STARS Eligibility

Keystone STARS Eligibility Requirements – Making the Commitment to Quality

All participating early care and education programs can receive technical assistance to support continuous quality improvement. Certified and compliant programs are welcomed to Keystone STARS by receiving STAR 1 designation. Programs such as Early Head Start and Head Start programs and Pennsylvania Department of Education Private Academic Preschools are not required to be certified by the Department of Human Services, but are eligible to participate in Keystone STARS.

Eligibility Requirements

• The child care program holds a current, full Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Human Services;
• The program holds a current private preschool academic license from Pennsylvania’s Department of Education; and
• The program is in good standing with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Revenue.

Support is available to help providers become compliant with Certification regulation. If you have questions about compliance, contact your Certification Representative at your local Regional Office.

If you have questions regarding eligibility for Keystone STARS, contact your local Early Learning Resource Center (visit www.raiseyourstar.org and search by county or zip code).

The first step on a program’s continuous quality improvement (CQI) journey is connecting with a Quality Coach at the local Early Learning Resource Center (visit www.raiseyourstar.org and search by county or zip code). Quality Coaches are available to help identify a program’s strengths and opportunities for growth. All programs hoping to advance through STAR levels should begin with making a connection with your most supportive resource – your Quality Coach.

• Apply to be a Private Academic Preschool.
• Apply to be a DHS certified child care by contacting your regional center of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. This map shows a list of counties within each region.