Posted in Business Practice, DHHS / OCFS, QRIS

March 27th ~ Rising Stars is a GO!

Posted on by fccamaine

From Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) ~

The transition to Rising Stars for ME will occur automatically on the evening of March 26, 2023. The Child Care Choices website will be updated accordingly. Programs will automatically be categorized into the Star Rating system as follows:

  • Current Quality for ME Step 1 programs will become a 2 Star program in Rising Stars for ME
  • Current Quality for ME Step 2 programs will become a 3 Star program in Rising Stars for ME
  • Current Quality for ME Step 3 programs will become a 4 Star program in Rising Stars for ME
  • Current Quality for ME Step 4 programs will become a 5 Star program in Rising Stars for ME

All programs will have a minimum of six months to meet all Standards to maintain their Star rating.

The new Rising Stars for ME certificates will reflect updated certificate expiration dates as follows:

  • If the current Quality for ME certificate expires between 3/27/23 and 9/29/2023, the new Rising Stars expiration date will be 9/29/2023.
  • If the current Quality for ME certificate expires after 9/29/2023, the new Rising Stars expiration date will align with the program’s license expiration date
  • At the time of the initial Rising Stars Certificate expiration date, programs that do not meet the standards to maintain the Star rating will be moved to the Star rating that reflects the standards that the program has met. 

Additional information and resources can be found on OCFS’s Rising Stars for ME webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact Amber Taurasi, Early Childcare and Education Quality Specialist, at (207) 626-8684 or Amber.Taurasi@maine.gov.

Rising Stars for ME Website (Available Monday, March 27th)

Author:

FCCAM works to unify, promote and strengthen quality professional family child care in Maine. We understand the critical role of child care providers in the lives of children and families. Through collaboration with other organizations we work to increase awareness of our profession and the value of a strong child care system to Maine's diverse communities.