Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Oh, I know... believe me. I am swimming in illegal daycares. Two providers within 5 miles are related to me. They have the audacity to try to use me as their reference...
It has always been a hot topic button for me. 
My whole *large* county only has two LEGAL home providers... we keep a total of 12 kids between us. With only two commercial centers in 10 miles..... Well, you do the math.
The rest dropped their licensing because of this whole QRIS Ratings thing and never looked back. They are not being investigated, either... I bet the States licensed provider "Compliance Percentage" looks great on paper to the Feds though. Beyond frustrating. 
Wisconsin lost a lot of legal providers when they went to Youngstar (our QRIS) as well. I'm sure not all of those people are out of business. They just went underground, or they take less kids. They can't take state-funded kids unless they're regulated, so it's all private-pay.
I'm considering dropping my license next time around as well (but not operating illegally). There is only so much "they" can keep heaping on us for what amounts to less than minimum wage.