A Quality Rating and Improvement System, or QRIS, is a state-run framework that scores licensed child care and preschool programs on quality, usually on a one-to-five-star scale, and publishes the result so families can compare. Most US states operate one, per the federal Office of Child Care.
Sources used: Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), QRIS resource library 2024; QRIS National Learning Network, state framework summaries 2024; NAEYC (the National Association for the Education of Young Children) accreditation standards 2024; individual state licensing glossaries.
What does QRIS actually mean?
QRIS stands for Quality Rating and Improvement System. It is a voluntary, state-administered program that measures the quality of licensed daycare, family child care, and preschool, gives each participating program a rating, and offers coaching and grants to help it climb. The federal Office of Child Care (part of the Administration for Children and Families) reports that most states and territories run one, though the name and scale differ from state to state.
- Quality Rating
- A published score, often one to five stars, that signals how far a program exceeds the basic licensing floor.
- Improvement System
- The coaching, training, and financial support a state offers so programs can raise their rating over time.
- Licensing floor
- The mandatory health and safety minimums every program must meet. The lowest QRIS level usually equals "licensed and in good standing."
What does a QRIS rating measure?
A QRIS rating bundles several quality markers into one score. The exact mix varies by state, but the QRIS National Learning Network's review of state frameworks finds that most measure the same core areas: staff qualifications and training, child-to-staff ratios and group size, the learning environment and curriculum, family engagement, and program administration. Higher ratings reward programs that go well beyond licensing minimums in these areas.
| Quality area | What a higher rating typically requires |
|---|
| Staff qualifications | More teachers with early childhood degrees or a CDA credential, plus ongoing professional development. |
| Ratios and group size | Fewer children per adult than the state minimum, closer to NAEYC-recommended levels. |
| Learning environment | A documented curriculum and regular use of an observation tool such as the Environment Rating Scales. |
| Family engagement | Structured conferences, screenings, and communication with parents. |
| Administration | Stable management, staff benefits, and continuous quality-improvement planning. |
Source: QRIS National Learning Network, comparison of state quality frameworks 2024; NAEYC ratio recommendations 2024.
How should a parent use a QRIS rating?
Use the rating as a shortlist filter, not a final answer. A four- or five-star rating is a reasonable signal that a program has invested in trained staff and a real curriculum, per the rating criteria above. But it tells you nothing about whether your child will feel safe with a particular teacher, so pair the number with your own tour and your read of the room.
You can usually look up a program's rating on your state's QRIS website, often the same agency that handles licensing. If a program is unrated, ask why before you rule it out. Many strong programs simply have not finished the voluntary process, especially small family child care homes with limited administrative time.
Honest tradeoff. A QRIS rating is genuinely useful, but it is not the whole story. Participation is voluntary in many states, the criteria lean toward paperwork and credentials that a small home provider may lack, and a single star level can hide real differences between classrooms. A high rating earns a program a closer look. It does not replace one.
QRIS, licensing, and NAEYC accreditation: how they fit together
These three labels get confused constantly. A daycare license is mandatory and sets the legal floor. QRIS is usually voluntary and rewards programs that climb above that floor. NAEYC accreditation is a separate national quality seal, and many states award their top QRIS tier to NAEYC-accredited programs because the standards overlap. A program can be licensed but unrated, or licensed and five-star, or licensed, five-star, and NAEYC-accredited.
If you want the full picture before a tour, our guide to what a daycare license is and what NAEYC accreditation means cover the other two labels. For the bigger decision, start with our how to choose a daycare pillar and bring our free comparison checklist on every tour. You can also see typical daycare costs by city to set your budget.