United Way of Central Alabama celebrates quality STARS program

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - When going to a new restaurant or hotel, you might check to see how nice it is based on the five-star scale. The Alabama Quality STARS program is doing the same with early childhood education.

On Tuesday, Feb. 28, some of the child care centers and home providers were celebrated at the United Way of Central Alabama.

The Alabama Quality STARS Program is a quality scale aimed to improve the education that’s being provided at early childhood education centers.

Once center is licensed by the state, that’s automatically one star. Then over time, centers are judged by the Early Childhood Department of Education in four categories to earn additional stars:

• Staff qualifications and professional development.
• Management and administrative practices.
• Learning environment and curriculum.
• Family involvement and community partnerships.

“When a child has a greater opportunity for success in a quality early learning experience environment, we want to support that. Often times families are wondering ‘how do I know what to expect from this particular program?’ So, the star ratings help the consumer know what to expect from various star-rated programs,” said Executive Director for Childcare Resources, Joan Wright.

More information on STARS and how to sign up can be found here.

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