HB 387 -- Quality Rating System for Child Care Facilities

Sponsor:  Cooper

This bill requires the Department of Social Services, in
collaboration with the departments of Health and Senior Services,
Elementary and Secondary Education, and Mental Health, to develop
by September 1, 2009, a quality rating system for early childhood
and before- and after-school programs that are licensed by the
Department of Social Services.  Licensing will be the baseline
rating, with the highest rating being accreditation.  The
Department of Social Services must use the model developed by the
University of Missouri Center for Family Policy and Research to
establish the rating system.  The rating system will allow an
individual to evaluate and select high-quality programs, create
an accountability system for policymakers and funders, and guide
providers through a system of ever increasing levels of quality
with specific outcomes for child care.

By July 1, 2012, the Coordinating Board for Early Childhood
within the Children's Services Commission must develop a plan for
a tiered rating system of reimbursement for child care subsidies
based on the rating system for licensed facilities that receive
funding or services to improve the quality of their program.  By
December 31, 2010, a proposed plan with recommendations for
implementation of the reimbursement system must be submitted to
the General Assembly.  The plan will only become effective after
authorization by the General Assembly.

The bill creates the Quality Rating System Program Improvement
Fund to be administered by the Department of Social Services to
provide grants directly to licensed providers to make quality
improvements to comply with the rating system or to community-
based organizations assisting providers with the improvements.
Grants must be awarded in a geographically diverse manner.
Moneys in the fund will consist of donations, gifts, transfers,
bequests, and appropriations from the General Assembly.

The Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the
departments of Health and Senior Services, Mental Health, and
Elementary and Secondary Education, will be responsible for
collecting, developing, and distributing resource materials to
educate the public and early childhood and before- and
after-school programs in Missouri about the quality rating system
and posting the ratings on the Missouri Child Care Resource and
Referral Network web site by December 31, 2012.

The provisions regarding the child care quality rating system
will expire six years from the effective date.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am