In the last six years Wisconsin has been building a new system to increase the quality of child care, with a particular focus on children from low-income working families. The new system is called YoungStar and serves as a Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Our report, YoungStar: What Does Research Tell Us, will explore what was learned from a recent research study of YoungStar, Wisconsin’s child care quality rating and improvement system. The report will address key questions, including:
Is the 5 Star quality rating system valid?
Do program ratings improve over time?
Do programs with higher quality ratings produce better outcomes?
How well has Wisconsin done in its effort to build a strong Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS)?