ATTENTION: FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS! In the next application period, Delaware Stars will be accepting Family Child Care Programs ONLY. The deadline for submitting an application is August 4, 2008. Child Care Centers and School-Age programs will be eligible to apply for Delaware Stars in January 2009. |
Reaching for Quality Early Care and Education
Delaware Stars is designed as a voluntary system that expects programs to work on improving quality by moving up the Star Levels. Delaware Stars provides technical assistance and limited financial support to programs involved in Stars as they engage in quality improvement efforts.
Delaware Stars for Early Success is a five level system. Star Level 1, the lowest level, requires an early childhood program to meet Child Care Licensing Regulations. With each higher Star Level a program is required to meet increasingly higher quality standards in the following categories:
- Qualifications & Professional Development
- Learning Environment & Curriculum
- Family & Community Partnerships
- Management & Administration
Learn more about Delaware Stars:
Delaware Stars Standards:
- Early Care and Education Centers
- School-Age Centers
- Family Child Care and Large Family Child Care Homes
DESCRIPTION OF DELAWARE STARS FOR EARLY SUCCESS (top of page)
The overarching goal of Delaware’s Early Childhood Plan for Early Success (2006) is that all children enter life and school ready to succeed. Access to high-quality early care and education programs for all of Delaware’s children, with an initial focus on children and families of low-income, is an essential component of the plan.
Delaware Stars is a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), which is a method used to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early care and education and school-age settings. It establishes quality standards for those programs and provides technical assistance and limited financial support to programs involved in Stars as they engage in quality improvement efforts. Delaware Stars is designed as a voluntary system that expects programs to work on improving quality by moving up the Star Levels.
Delaware Stars for Early Success is a five level system, with “5” being the highest rating. The licensing rules issued by the Office of Child Care Licensing serve as the standards for Star Level 1. With each higher Star Level a program is required to meet increasingly higher quality standards in the following categories:
- Qualifications and Professional Development
- Learning Environment and Curriculum
- Family and Community Partnerships
- Management and Administration
Delaware Stars was initiated by the Delaware Early Childhood Council and is supported by a public/private partnership. The Delaware Department of Education (DOE) is ultimately responsible for Delaware Stars, through the Office of Early Care and Education. Delaware Stars is currently housed at The Family & Workplace Connection (FWC), a division of Children & Families First, in Wilmington. A subcommittee of the Delaware Early Childhood Council serves as an advisory group to Delaware Stars.
A management team comprised of representatives from the Delaware Early Childhood Council, DOE Office of Early Care and Education, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL), The Family & Workplace Connection, a division of Children and Families First, and United Way Success By 6® is responsible for making decisions related to the development and implementation of Delaware Stars.
Funding for Delaware Stars is provided by the state Departments of Education (DOE) and Health and Social Services (DHSS) contribute state and federal dollars; private sector funders; and United Way serves as the fiscal agent for private funds. In five years, Delaware Stars intends to be supported primarily by public funds.
At the end of 2007 Delaware Stars successfully completed the initial “test” of the system with 15 programs. In 2008, an additional 60 programs will be enrolled. By 2013, Delaware Stars hopes to have fifty percent of the state’s child care centers and thirty percent of the family child care programs participating in quality improvement efforts, contingent upon funding.
VISION - MISSION - GOALS STATEMENT (top of page)
Vision
All of Delaware’s children and families will have access to quality early care and education from birth through school-age.
Mission
- Increase access to quality early care and education for all of Delaware’s children, with initial focus on children and families of low-income.
- Design and implement a system that defines quality and supports the development of quality early care and education programs.
- Engage the legislature and policymakers in supporting the implementation of Delaware Stars.
- Provide consumer education about the importance of early care and education and Delaware’s system for providing quality programs.
Goals
- By 2009 Delaware will have adopted a tiered reimbursement system to support programs participating in Delaware Stars.
- By 2009 early care and education programs will recognize the Delaware Stars symbol as an indicator of quality early care and education.
- By 2010 the public will recognize the same.
- By 2015 an increased number of Delaware’s early care and education programs will be participating in the Stars system: 75% of centers and 15% of family child care.
- By 2015 an increased number of programs participating in Purchase of Care will be rated at Star Level 3 or higher; at least 50%.
- By 2015 all programs sponsored by the state will participate in Delaware Stars.
PUBLIC - PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (top of page)
Delaware Stars is supported by a public/private partnership with the following organizations:
- Delaware Early Childhood Council
- Department of Education
- Department of Health and Social Services - Division of Social Services
- Office of Child Care Licensing
- United Way Success by Six™
- The Family & Workplace Connection, a division of Children & Families First
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS (top of page)
In order to participate in Delaware Stars, a program must have been open and serving families for a minimum of one year prior to application. A program must hold a current, valid license from the Office of Child Care Licensing, and not be under and enforcement action currently or for the year prior to application. In addition, there must be no outstanding concerns with Purchase of Care.
FUNDERS (top of page)
Delaware Department of Education; Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Divisions of Social Services and Public Health; United Way Success by 6; The Delaware Business Roundtable Education Committee’s Oversight Committee on Vision 2015; JP Morgan Chase; Social Venture Partners Delaware; Robin Foundation; ING; Chichester DuPont Foundation; and a private donor.
PARTICIPATING PROGRAMS (top of page)
Phase 1 Participating Programs
Babes on the Square
Boys & Girls Club – Highlands
Cozy Critters
Delaware Technical & Community College – Terry Child Development Center
Ebenezer Preschool
First Encounters
Hannah’s Christian Home Day Care
Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center
Jewish Community Center Early Childhood Center
The King’s Kids
Ministry of Caring Guardian Angel
Parents & Children Together at Tech
Parker’s Playhouse
Rehoboth YMCA – Rehoboth Elementary
The Children’s Secret Garden
Phase 2 – Round 1 Participating Programs
Babes on the Square Too
Children First Preschool
Children’s House Montessori
Cornerstone Early Education & Youth Center
Discovery Island Learning Center
Great New Beginnings 2
La Fiesta Early Development Center I
La Fiesta Early Development Center II
Newark Christian Child Care
Newark Day Nursery Association
St. David’s Episcopal Day School
St. Paul’s Lutheran School
Sussex Family YMCA – Children’s Corner
Sussex Family YMCA – Shields Elementary
Tender Loving Kare Child Care & Learning Center II
The Learning Center, Inc (TLC)
TutorTime
West Center Vity Early Learning Center, Inc.
Western YMCA – Giant Step Preschool
Western YMCA – Meadowood School
Phase 2 - Round 2 Participating Programs
BayHealth/Kent General Hospital Child Care & Learning Center
Child Care Academy of the Arts
Children’s Corner YMCA Dover
Creative Learning Academy
Downings Loving & Learning Center
Edu-Care Preschool & Daycare
First Steps Preschool
Great New Beginnings 1
Great New Beginnings 3
Kidz Inc. Early Learning Center
KinderCare
Montessori Center for Learning
St. Mary’s Early Education Program
Tender Loving Kare I
Wilmington Head Start – Leslie Johnson Center
YMCA Children’s Corner I
YMCA Children’s Corner III
YMCA/Walnut Street/Bancroft Academy’s School’s Out
YMCA School’s Out/Colwyck Elementary
YMCA/Walnut Street Branch/Castle Hills
YMCA/Walnut Street/School’s Out Program/Thomas Edison Schools
CONTACT INFORMATION (top of page)
Delaware Stars inquiries can be directed to:
Peggy Winslow
302-479-1679
The Family & Workplace Connection, a division of Children & Families First
3511 Silverside Road
100 Wilson Building
Wilmington, DE 19810
