The TN Child Care Evaluation & Report Card Programs
Background Information
In 2000 and 2001, Tennessee launched a broad program to improve child care. This program's goals are to give more information to parents and to improve the quality of child care in the state. This new program actually includes two programs, the Child Care Evaluation and Report Card Program and the Star-Quality Child Care Program.
The Child Care Evaluation and Report Card Program is required for all licensed and approved child care providers in Tennessee. During the process of renewing a license, the State evaluates a provider on several areas of quality. Family and Group Homes are evaluated on 5 areas and Child Care Centers on 7 areas. To learn more about this program, please read the Factsheet.
The Star-Quality Child Care Program, unlike the report card program, is voluntary. This program recognizes child care providers who meet a higher standard of quality. Once qualified for this program, providers can receive one, two, or three stars to place on their license. Each star shows that a provider meets increasingly higher standards. In other words, the more stars a program has, the better the quality of care it offers to children. [Read more about the Star-Quality Program.]
Both programs require a program assessment. This part of the licensing process is required for both Child Care Centers and for Family and Group Homes. An assessment (an on-site observation by a highly trained Assessor) evaluates many things. For example, it evaluates the interactions between the children and staff (to be sure that it is appropriate for the age of the children). It also examines the layout and use of space and rooms and looks at health and safety practices. It even makes sure that the program includes appropriate math, language, music, and art activities. For more information on assessments, see the All About Program Assessments page.
When a child care program receives its yearly license from DHS, it will receive a report card showing how it rated in specific areas and overall. (See the DHS site for example report cards.) Providers must post the report card for parents and visitors to see.
Providers who participate in the Star-Quality Child Care Program get a Star Report Card. It is more detailed and more colorful than the regular one. The Star Report Card lists every area that applies to the provider's program and the rating it earned in each one. It also shows the overall star rating—1, 2, or 3 stars. This Star Report Card lets parents know that the provider qualified for and is participating in the Star-Quality Child Care Program.
For more information about report cards, you can read the Tennessee Evaluation and Report Card program fact sheet [PDF] and the Star-Quality program fact sheet [PDF].
Program Updates
August 1, 2007, marks the beginning of program year 7 for the evaluation program. The start of a new program year is the desired time for changes to be made so that all providers will be assessed consistently across the state. Click here to read the new scoring information.
Providers who wish to request and pay for a reassessment to address any new or changed conditions that occurred since the date of the agency's last completed assessment no longer have to wait six months. The provider can make this request at any point after receiving their assessment results by contacting the local assessment unit supervisor for a "Provider Supported Reassessment Request" form and a "Provider Acknowledgment of Reassessment Terms" form. Once the completed forms are received, these forms are forwarded to the assessment director for approval and instructions for payment and scheduling.
As a response to provider feedback DHS is conducting two small exploratory studies this year. The first study seeks to give child care providers the information and tools they need to identify strengths and areas for improvement in their programs based on the previous year's assessment. Working with CCR&R and other partners providers will develop a program improvement plan and learn to self-assess a classroom using the Environment Rating Scales.
For the second study DHS has contracted with the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research & Public Service (UT SWORPS) to explore the possibility of creating a shortened, valid assessment tool for measuring childcare quality. How and when such a tool would be used is yet to be determined but is part of an ongoing commitment to work with providers and partners to develop new approaches and processes.
For family and group homes in Tennessee, the original staple bound Family Day Care Rating Scale (FDCRS) will continue to be used for assessments. The revised spiral bound version referred to as the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCRS) is not being used at this time. Therefore, please be sure to reference the staple bound copy FDCRS in planning for your assessment. If you do not have a copy of the FDCRS, one can be checked out from your local CCR &R.