An Actionable Federal Framework to Promote QRIS in the States

This 2009 brief presents nine short- and long-term steps the Federal government can take to support State developments of effective quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS). QRIS are systemic strategies to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early care and education programs. QRIS can be helpful to guide decisions on how to target resources, focus dollars on results, streamline administration, and build quality. It is suggested that QRIS should include three components: (1) staff qualifications and professional development, (2) participation in some form of observational assessment, and (3) alignment with State early learning standards.