Refining Delaware Stars for Early Success: Workshop for the Office of Early Learning

Delaware, like many states, wants to refine its quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for early childhood care and education (ECE) settings (known as Delaware Stars for Early Success, or Delaware Stars) to ensure consistency in quality within each level, distinguish quality between levels, and ensure the validity of the ratings (specifically, that programs that earn higher ratings lead to better outcomes for children). The goal of this workshop is to support a redesign effort through review of research, facilitated discussion, and lessons from other states. The Office of Early Learning (OEL) in the Delaware Department of Education has requested information on two topics: (1) restructuring its tiered reimbursement system, and (2) redesigning its QRIS to distinguish levels of quality in ECE settings that are aligned with improved outcomes for children.

Speakers:

• Gretchen Kirby,Mathematica Policy Research
• Kimberly Boller, Mathematica Policy Research
• Becky Mercatoris, Bureau Director, Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning
• Anna Carter, Director, Division of Child Development and Early Education, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services