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 What
is Early StarsSM ?
Early Stars is a campaign sponsored by the Partnership for Quality
Child Care to educate child care programs and their staffs regarding
accreditation and how it can help increase the quality of child
care.
 What
is the Partnership for Quality Child Care?
The Partnership for Quality Child Care is a public/private child
care initiative sponsored by the City of Chicago, McCormick Tribune
Foundation and several private foundations to improve the quality
of child care available to Chicago's low-income families. The
Partnership sponsors the Early Stars program and promotes national
accreditation for child care programs that serve low-income families.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a designation of quality awarded to child care
programs that meet national standards set by accrediting organizations
such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC). Accreditation is a professional, voluntary self-study
system.
What areas of a child care program are
evaluated for accreditation?
As an example, the National Association for the Education of Young
Children evaluates these areas:
- Curriculum
- Professional
qualifications and development of staff
- Physical
environment
- Teacher/child
interactions
- Teacher/family
relationships
- Health
& safety
- Nutrition
- Administration
How
long does the accreditation process take?
Most child care programs average nine to 12 months to complete
the entire accreditation process.
How does the Partnership for Quality
Child Care help child care programs?
The Partnership provides facilitators to assist with the accreditation
process and post-accreditation follow-up visits. The Partnership
also provides low-income child care programs in Chicago with funds
to cover costs associated with pursuing accreditation, including
buying classroom furniture, toys, books, and educational materials;
paying accreditation application fees; and making improvements
to facilities.
Which child care programs are eligible
for Partnership for Quality Child Care assistance?
Chicago child care programs at enrollment capacity are eligible
if they are:
- Center
programs with at least 50% of total enrollees use CDHS/IDHS
vouchers for tuition payment, or
- CDHS Head
Start/Child Care programs, or
- IDHS funded
Head Start/Child Care programs.
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