Vermont Official State Website
CDD Blog

Find Out More about STARS Changes!

17 May 2019

The Child Development Division is changing the STep Ahead Recognition System (STARS) for all child care, preschool and afterschool programs.  In this announcement you will find:

For information about why and how the division is changing STARS visit our website at https://dcf.vermont.gov/childcare/providers/stars/evolution.  Working with the STARS Evolution and Oversight Committees, the Division is proposing changes to STARS. These changes are happening in two phases:
 
Phase 1: The division has proposed changes to the STARS rules to remove the regulatory history component, with a plan to make this effective in the September of 2019 if approved in the regulatory review process. This will streamline STARS for most new programs and eliminate an application process to have one star. All programs that currently are not participating in STARS will be automatically in STARS at the one star level. The hearings on this change were held in May, and more information once available will be posted on the website: https://dcf.vermont.gov/childcare/providers/stars/evolution#Phase_1
 
Phase 2: The division is using the information gathered in the evaluation and validation study to develop changes to the structure of and requirements in STARS.

Information and Feedback Sessions are scheduled! The list of dates and locations is available here: https://dcf.vermont.gov/sites/dcf/files/CDD/Proposed/STARS/STARS_Evolutions_Spring_2019_Inperson_opportunities.pdf

Coming soon:

  • A survey to collect feedback on the proposed changes
  • A survey specifically for every child care, preschool and afterschool programs to complete. The survey will help the division determine the areas of the proposal that programs will achieve easily and those that programs will need supports to achieve.

 
We recognize changes to STARS will impact regulated childcare programs and want to ensure you have the information you need about this change. We are also looking at how we can support providers through these changes and how to most smoothly make the transitions.
 
More information will be posted on the STARS section of the CDD webpage; and we will post updates to the process and answers to frequently asked questions about the evolution of STARS on a webpage: https://dcf.vermont.gov/childcare/providers/stars/evolution
    
In addition, we have created a Facebook group specifically for child care providers in Vermont. We will be posting information and hosting conversations about the STARS change in that group. We invite you to become a member here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/751690461852182/
 
Thank you,
 
Melissa Riegel-Garrett
Policy Director