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SignMeUp 10:14 AM 09-21-2014
We were recently told that the rating program in our state will now be linked into the referral system.
All rated providers will be listed at the top, and any non-participating providers will be listed below them.

Is this how it works in other states too?
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Naptime yet? 01:14 PM 09-21-2014
I was told that this would be happening in MD, too; if we participate in EXCELS our check level will show up on the referral site (it already does on the specific EXCELS site), but I don't know about the order.

Hope that makes sense!
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Blackcat31 02:15 PM 09-21-2014
Originally Posted by SignMeUp:
We were recently told that the rating program in our state will now be linked into the referral system.
All rated providers will be listed at the top, and any non-participating providers will be listed below them.

Is this how it works in other states too?
So far, ONLY the rated programs in my county are listed on the referral site.

NO ONE that has not been rated is even listed.

This goes back to what I said a while back on the forum when talk of QRIS first came up.....I said that I had heard that programs that opt out are being told that it's no big deal but it is...because they are basically being "forced" or "excluded" out of business.

My count just received something like $800,000 in the form of scholarships to give to families that are having trouble paying for care. These scholarships have guidelines that make it so that the families that just don't quite qualify for CCAP WILL qualify for the scholarships.

Guess what the scholarship guidelines are? The money is ONLY useable IF the family chooses a STAR rated program. The more stars a program has, the more money a family can get. I think its $2000 for programs "in the process" of being rated (it takes a year) and $5000 for programs that have 4 stars.

That is PER child NOT per family.

So a little unfair? Yep.

If you go to the website and search by zip-code ONLY the providers that participate are shown.
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Annalee 03:17 PM 09-21-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
So far, ONLY the rated programs in my county are listed on the referral site.

NO ONE that has not been rated is even listed.

This goes back to what I said a while back on the forum when talk of QRIS first came up.....I said that I had heard that programs that opt out are being told that it's no big deal but it is...because they are basically being "forced" or "excluded" out of business.

My count just received something like $800,000 in the form of scholarships to give to families that are having trouble paying for care. These scholarships have guidelines that make it so that the families that just don't quite qualify for CCAP WILL qualify for the scholarships.

Guess what the scholarship guidelines are? The money is ONLY useable IF the family chooses a STAR rated program. The more stars a program has, the more money a family can get. I think its $2000 for programs "in the process" of being rated (it takes a year) and $5000 for programs that have 4 stars.

That is PER child NOT per family.

So a little unfair? Yep.

If you go to the website and search by zip-code ONLY the providers that participate are shown.
Not the way it is here....your stars determines the amount you receive for certificate/state children BUT NO EXTRA BENEFITS whatsoever in any other form for provider or client....QRIS is just a state law here for licensed providers....you don't have to "participate" but you have to go through the process....your results are still on the website if you click on the big N/P for a particular program not participatingI wish it would just go away!!!! Morale is so far down here FCC will NEVER recover....we are dropping 5-10 providers monthly.....and yes they are still keeping kids illegally!!!
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melilley 05:04 PM 09-21-2014
It's that way here. All licensed providers are listed, but the providers who have filled stars are listed first, with 5 stars first.
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nanglgrl 07:43 PM 09-21-2014
It's that way in Iowa and a big reason why I just got my 4th star. I'm already having a hard time staying full with the overwhelming amount of unregistered providers that have been popping up so I did what I need to do to get the extra stars to be at the top of the referral list.
Besides being at the top of the list we also get a larger bonus every 2 years and don't have to pay for trainings. There is talk about stars programs getting paid more by the state but it hasn't went anywhere yet.
I don't think the program works as intended. Most parents don't know about QRS and the majority of those that do don't care. I think we have it easier than other states as far as what we have to do to get our stars but I don't think me having 4 stars says anything about my program just as it says nothing about a program with less stars or a program that decides not to participate.
I participate for the money and because i think it will be mandatory eventually.
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Annalee 03:50 AM 09-22-2014
I wish our stars program that has been written into law would look at the benefits other states are giving providers to participate. I feel the law here needs to loosen up on the strict demands. Scholarships and monetary incentives would obviously help...but I still feel the overall assessment process is set up for providers to fail here....certificate offices do NOT refer clients to programs such as mine with the higher stars because they know my program demands payment 52 weeks a year...the state will not pay on days I close and the office feels this is unfair for me to charge certificate parents but do not do anything about finding a way to help these certificate parents pay....the entire QRIS program is NOT working for the provider here....I do feel there needs to be a QRIS program, but the ASSESSMENT part is entirely too unrealistic. QRIS should Let providers do what they do best in their programs and quit dictating what and how many of each material we need!!!!
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melilley 05:41 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by nanglgrl:
Besides being at the top of the list we also get a larger bonus every 2 years and don't have to pay for trainings. There is talk about stars programs getting paid more by the state but it hasn't went anywhere yet.
I don't think the program works as intended. Most parents don't know about QRS and the majority of those that do don't care. I think we have it easier than other states as far as what we have to do to get our stars but I don't think me having 4 stars says anything about my program just as it says nothing about a program with less stars or a program that decides not to participate.
I participate for the money and because i think it will be mandatory eventually.
I wish our stars program gave us bonuses and free trainings! We have the chance to work with a consultant to get a higher star rating, but that's it.

And most parents here also don't know about the program and don't really care. The only education that the state gives about the program is if the provider does participate, a letter is sent home explaining the program and the website to get more info is given. And there is a short commercial on PBS that mentions the program. That's it.

The only parents that I know of the program are the one's who are in child development settings or classes. Two of my parent's are and only one really cares about it.
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Annalee 05:58 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by melilley:
I wish our stars program gave us bonuses and free trainings! We have the chance to work with a consultant to get a higher star rating, but that's it.

And most parents here also don't know about the program and don't really care. The only education that the state gives about the program is if the provider does participate, a letter is sent home explaining the program and the website to get more info is given. And there is a short commercial on PBS that mentions the program. That's it.

The only parents that I know of the program are the one's who are in child development settings or classes. Two of my parent's are and only one really cares about it.
Same here on the parents are not educated on the stars program and the ones who know about it don't care! If there was an incentive for the parents, maybe they would pay more attention as well!
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Blackcat31 06:02 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by Annalee:
I wish our stars program that has been written into law would look at the benefits other states are giving providers to participate. I feel the law here needs to loosen up on the strict demands. Scholarships and monetary incentives would obviously help...but I still feel the overall assessment process is set up for providers to fail here....certificate offices do NOT refer clients to programs such as mine with the higher stars because they know my program demands payment 52 weeks a year...the state will not pay on days I close and the office feels this is unfair for me to charge certificate parents but do not do anything about finding a way to help these certificate parents pay....the entire QRIS program is NOT working for the provider here....I do feel there needs to be a QRIS program, but the ASSESSMENT part is entirely too unrealistic. QRIS should Let providers do what they do best in their programs and quit dictating what and how many of each material we need!!!!
The scholarships are of NO benefit to the provider here.

It's incentive for parents to choose a star rated program buuuuuut, the scholarships are SUPER slow to pay out for services (I am just now receiving payment for services provided in June) and they do NOT pre-pay so ANY family using the scholarship gets services BEFORE the provider gets paid.

NOT a lot of providers want to take on these scholarship families because it's hard to be paid so long AFTER services have been provided. I have limited the number of families I am willing to accept that use the scholarship for that very reason.

The only benefit we have right now to being rated is that our names are listed on the referral site buuuuut, I also think that is only a benefit now because QRIS is so new to my state. It's in full swing on only a couple counties, piloted in a few more and then the rest (biggest group) of the counties have no idea what it even is right now.

I guess I did receive a grant ($500) to sign on with the program in it's pilot phase but that grant had limitations and restrictions as to what it was spent on and was only offered initially to get providers to sign on. I don't think it is available anymore after that first pilot year of the program.

So essentially there really is no benefit to the provider to be rated. VERY few parents know what QRIS is and the ones who care are the ones receiving the scholarship money but when that runs up....I am betting none of them will care anymore.
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Annalee 06:20 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
The scholarships are of NO benefit to the provider here.

It's incentive for parents to choose a star rated program buuuuuut, the scholarships are SUPER slow to pay out for services (I am just now receiving payment for services provided in June) and they do NOT pre-pay so ANY family using the scholarship gets services BEFORE the provider gets paid.

NOT a lot of providers want to take on these scholarship families because it's hard to be paid so long AFTER services have been provided. I have limited the number of families I am willing to accept that use the scholarship for that very reason.

The only benefit we have right now to being rated is that our names are listed on the referral site buuuuut, I also think that is only a benefit now because QRIS is so new to my state. It's in full swing on only a couple counties, piloted in a few more and then the rest (biggest group) of the counties have no idea what it even is right now.

I guess I did receive a grant ($500) to sign on with the program in it's pilot phase but that grant had limitations and restrictions as to what it was spent on and was only offered initially to get providers to sign on. I don't think it is available anymore after that first pilot year of the program.

So essentially there really is no benefit to the provider to be rated. VERY few parents know what QRIS is and the ones who care are the ones receiving the scholarship money but when that runs up....I am betting none of them will care anymore.
Gotcha! I just wish QRIS would GO AWAY!!!! It is tough here because it is in the law!!!
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Cat Herder 07:13 AM 09-22-2014
QRIS and political harassment of LEGALLY licensed providers (they don't touch the illegal ones because it is "too expensive" ) is why myself and every provider in my region that I respect, are leaving the field in the next few years.

My entire local providers network is on a exit plan as I speak. September 2014 was the most depressing annual meeting I have attended EVER. All we discussed was how much we missed working with children, how all our time is now spent "preparing to work with children" and making plans to still see each other as friends outside of this field.

Ridiculous.

I am really hoping there will be a civil rights suit soon. I have heard many rumblings of it. We have the right to earn a living legally. The parents have the right to choose their own care plan for their children. How did we get here?????

The "Education of Young Children" push has been disproven for the majority of children (applies to one sub group, and barely at that. All effects gone by 3rd grade for them, too. Long term negative effects of being force fed education too soon has also been proven to outweigh positive ones. ). The Headstart and Pre-K theories are also disproven... read the current issues of Education Week for the studies. It is being debated right now nationally. It is politically motivated, State money grabbing supported by false pseudo-science)

I know I sound bitter and angry, but it is only because I AM bitter and angry about this. I used to love my job. I still love my life, they can't take that... but the are ruining a joyous field of work.
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Annalee 07:28 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
QRIS and political harassment of LEGALLY licensed providers (they don't touch the illegal ones because it is "too expensive" ) is why myself and every provider in my region that I respect, are leaving the field in the next few years.

My entire local providers network is on a exit plan as I speak. September 2014 was the most depressing annual meeting I have attended EVER. All we discussed was how much we missed working with children, how all our time is now spent "preparing to work with children" and making plans to still see each other as friends outside of this field.

Ridiculous.

I am really hoping there will be a civil rights suit soon. We have the right to earn a living legally. The parents have the right to choose their own care plan for their children. How did we get here?????
The same here....we have had meetings to discuss how we can bring FCC back....right now, FCC is a dying breed!!!
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DaveA 11:36 AM 09-22-2014
I'm very skeptical of any rating/ accrediting- they usually have major flaws. I went to a couple of ratings trainings 2 years ago and realized I wanted nothing to do with it. I know Illinois has QRIS, I just don't know how far along it is. I pretty much ignore our local R&R anymore because they haven't added new trainings excepts ratings stuff in forever, so they aren't much of a benefit to me.

I agree with other posters in saying something like it being mandatory could drive me out of the field ASAP.
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Annalee 11:43 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by DaveArmour:
I'm very skeptical of any rating/ accrediting- they usually have major flaws. I went to a couple of ratings trainings 2 years ago and realized I wanted to do with it. I know Illinois has QRIS, I just don't know how far along it is. I pretty much ignore our local R&R anymore because they haven't added new trainings excepts ratings stuff in forever, so they aren't much of a benefit to me.

I agree with other posters in saying something like it being mandatory could drive me out of the field ASAP.
I enjoyed NAFCC Accreditation...it is FCC friendly and realistic....but QRIS/stars is a whole different ball game!
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DaveA 11:54 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by Annalee:
I enjoyed NAFCC Accreditation...it is FCC friendly and realistic....but QRIS/stars is a whole different ball game!
I've never looked into them- glad to hear that. I just consider the whole ratings system too easy to use as a club, especially when combined with organizations/ agencies that wield real power over a provider (licensing, referrals, payments)
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Annalee 11:55 AM 09-22-2014
Originally Posted by DaveArmour:
I've never looked into them- glad to hear that. I just consider the whole ratings system too easy to use as a club, especially when combined with organizations/ agencies that wield real power over a provider (licensing, referrals, payments) :eek:

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Unregistered 12:51 PM 09-23-2014
Once I cannot pay for training and I have no income I guess I will have no choice but to either get a second job which will make quality care go down or just quit childcare all together

What happens when you drop from the stars program, what do you have to pay back
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nanglgrl 01:43 PM 09-23-2014
In Iowa you don't have to pay anything back. You get $200 for 1 star, $400 for 2 stars, $600 for 3 stars, $800 for 4 stars and $1000 for 5 stars as a home daycare. You get that amount the first time you get that star level, every time thereafter you get 1/2 the amount unless you go up a star and then you get the full amount. The money can be spent on anything you want.
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