Early Childhood Systems

Over the last five week I have learned a lot of information regarding public policy, and the policies that influence early childhood education.  I feel like it is important to know as much as possible about the policies that are influencing this field, not only throughout the U.S. but also in your own state. In New York, they are currently trying to introduce a new quality rating and improvement system called QualitystarsNY.   QualitystarsNY is a program that NYS daycares are eligible for if they follow their standards, and they will guide programs to achieve these standards.  Each childcare organization that wants to participate in this program will receive a Qualitystar rating. This rating will become a guideline to parents and other early childhood professionals about the quality of the program they are seeking.  The Qualitystar rating that the center receives will become public knowledge making it a great resource for parents searching for the best quality daycare in their area. As of last year they started implementing this program in a number of centers as “tests”.  They are proven to be successful and now early childcare facilities can apply to begin the process of the QualitystarsNY program.

What I like about this program is that it is raising the bar for high quality early childhood education. Making better standards to achieve, and if you achieve these standards your center will benefit.  This is a new program here in NY , and I really hope it takes off and more centers see the benefits in this program and chose to do it. It is similar to accreditation, but from what I researched it is goes above and beyond accreditation, and is actually a better rating system.

Here is the website on the QualitystarsNY program. http://qualitystarsny.org/standards.php

Does anyone know of another programs like this, either in your state or another?

 

Share one or more strategies you have discovered as you worked on the assignments in this course, and particularly this week, that are currently being used by advocates or organizations to influence the political will toward improving early childhood systems in order to foster the well-being of young children and their families.

 One strategy that I learned this week after doing this assignment is how vital research is in this field.  After reading many different articles this week on the effectiveness of play in early childhood education, I realized how important research can be. I am glad to see this because I feel that this is a big step in improving early childhood education.  I think it is best for the child to learn through play and experiences from birth to 5, and beyond.  This research will hopefully effect future decisions in regard to ECE.