RAND Research releases

Childcare Quality Rating and Improvement Systems
What Can We Learn from Early Adopters?

This research brief summarizes an assessment of child-care quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) in five states and provides recommendations for designing, implementing, and refining such systems.  This study is based on a small number of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in each state; therefore, the conclusions and recommendations serve only as a starting place in filling the knowledge gap about designing and implementing QRISs.

According to the results, cost issues strongly affected their choice of components and component measures.  Most interviewees reported increases in provider and parent interest for their state’s QRIS over time, noting that more providers were volunteering to be rated and more parents were asking resource and referral agencies about program ratings.  Most interviewees believed that their QRIS has helped raised awareness for quality standards for child care, and they attributed the success of their ORIS to political support, adequate financing of provider incentives, and provider buy-in, public awareness campaigns, and the availability of quality improvement (QI) funds and assistance for providers

To view this report in its entirety please visit: www.rand.org.