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Keystone STARS: CENTER STANDARDS UPDATED! Click here...
Pennsylvania’s quality initiative to assist in improving quality through Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources and Support is called Keystone STARS. The Keystone STARS standards build on the foundation of Pennsylvania’s certification guidelines. The standards were based on research-based best practices, which promote quality learning environments for all children. The program has four STARS levels, each building on the prior level.
The standards measure four areas:
- Professional Development
- Learning Environment
- Leadership and Management
- Family and Community Partnerships
Early Learning and School-Age programs participating in Keystone STARS have a certificate posted at their site. For a complete list of current programs participating in Keystone STARS, visit http://www.pakeys.org
For more information on the Keystone STARs Program, please see the PDFs and video link below
Click here to view a video about the Keystone STARs Program.
Community Engagement
The Regional Key provides funds to local communities to form Community Engagement and Education Groups (sometimes referred to as the CEG). The goals of these groups include:
- To develop and implement a community outreach plan to educate and foster relationships with parents, government, businesses, schools, and the early learning community about issues in early learning such as Pennsylvania's Promise for Children, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, Keystone STARS, and Child Care Works.
* To be the county point of contact for Pennsylvania's Promise for Children materials. - To develop relationships between school districts and early learning programs and other community stakeholders to develop a community action plan which will ensure successful kindergarten transitions for children;
- To create and distribute a Report Card to the Community detailing the activities and outcomes of the CEG;
- To appropriately leverage resources and support in the community; and
- Work with the Regional Key to implement the Regional Plan that has been created.
