Common Seeds to Success questions

This is the place to find answers to some common questions about Seeds to Success, Washington’s quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) currently in its field test year.

How do Quality Rating and Improvement Systems help families? Parents want to know their children are safe, healthy and having fun while in child care. Quality Rating and Improvement Systems offer information about high-quality child care providers to help parents find the right child care for their families. Children who are in high-quality child care are more likely to start school ready to succeed.

How do Quality Rating and Improvement Systems help child care providers? Child care providers are professionals who understand the importance of a child’s earliest years. Providers who choose to be a part of a QRIS get coaching and funding to improve the quality of care they offer to families. Plus, by being part of a QRIS, providers signal to parents that they are committed to offering high-quality child care.

Why are the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and Thrive by Five Washington field testing Seeds to Success?The 2007 Legislature gave DEL funding to design and pilot a statewide voluntary QRIS. DEL and Thrive by Five Washington are conducting a Modified Field Test of Seeds to Success, our QRIS, in five communities to learn what works about our state model and what we can improve.

What are the five communities and how were they chosen? The Legislature designated four communities in statute. After a review of proposals form a largely external review team, DEL selected a fifth community to ensure geographic representation from around the state. The five pilot communities are:

  • Spokane County
  • Kitsap County
  • East Yakima
  • White Center
  • Clark County

A sixth community, Pierce County, joined the pilot design phase as a privately funded community.

How was the Seeds to Success model built? DEL worked with the pilot communities around the state to design one statewide system. The communities gathered input from thousands of parents, child care providers and others to inform what the model would look like. DEL also used national research and “lessons learned” from other states with quality rating systems.

Is the model the same for both family home child care providers and child care centers? Yes. DEL wanted to design one statewide system that was easy to navigate for all child care providers, whether they offer care in their homes or in a center.

When will ratings for child care providers be available? During the Modified Field Test DEL will not post ratings for participating providers. Although ratings will not be posted during the Modified Field Test, parents will know that their child care program is committed to quality improvement and will learn more about specific elements of quality.

Can other communities participate in the Modified Field Test? Yes, other communities can volunteer to participate at their own expense. DEL wants to ensure that communities that are working on quality improvement efforts can align with the state model and share what they learn as well.

Why did DEL choose apple seeds as the symbol for Seeds to Success? We chose apple seeds because we believe the seeds to lifelong success are planted in a child’s earliest years. We know that children who are given a great start in life are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

We also chose one of Washington’s most visible symbols, the apple, because it symbolizes health, a basic need of our youngest residents that must be met in child care.

Do other states have quality rating systems? Yes. According to the National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center, at least 17 states have quality rating systems in place. Many more states are in the process of designing or field testing systems. View NCCIC’s list of state systems here.