PA Keystone StarsKeys to Quality

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PA Keystone Stars/Keys to Quality

• Harriet Dichter, Deputy Secretary
• PA Office of Child Development Early Learning
• FLA Governors Summit
• February 2008

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Keystone STARS

• Promotes continuous quality improvement in early
  learning and school age environments
• Proven to improve the quality of child care
  programs in PA
• Provides parents with a tool to gauge the quality
  of early learning for their children
• Nearly 4,000 child care programs participating in
  Keystone STARS Head Start can also participate
• Approximately 138,000 children enrolled in STARS
  programs

Early Learning Services
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Principles for STARS/Keys to Quality

• Quality Outcomes for Children
• Individually Culturally Appropriate
  Expectations
• Leadership at All Levels
• State and Regional Coordination
• Commitment to Quality Content (Standards)
• All Practitioners Participate in Quality
  Improvement Activities
• Focus on Credentials and Professionalism
• Systems Coordination, Integration and
  Accountability
• Compensation, Funding and Financing
• Public, Stakeholder and Community Engagement

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STARS means.

• Standards,
• Training Professional Development,
• Assistance,
• Resources,
• Supports

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STARS How it works

• Builds on the health safety requirements of
  certification
• Early learning programs apply at Start with STARS
  or STAR level 1-4
• Must meet research-based performance standards
  for
• Staff qualifications and professional development
• Early learning program (child observation,
  curriculum, classroom environment)
• Partnerships with family and community
• Leadership and management (business practices)

Early Learning Services
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How STARS works, contd

• Based on subsidy enrollment, may be eligible for
  support grants, merit awards and education
  retention awards
• Monitoring, accountability, and supports
  conducted through the PA Early Learning Keys to
  Quality System
• Standards PLUS Supports

Early Learning Services
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STARS standards
Early Learning Services
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How can parents locate STARS programs

• County Child Care Information Services (CCIS)
  agencies can provide listing of programs and STAR
  level
• Find your local CCIS online at www.dpw.state.pa.us
  
• Search STARS programs by county or zip at
  http//www.pakeys.org/stars/centers.aspx

Early Learning Services
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STARS Award amounts

• Support, merit and ERA amounts (7/07)

Note Top award is for programs enrolling 5 -
25 subsidy children Bottom award is for programs
enrolling 26 - 100 subsidy children
Early Learning Services
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STARS Award amounts, contd
Award 2 additional years with CQI Plan and
demonstrated progress
Note Top award is for programs enrolling 5 -
25 subsidy children Bottom award is for programs
enrolling 26 - 100 subsidy children
Early Learning Services
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Keystone STARS subsidy add-on

• Programs with STAR 2 and above receive a
  per-child add on to Child Care Works subsidy rate
  as of Sept. 2007

Early Learning Services
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PA Early Learning Keys to Quality

• A system of supports for Keystone STARS,
  including
• professional development opportunities for early
  childhood and school-age
• independent Environment Rating Scale (ERS)
  assessments for early learning and school-age
  programs
• community engagement and outreach
• Consists of state-level PA Key, and six Regional
  Keys

Early Learning Services
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PA Keys System Regional Keys

• Six Regional Keys across PA
• Implement regional quality improvement plan for
  professional development
• Encourage participation and provide TA for
  Keystone STARS
• Conduct STARS Designation visits
• Provide regional professional development
  opportunities
• Access contact info at www.pakeys.org

Early Learning Services
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Regional Keys map
Early Learning Services
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Additional Supports Rewards for STARS
Participants

• Created Directors Credential, mandatory at STAR
  3 and above
• Priority access for T.E.A.C.H. educational
  scholarship program
• Statutory requirement for child care programs
  that compete to participate in PA Pre-K Counts
  (STAR 2 or above)
• Priority access to Early Childhood Mental Health
  Consultation Initiative

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Recap-- who does what?

• Keystone STARS/Keys to Quality administered
  through six regional non-profit agencies, known
  as KEYS. 5 of the 6 KEYS also administer the
  states subsidized child care program.
• The regional KEYS create and implement a regional
  early childhood quality plan which includes both
  STARS and professional development. The KEYS
  award the STAR levels as well as the various
  financial supports.

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Recap-who does what?

• Pennsylvania KEY plus the Office of Child
  Development provide oversight and additional
  state-level supports, including
• ERS scoring, a function of the PA KEY
• Standard development, a function of the Office of
  Child Development
• Evaluation, a function jointly of the Office of
  Child Development

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Keys to Success to Date

• Focus on systems design and execution
• Create sufficient process with ongoing engagement
  of all stakeholder groups
• Ground system design in available research
  conduct evaluation research as you implement
• Standards PLUS Supports, both professional and
  financial
• Tie STARS participation to other program and
  opportunities- reward STARS!

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Useful links

• Pennsylvania Keys www.pakeys.org

Helping fulfill Pennsylvanias Promise for
Children Because every child is Pennsylvanias
future