Stars Program Changing!!
 

Oh, the joy I feel right now! With participation in our Stars Program, comes a 4-5 hour ECCERS assessment. Not fun! Every January and February I spend wringing my hands and sweating the details. I do believe in the ECCERS, but gosh I hate having somebody follow me around with a clip board for hours. I was consistently getting 4 stars, but last year dropped to 3, mostly due to administrative junk.This year, the program is changing, and sites that got 3,4 or 5 stars last year do NOT have to go through an assessment, but will remain at their current Star Rating for 2013. You can request an assessment if you want to raise your Star Rating. My question is......should I request an assessment and try to get my 4 or 5 stars? Or just skip it and relax and be thankful I don't have to go through that? My gut says skip it, but my business sense says to try to get more Stars back. But here's the catch, I am stuck with the 3 stars if I opt out of the assessment.....

Do families really look at the stars? The star program is fairly new in my state. We can do the self assessment, but the stars are not posted for families to see yet. Congratulations on the 3 and 4 stars though! If your gut says to keep a 3 and you're fine with that then I would stay at a 3. If you keep thinking about it and saying "darn, I really want 4 stars" then I would go through with the assessment! I told myself a few weeks ago that if I see something I really want (either a goal or materialistic) and I keep thinking about it, then I will get it or do it. If I don't think about it then I really didn't want it or want to do it. Kwim? I am really indecisive...lol

Also super indecisive! I just loathe the stress of the assessment. I ran this by my DH, who is my business partner, he did a little happy dance.
Parents, imo, DO look, if they care about quality over price. I have enrolled 3 families (over 4 years of participation in the program) who said my star rating was a very important factor in their choice. I only need 3 stars to continue to accept state funded kids. Really, that was my motivation for participation. I think its important for the under to have the opportunity to attend. I dunno, the prospect of 4 or 5 stars IS tempting!

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia:
Also super indecisive! I just loathe the stress of the assessment. I ran this by my DH, who is my business partner, he did a little happy dance.
Parents, imo, DO look, if they care about quality over price. I have enrolled 3 families (over 4 years of participation in the program) who said my star rating was a very important factor in their choice. I only need 3 stars to continue to accept state funded kids. Really, that was my motivation for participation. I think its important for the under to have the opportunity to attend. I dunno, the prospect of 4 or 5 stars IS tempting!

Well that's good to know that parents actually look! I wonder why the program isn't the same for every state. We don't need stars to accept state funded kids. Maybe in the future.
Well just think, if you do go through with the assessment, it's just one day of someone breathing down your neck. (well for however long the assessment is good for) For me it would be a pain, but also a sense of pride knowing that I could actually achieve a 4 or 5! I've had to go through NECPA accreditation when I worked at a center and it is nerve racking, everyone counting on everyone else to make sure your room qualifies! I can't imagine how it would be for a smaller place. Unless you are a center, I didn't even ask you. But back to if you keep thinking about it! Sounds like you are, so go for it! :)

Yep, I am a center, a small multi age center. The assessments are frustrating, because they walk in and say "where is the toddler room? Where is the 3 year old room? Where is the preschool room?" And I have to spend ten minutes explaining my program. All of you home daycare providers understand "multi age approach" because you live it. The so-called professionals don't get it.
My husband doesn't want the assessment, neither do I. The program is changing next year to be more based on class observation and less on ECCERS and even less on administrative junk. My.accounting methods and staff meetings shouldn't count in judging the.quality level of my program.

Oh I see! Well I did have to go through the accreditation at the center and you're right, the professionals don't know what it's like! In fact at the time I had a mobile infant room (infants that were mobile until around 14 months) with only 4 children in my room and the assessor came in to assess my room and sat down for 2 minutes and said she was leaving. I was mortified and thought my room didn't pass, but come to find out, my room passed, she just didn't want the babies to cry. (they all cried when she came in and sat down)...:lol:

ECERS is for centers, but there is still FCCERS for family child care. Other accreditations that are not required but look good to parents (and cost extra) include NAEYCE (centers) and NAFCC (home daycares)

Originally Posted by Starburst:
ECERS is for centers, but there is still FCCERS for family child care. Other accreditations that are not required but look good to parents (and cost extra) include NAEYCE (centers) and NAFCC (home daycares)

True, the stars program is different. Both centers and family care can participate. Both have to have assessments when you reach a certain star. The other accreditations are super expensive!