S291 - Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) - Star Rating System Reform. (SL 2023-40)

Overview: Section 1.(a) of S.L. 2023-40 extends the expiration date of Section 2 of S.L. 2021-127 from June 30, 2023, until June 30, 2026. This section pertains to awarding QRIS "education points" to a licensed child care facility toward its star rating. The change extends lowering the criteria from 75% to 50% of lead teachers in the program required to meet the "rated licensed education points".

Section 1.(b) of S.L. 2023-40 extends the expiration date of Section 1 of S.L. 2021-127 from six months after the expiration of Executive Order 116 (February 15, 2023) until June 30, 2024. This section pertains to the Division of Child Development and Early Education, Department of Health and Human Services, resuming Environmental Rating Scale (ERS) assessments that would cause a child care facility to lose a star rating due to a facility's loss and inability to replace similarly qualified educators.

Section 2 of S.L. 2023-40 requires the North Carolina Child Care Commission to complete recommendations for QRIS/Star Rating reform by March 31, 2024, and submit those recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services before the 2024 legislative session begins. Those recommendations must include accreditation from a national early childhood education accreditation organization as an alternative path to earning a star rating equivalent to the accreditation requirements.

This act became effective June 12, 2023.