YoungStar
Wisconsin’s Child Care Rating Program
Young Star Information
What is Youngstar?
YoungStar, the early care and education quality improvement rating system, QIRS. In June 2010, the Wisconsin Joint Committee on Finance made a unanimous bi-partisan decision to join the other 19 states in our country that have made a commitment to ensuring high quality early learning through a QIRS.
YoungStar was developed to achieve the following goals:
1) Support child care providers in WI
2) Help parents make child care choices
3) Align Shares payments with quality
4) Prevent fraud
Children who participate in high quality child care achieve better outcomes including: a greater degree of school readiness; improved cognitive ability and social skills; reduced need for special education classes; lower rates of grade retention; higher high school graduation rates; lower use of welfare; lower juvenile delinquency and lifetime participation in crime; and lower rates of teen pregnancy.
CCR&R agencies can provide information to parents about selecting high quality child care and to child care providers about opportunities for professional development, mentoring, and support. In partnership, CCR&Rs, parents, and child care providers can co-create better outcomes for young children.
Contracts are available for YoungStar from Family Connections!
Celebrate Children Foundation, Supporting Families Together Association (SFTA), and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) have been chosen to manage YoungStar across the state. We are ready to support early education programs as they demonstrate the quality of care they offer to Wisconsin’s youngest children.
YoungStar contracts are now available, staff from WECA and Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies are ready to work with programs, and statewide trainings are being offered. Programs accepting or serving families receiving Wisconsin Shares are required to participate in YoungStar. Participation is optional for programs who are currently only taking private pay families but are willing to take families receiving Shares. Apply now for free and don’t miss out on the following opportunities:
- Programs can choose to receive FREE, individualized technical assistance as a participant in YoungStar!
- Programs that receive 4 stars or higher could receive increases in Shares payments. Don’t miss out on this chance to increase your revenue!
- Programs that participate in YoungStar, and work for FREE with technical consultants, are eligible for micro-grants for quality improvements!
- Programs accredited through approved accrediting bodies will automatically receive 4 or 5 stars!
Completed contracts must be sent to your regional Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. Providers that reside in the following counties: Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Richland, Lafayette and Vernon, must send their contracts to:
Family Connections of Southwest Wisconsin
P.O. Box 647
Platteville, WI 53818
Contracts must be signed. If you wish to scan your completed contract you can e-mail it to
connections@familyconnectionsswwi.org
or fax completed contracts to 608-348-2861
- Completed contracts will be addressed on a first come first serve basis.
- Levels of YoungStar service support are dependent upon available funding. You can also visit the Department of Children & Families’ website for up to date information on YoungStar.
If you participated in YoungStar in 2012, you may be thinking about renewal for 2013. Your rating anniversary date appears as the expiration date on your 2012 certificate. You will receive a renewal form in the mail from DCF up to 120 days before this date. Or, you may contact your YoungStar Regional Office if you are uncertain about your anniversary date. Renewal forms may be submitted to your Regional Office up to 150 days before the rating anniversary date. Click here for a renewal tip sheet. Renewal Tip Sheet
You may also begin Technical Consulting up to 150 days before your rating anniversary date. If you will be receiving Technical Consultation in 2013, click here for a tip sheet on preparing for renewal. What Can I Do Now?
Click here for Family Connections 2013 YoungStar-approved training calendar. 2013 Trainings