated set of standards that takes into account the crossover between these requirements and the QUALITYstarsNY standards.
Head Start
Accredited Programs
Four Key Areas of Quality
The places where children play, learn, and grow. Spaces are clean, safe and inviting for children to play, learn, and grow. Equipment, materials, and planned activities stimulate learning. Adults interact with children in nurturing, respectful, and responsive ways.
Family engagement is the way staff work with families to advance their child’s development and support household stability. Family members should feel respected, welcomed, and invited to participate in decisions that affect their child. Communication with families is regular and culturally responsive.
Programs known for their excellence have teachers with knowledge and experience in child development and early education.
Strong leadership and management supports the entire early childhood program. Leaders set a vision for the program and establish policies to ensure the program functions properly and staff are supported, which allows teachers, providers, and families to focus on the children.
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Find the Right Program
Download our checklist for parents to spot high quality practices when looking for a care and education program for your child.
Rating Process and Points
The quality standards provide the framework for the QUALITYstarsNY rating process. Learn more about the rating process, including how points are awarded and calculated to determine a program’s Star Rating.