Dori O’Brien, an associate teacher at the Children’s Learning Center (CLC), demonstrates a weather-related science experiment with students. The CLC and Project FREE preschool are Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan programs that recently earned a five star quality rating from Great Start to Quality.

The Children’s Learning Center, a program of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM), has received a five star quality rating from Great Start to Quality. The tiered quality rating system helps assess and improve child care and preschool programs to ensure early learning settings that prepare children to succeed in school and life. Great Start to Quality rates the level of quality of all licensed and registered child care and preschool programs in Michigan.

“Making sure we provide children in our care with the best possible experience is not only our job, it’s our privilege,” said Nicole Dixon, WRCNM Children’s Program Director. “By participating in Great Start to Quality we earn recognition for our hard work and the system also provides ongoing support and training so we can keep improving the quality of care we provide.” Both the Children’s Learning Center and Project FREE preschool which Dixon oversees earned the five star rating.

Most states have quality rating systems for child care and preschool either underway or in the works. The move comes as research shows learning begins at birth and high quality child care and preschool can help children succeed in school, work and life. In Michigan, programs and providers can earn between one and five stars, based on the number of state standards they meet. The ratings are posted at www.GreatStartToQuality.org.

“We’re impressed by the number of programs throughout Michigan that are committed to ensuring families have access to quaility child care and preschool and have made the choice to participate in Great Start to Quality,” said Sheri Butters, Great Start to Quality Director. “We look forward to working with them to make Michigan’s early learning system among the best in the nation.”

More than 60,000 Michigan families use www.GreatStartToQuality.org to search for child care.

“Not only can parents use the website to find high quality child care, but as a provider of that care, now we have access to ongoing training and opportunities to continuously work to improve the quality of our care,” said Dixon.

The ratings are an opportunity for the Children’s Learning Center and Project FREE preschool to share with the community the level of quality care offered. To learn more, contact the WRCNM main office at (231) 347-0067 or visit www.wrcnm.org.