QRIS/Star Rating System Reform
If implemented, S291 will alter the way child care facilities achieve their star ratings in North Carolina, promoting immediate relief to facilities that may struggle to meet the previous, higher educator qualification standards. Furthermore, the bill mandates the North Carolina Child Care Commission to develop and submit recommendations for reforming the quality rating improvement system and report its findings by March 31, 2024. Such reforms may include integrating various national early childhood education accreditations as alternatives for licensed facilities to achieve their star ratings, which could modernize the current evaluation criteria compared to existing standards.
Senate Bill 291, also known as the QRIS/Star Rating System Reform, is a legislative measure aimed at modifying the state's approach to assessing licensed child care facilities. The bill intends to lower the threshold of required lead teachers who must meet 'rated licensed education requirements' in order for these facilities to earn credits towards their star ratings. Specifically, it proposes reducing this requirement from seventy-five percent (75%) to fifty percent (50%) until June 30, 2026, thereby extending a temporary hold harmless provision for facilities as the state resumes its environmental rating scale assessments. This change is intended to support child care programs during a transitional period following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sentiment surrounding S291 appears largely supportive among legislators who recognize the challenges that child care facilities have faced during and after the pandemic. Supporters argue that these temporary measures are necessary to provide flexibility and stability to child care programs, ensuring that they remain viable options for families. However, potential opposition may arise concerning the long-term implications of lowering educational thresholds, which could spark further debates regarding the quality of education provided in these facilities.
While there may not be strong public contention at this stage, critics might question whether lowering the educational thresholds could lead to a depreciation in educational quality across the state's child care services. The bill’s provisions to delay strict evaluation parameters until mid-2026 may also raise concerns regarding long-term accountability in early childhood education. Nonetheless, the intended outcomes lean towards supporting child care facilities in a precarious financial landscape while seeking to maintain an adequate educational standard.