HIGHEST QUALITY: STARS 3 & 4
STAR LEVEL 3
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Even more professional development and training hours than STAR 2 requires.
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Half of the staff have completed or are enrolled in credentialed programs or earning degrees.
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Learning materials are available for a large part of the day.
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Literacy activities, including reading to children, story telling, and encouraging written and verbal communication take place often during the day.​
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Increased parental involvement
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Written policies and procedures
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Implementation of a financial system, increased staff compensation, and benefits
Keystone STARS is a quality rating system.
Each designation has its own research-based performance standards. These standards measure three areas of child care that make a difference in the quality of care a child receives:
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the level of education and training of the staff by the center
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the physical environment your child attends each day
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the manner in which the center is operated
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As a facility moves from STAR 1 to STAR 4, the requirements increase.
STAR LEVEL 4
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Even more professional development and training hours than STAR 3 requires.​
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Two-thirds of the staff have completed or are enrolled in credentialed programs or earning degrees.
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Activities designed to encourage communication, both written and verbal, occur naturally in the day.
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Parental and community resources are used effectively in the delivery of quality child care.
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Business, organizational, and staff compensation practices are maximized
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Written policies and procedures
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A review of the facility by a nationally recognized environmental rating scale that indicates a high-quality score
Keystone STARS ratings vary by Kinder Academy location. Be sure to ask our site directors or review at http://www.pakeys.org