Nebraska Quality Rating System (QRS) Pilot Study

Carolyn P. Edwards, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Helen Raikes, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Julia Torquati, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Midwest Child Care Research Consortium

Document Type Article

Presentation to the Nebraska Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council, August 2005.

Abstract

The National Child Care Information Center defines it as a strategy to improve the quality of early education and care by providing “star ratings” like those for hotels or restaurants. A QRS is a: 1. Consumer guide 2. Benchmark for program improvement 3. Accountability measure for funding

At this time, 10 states have implemented statewide systems (e.g. Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma, North Carolina) and 25 more have some kind of tiered quality reimbursement strategy: 20 states have 2-3 tier system; 8 states have 4 tier systems; 7 states have 5-6 tier systems