RISING STARS FOR ME Q&A

This is a great question, and is related to Rising Stars for ME. Behind the scenes, many of the databases used by licensed programs are connected and “talk” to each other – this is the case with Rising Stars for ME and Child Care Choices.  When families search Child...

After you complete your program’s Rising Stars for ME application, you will be brought to a page listing your program’s current Star rating at each Standard, along with the requirements needed to reach the next Star. You should review these before clicking to the...

Starting a new program involves a lot of paperwork, applications, and organization. It’s helpful to review the Rising Stars for ME Standards and resources early in the process, so you can keep in mind what documents you might need on hand to add to your E-Portfolio. ...

It’s tax time, which can often lead to confusion for families with questions about Maine’s Dependent Care State Tax Credit. Here’s the language from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) with added context: The Maine legislature passed a law that...

It can be confusing and frustrating to have to enroll in so many systems that assign “ratings” or put you on a “lattice.” What are the differences? And what do the ratings mean? Let’s break it down.  The Maine Roads to Quality Registry:  This is a system that assigns...

The transition to Rising Stars for ME was completed at the end of March 2023. Since then, programs have renewed or applied on the Rising Stars for ME website. The Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) thanks everyone for your engagement! OCFS is now looking to...

This is a common question, and we understand that it can be confusing! Rising Stars for ME is Maine’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). As a program, it is operated as a partnership between Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network (MRTQ PDN)...

Infant Toddler Maine Early Learning and Development Standards (IT MELDS) and Maine Early Learning and Development Standards (MELDS) trainings are required at Star 3 in Standard 1: Learning Environment and Developmentally Appropriate Practice with Rising Stars for...

This week we’ll continue our discussion of how a program should reapply with Rising Stars for ME. See last week’s Tip of the Week for the first part of this topic.  We understand that the E-Portfolio can take time to put together. At the same time, considering that...

This is thinking ahead! It’s important to know that there is not a renewal process with Rising Stars for ME; programs must REAPPLY at the time of their license renewal or any time there is an anticipated rating change.  Once you have completed your program’s initial...