Southwest Florida Stars
Southwest Florida Stars is voluntary Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) used to improve and communicate the level of quality in early childhood programs. Southwest Florida Stars rates child care centers and family child care homes through a process of site visits and off-site data collection resulting in a 1 to 5 star rating.
| 1st Year? | wdt_ID | Center Name | Star Rating | City | Zip Code | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | 2 | Guadalupe Center | 5 | Immokalee | 34142 | Visit |
| No | 3 | Joseph H. Messina Children’s Center | 5 | Fort Myers | 33907 | Visit |
| No | 4 | Lois Kendrick Large Family Child Care Home | 4 | Fort Myers | 33916 | |
| No | 7 | The Children’s Learning Center at FSW | 5 | Fort Myers | 33919 | Visit |
| No | 8 | The Community Children's Center | 5 | Lehigh Acres | 33936 | Visit |
| No | 9 | The Learning Tree of Fort Myers | 5 | Fort Myers | 33908 | Visit |
| No | 10 | Children's Garden of Labelle | 5 | Labelle | 33935 | Visit |
| No | 11 | Harlem Academy | 5 | Clewiston | 33440 | Visit |
| No | 14 | Peace Lutheran Early Learning Center | 5 | Naples | 34120 | Visit |
| No | 16 | Kid City Early Learning Academy | 4 | Labelle | 33935 | Visit |
| 1st Year? | Center Name | Star Rating | City | Zip Code | Website |
Quality Standards
- SWFL Stars Ratings (2018- 2019)
- SWFL Stars Brochure
- SWFL Stars Application (2019-2020)
- SWFL Stars Guidebook (2018 – 2019)
- SWFL Stars – Centers (7-16-19)
- SWFL Stars – Family Child Care Homes (7-16-19)
- TS Gold Demonstration Site Registration Form
Provider Worksheets
Providers may use the following worksheets to help track information to show how staff and the program are meeting the SWFL Stars Quality Standards.
Scoring Worksheets
These sheets will be used by ELC of SWFL Quality Mentors to conduct site visits and document reviews, which will determine a program’s star rating. Providers may use them to determine their own preliminary star rating if they wish to do so, but they are not required to be completed by providers.
- SWFL Stars Score Sheet -Centers (7-16-2019)
- SWFL Stars PD & SQ Scoring Rubric – Centers (7-16-2019)
- SWFL Stars Score Sheet – FCCH (7-16-2019)
SWFL Stars FAQ
Child Care Providers who participate in the QRIS:
- Provide safe and welcoming environments
- Understand that learning begins at birth
- Offer a variety of appropriate activities through which children learn and grow
- Engage children in fun, 'hands-on' learning experiences
- Involve parents and families as their child's first teacher
- Are dedicated to offering the best in quality child care
- Are involved in the on-going evaluation of their program
- Are committed to program improvement
- Are knowledgeable in early child education best practices
- Free program quality assessments
- Specialized trainings for providers on ITERS/ ECERS/FCCERS and CLASS
- On-site, personalized support provided by ELC Quality Mentors
- Specialized trainings for Directors
- Access to educational scholarships
- Discounted CEUs
- Quality improvement resources
- Memberships to professional early childhood organizations
- Community recognition
Child care facilities that choose to participate in Southwest Florida Stars are evaluated based on six quality categories:
- Health and Safety
- Professional Development and Staff Qualifications
- Learning Environment and Classroom Interactions
- Screening, Assessment and Curriculum
- Family and Community Relationships
- Professional Responsibility
Child Care Providers that are current School Readiness or VPK Providers may volunteer to participate by completing an application.
For more information on the QRIS, contact: Brenda Griffin Phone: 239-935-6179 E-mail: brenda.griffin@elcofswfl.orgSpanish QRIS Documents
