Check out the excellent two-part series on YoungStar and its impact on the child care workforce in the Wisconsin State Journal June 30 and July 1. The two articles were both front-page lead stories, written by veteran reporter Doug Erickson. The articles focused on:

• Earning Their Stars: The state’s YoungStar rating system sends droves of child care workers into college classes, and
• Becoming Better: How one child care center is throwing everything it has at trying to climb the ratings ladder.

The articles include several quotes from WCCF, WECA, 4-C, and MATC staff.

Perspective
We have just experienced a state biennial budget for child care that was disappointing. For me, this article helped put YoungStar in a larger perspective. YoungStar has shined a spotlight on quality that is steadily changing child care across the state. Hundreds of programs are working hard to improve the quality of their programs, with the help of technical assistance, micro-grants, and scholarships. Parents are increasingly asking about the ratings of programs.

While much more investment and improvements are needed for YoungStar to meet its full potential, it seems like something significant is happening all over the state to improve the quality of child care. After 36 years working on child care policy, I see the first two years of YoungStar as the first statewide systematic effort to address child care quality.

Readers: Reactions? What’s your perspective on YoungStar? What did you think of the article?

Dave Edie