YoungStar for Providers

teacher with children

The education and nurturing care you provide to children and families has a huge impact on their lives. Maintaining a safe, healthy space for children to learn and grow takes hard work and dedication. YoungStar is here to help every step of the way.

YoungStar is designed to help Wisconsin’s child care providers be as successful as possible. Our 5 Star rating system gives providers like you an objective measure of program quality. It rewards excellence and offers programs a clear and continuous path to improvement. We offer training programs, technical assistance, coaching, and other resources to help providers achieve real progress.

DCF partners with Shine Early Learning to administer the YoungStar program. Additional resources are available at YoungStar Connect.

Tips to Achieve Your Highest Possible Rating

Continually Improve

YoungStar-rated child care programs undergo an evaluation process specific to each program's size and structure. How a program meets specific criteria determines how many stars they receive. Since a program's rating is renewed every other year, programs can earn more stars as they continually improve the quality of care they provide.

YoungStar rates a provider around four important areas of care:

  • The child care staff’s education and training
  • The learning environment and curriculum
  • The program's business and professional practices
  • The child's health and well-being

Discover more about the YoungStar rating criteria.