RISING STARS FOR ME Q&A
Rising Stars for ME ResourcesI am a family child care program owner and have two staff working with me. I notice that their Levels on the MRTQ PDN Career Lattice do not count toward my rating with Rising Stars for ME. How can I include them in our program’s quality improvement process?
Because family child care programs are not required to have staff, the Rising Stars for ME Staffing and Professional Development requirements (Standard 3) addressing Career Lattice Levels do not include requirements for staff. Only the Program Owner must achieve...
I’m overwhelmed by the Rising Stars for ME Inclusive Practices Checklist. Where do I start?
In Standard 2: Program Evaluation, at Stars 3, 4, and 5 a program is required to complete all or parts of the Rising Stars for ME Inclusive Practices Checklist as part of the program’s overall Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan. At first glance, this document...
What is the process for renewing my program’s enrollment with Rising Stars for ME?
This is thinking ahead! It’s important to know that there is not a renewal process with Rising Stars for ME; programs must REAPPLY at the time of their license renewal or any time there is an anticipated rating change. Your Rising Stars for ME expiration date will...
I saw that the new Preschool Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards on demand training is available. Do I need to take that as a requirement for Rising Stars for ME?
MRTQ PDN is very excited to introduce the new, FREE, 8-hour, on demand Preschool Maine’s Early Learning and Development Standards (P-MELDS) training! This new training is included in the Rising Stars for ME Standards. Read the list below to see where you fit to...
Someone from the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) contacted me about a site visit. What is this?
Amber Taurasi at the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) is beginning to contact child care programs about conducting a site visit. Programs are randomly selected for a scheduled site visit to validate a program’s Rising Stars for ME application. These visits...
Our program has a focus on outdoor learning. How does that fit in with the Standards in Rising Stars for ME?
Rising Stars for ME is meant to be inclusive for all programs in Maine, no matter the size, philosophy, or location! If your program has a specific focus, such as outdoor learning, there are several ways you can demonstrate that in your Rising Stars for ME application...
My program currently has a Conditional License. How does this affect my rating with Rising Stars for ME?
Programs with a Conditional License must be enrolled with Rising Stars for ME to comply with licensing regulations. The rating given to programs with a Conditional License is Star 2 Restricted. This rating recognizes the program’s participation with Rising Stars for...
Do you have an update on when I’ll be able to change my program’s information about openings on Child Care Choices?
This is such a timely question! YES – those with Director of Record Access (DoRA) or DoRA Assistant can now update program openings and certain display information on Child Care Choices! Updates are made through the program’s Rising Stars for ME profile. Once the...
We’re coming up to the end of the program year and our program would like to be more intentional about our end-of-the year evaluations and surveys, so we can use them purposefully in our Continuous Quality Improvement Plan for Rising Stars for ME. And tips on where to start?
MRTQ PDN’s Quality Improvement Toolkits (QITs) for Center-based and Family Child Care Programs are a great place to start! These on-demand resources provide a detailed overview of what program evaluation is and how to plan for it in your program. You’ll find resources...
I received information about the new Quality Improvement Awards (QIA) for programs currently at Star 2 and I have questions about my Rising Stars for ME application and recommendations. Who should I contact?
Programs at Star 2 should have received information about MRTQ PDN’s new Quality Improvement Award process. (Note that information for all other programs will be available next month.) There have been many questions about this new process, including what programs are...