This month, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation announced it will award Nevada $1.5 million to improve a rating system that grades the quality of childcare centers. Reno Public Radio’s Anh Gray has more.
The Nevada Department of Education and a statewide nonprofit The Children’s Cabinetwill be working together to expand the five-star quality rating systemfor licensed childcare centers, family home providers and pre-K programs run by the school districts.
Patti Oya is with the state’s Office of Early Learning and Development. She says the rating system helps parents find good childcare for their young children.
“These early years are so important to their brain development, to their future success in school, to their future success in life,” Oya says.
Centers that volunteer to be rated receive coaching from trained staff at The Children’s Cabinet to set up a custom quality improvement plan.
“What are some small things they can make improvements on right away? What are some things they want to look at five years down the road, like changing a full playground, or changing a bathroom set-up, some of those bigger long-term goals,” Oya says.
There are about 450 licensed facilities in the state. Currently about 90 centers in the state have chosen to be ranked.
