What is Keystone STARS?

Keystone STARS (Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources, and Supports) is Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a continuous quality improvement systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs. Keystone STARS is a program of Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).

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Keystone STARS

UPDATE - Announcement ELRC 22-04: 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development has released the Announcement ELRC 22-04, 2022 Keystone STARS Performance Standards and Program Manual. The Announcement provides the 2022 updated Keystone STARS Performance Standards, Program Manual, and corresponding resource documents.

Guiding Principles

Keystone STARS is a responsive system to improve, support, and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania. The Keystone STARS system is guided by three core principles:

A whole-child approach to education is essential to meeting the holistic and individual needs of each and every child and family.
Knowledgeable and responsive early care and education professionals are essential to the development of children and the support of families.
Building and sustaining ongoing positive relationships among children, families, early care and education professionals and community stakeholders is essential for the growth and development of every child.

We believe inclusion, diversity, equity and respect are foundational values embedded in these principles.

Primary Goals

Keystone STARS has four primary goals:

To improve the quality of early care and education;
To support early care and education providers in meeting their quality improvement goals;
To recognize programs for continuous quality improvement and meeting higher quality standards; and
To provide families a way to choose a quality early care and education program.

OCDEL’s Keystone STARS Program supports all early care and education programs to improve program quality. We encourage programs to think about the Keystone STARS Performance Standards as a tool to support continuous quality improvement (CQI) that impacts services to the children and families in your care.

Keystone STARS – Improving the quality through:

Standards
Training/Professional Development
Assistance,
Resources and
Support

For more information, please visit The Pennsylvania Key.

Contact Us About STARS

Keystone STARS inquiries from certified Child Care Providers can be directed to:

Kathy Hanley - Stars Quality Manager ELRC Region 3

Phone: (412) 292-5029

Email: khanley@earlylearningconnections.org

Serving Region 3: Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana & Lawrence Counties