Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System

Step Up to Star Quality!

Benefits of Enrolling For Child Care Facilities

Marketing advantage

Ongoing Quality Bonus money for meeting criteria for higher “steps”

Access to customized technical assistance

Access to more professional training and development

Eligibility Criteria for Enrollment

Current license by the Mississippi Department of Health, Child Care Branch

No probationary sanctions

Eligibility for Quality Bonus Money

Successful completion of Quality Step requirements

Participation in the Mississippi Child Care Certificate Program

Participating licensed child care facilities can earn quality ratings of One, Two, Three, Four and Five Stars. As programs complete the requirements for higher ratings, they will receive Quality Step System certificates and can use their new star ratings in advertising and marketing.

Facilities that earn higher ratings and serve families eligible for the Mississippi Child Care Certificate Program can receive quality bonus money from the Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood Care and Development, which administers the Mississippi Child Care Certificate Program.

Participating child care facilities will make improvements in these areas:

Program Administration

Professional Qualifications of Staff

Child Learning Environment

Family Involvement

Program Evaluation

Facilities will receive scheduled monitoring visits and evaluations of their program. The Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS) and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS) are the two evaluation tools used by this system.

For more information, go to www.qualitystep.msstate.edu

This system is funded by DECCD and implemented by the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute. Participation is voluntary.