Our Story
The North Carolina Star Rated License was established in 1999 to better define the quality of child care in the state and to assist parents in choosing child care. The North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) awards the Star Rated License to child care centers, family child care homes, and school-age programs. Programs can choose between three different pathways towards star ratings, based on their program priorities. Pathway 1: Program assessment requires official assessments at higher star levels. It is in this area that Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-3, ITERS-3, FCCERS-3, & SACERS-U) and the School-Age Program Quality Assessment with Supplemental Scales (SAPQA) are used. Child care programs with higher assessment scores can earn more stars. The NC Pre-K program also requires ECERS-3 assessments for funded classrooms in Pathway 1 and Pathway 2.
Our Mission
NCRLAP’s mission is to promote the quality of child care by consistently and reliably assessing environments for the North Carolina Star Rated License. We collaborate with professionals in the early childhood education field to foster the development and learning of young children. Our highly trained staff collect and use information to provide resources and training contributing to the professional development of individuals working with young children and families. Through our ongoing research and innovations, we strive to inform and influence early childhood education systems and practices not only in North Carolina but also beyond.
Racial Equity Position Statement
For far too long, racial injustices and discrimination have existed within our society. Racism is unjust and will not be tolerated by our organization. In response to a long-standing history of systemic and institutional inequities, we have begun the process of understanding the manifestations of systemic racism in our work and commit to actions that promote equity in the Early Child Care and Education community.
We will:
- commit to supporting people of color and placing value on their ideas and perspectives
- foster a learning environment for our staff to examine racial equity issues and bias in our work as an ongoing process, including in procedures, practices, training, and resources
- work to identify, address, and resolve bias toward any individual, program, or organization in contact with or served by NCRLAP
We believe these actions are a foundation for a vibrant organization in which people of diverse perspectives and backgrounds create, access, and share relationships and resources equitably.
NCRLAP’s Racial Equity Position Statement aligns with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the state's early childhood education oversight agency, and professional early childhood organizations such as:
