May 16, 2014 2 min read

The Village in California boosted its rating in Pennsylvania’s Keystone STARS program and has been recognized with a STAR 4A designation.

The Village provides child-care services for about 45 children 6 weeks old to pre-kindergarten, plus before and after-school care and school-age summer programs.

To achieve a STAR 4 rating, The Village had to meet and maintain research-based standards for program quality.

For example, at least half of lead teachers in STAR 4 centers and group child-care homes must have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, complete 24 hours of continuing professional development each year and conduct an assessment of each child’s development three times a year.

Additionally, The Village also must hold accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Keystone STARS is a rating system that offers families a way to evaluate the quality of child-care programs so that they can make an informed decision that best suits their needs, as well as the needs of their children. As STAR levels increase, so do the requirements for meeting higher standards of quality. Keystone STARS also provides training to advance staff education, technical assistance to help programs meet STAR-level requirements and targeted financial supports for continued quality improvements.