Talking Points for Directors – Keystone STARS and Continuous Quality Improvement
The Keystone STARS Performance Standards call for the director to meet with staff to explain Keystone STARS and the program’s ongoing
continuous quality improvement (CQI), and Professional Development. This document provides some talking points for the meeting.
Keystone STARS

Describe the reasons why your program is involved with the STARS program and the goals that you want to achieve. For example,
does participation in Keystone STARS help you reach your organization’s mission? Is your program working toward higher levels of
quality to improve outcomes for children in your program? Will it help brand your program as a quality early learning programs
with qualified staff, rather than being portrayed as babysitters?

Explain the STARS Performance Standards. It may be useful to split this discussion into the four areas covered by the Performance
Standards: Staff Qualifications and Professional Development, Learning Program, Community and Family Involvement, and
Leadership and Management.

Discuss the impact that STARS participation has on your program and the practitioners who work there, including a discussion of
the documents that the teacher may use (tools from the Worksheets, ERS information, and documents for curriculum,
observations, and assessment).

Specifically, include a discussion of the impact of STARS and the Performance Standards on the curriculum, daily activities,
and communication with families.

Discuss the direct benefits that program and staff will receive from participating in Keystone STARS, such as grants to
purchase additional equipment, learning materials, financial aid for staff to return to school; or resources for additional
staff benefits and compensation.

Discuss the larger benefits of Keystone STARS on the early care and education field. Explain that Keystone STARS is part of
Pennsylvania’s quality early education continuum, and that participation in Keystone STARS helps raise the bar of quality early
learning throughout the field and improves outcomes for children and families.

Explain why staff should always take advantage of opportunities to talk to families about the benefits that STARS quality. Discuss
examples on how to talk to families about what quality is and how it benefits both children and the community. Talking about the
benefits of STARS quality should be an integral and recurring topic of Community and Family Involvement for all staff.
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
CQI is the process of identifying, describing and analyzing strengths and next steps for program improvement and then testing,
implementing, learning from and revising solutions. Since CQI is an ongoing process by which an organization makes decisions and
evaluates progress, explaining the process to staff members will encourage their buy-in.
Explaining the philosophy behind CQI

The CQI philosophy is that most things can be improved. The goal is to provide the best possible services to clients – the children
and families that are served. CQI goes beyond meeting basic health and safety needs.

CQI is grounded in the overall mission, vision and values of your organization. Perhaps most importantly, CQI is dependent on the
active inclusion of staff, families, children and other quality partners (stakeholders) at all levels.
Answering “Why CQI Is Important?”

The key to CQI lies in acknowledging and treating those closest to the work (staff, parents, children and other stakeholders) as the
“true experts.”

Those who are closest to the work are the ones who are actively engaged in assessing the program and making improvements
based on those assessments.

Most problems are found in the way things are done not in the people who are involved. There is no blame – the purpose is to
improve the way things are done.

It is possible to achieve higher levels of quality by using the continuous quality improvement model to make small incremental
changes.

Continuous quality improvement is most effective when it is a natural part of the way everyday work is done.

There some helpful information and a CQI virtual guide located at:
http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=CQI%20Resources
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The Continuous Quality Improvement Process

Develop a shared vision - Define what you want to achieve.

Include staff in developing a shared picture of the future. This fosters commitment rather than compliance.

Plan - Define and analyze the current process. Ask:
 What is working? Can these be improved?
 What is the problem or challenge? What do we want to change?
 What is the current process?
 What needs improvement?

Do - Develop an improvement plan and implement the plan. Ask:
 What do we want to have happen?
 What changes need to be made?
 How will we know if our plan was successful?

Study - Study the results. Ask:
 How is the process working?
 Was our plan successful?
 What still needs improvement?

Act - Incorporate changes and improvements into the process.
 Write/revise policies that support the changes.
Professional Development
Explaining the Importance of Professional Development
One indicator of high quality programs is the employment of a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge, and
professional commitment necessary to promote children's learning and development and to support families' diverse needs and interests.
Children benefit most when their teachers have high levels of formal education and specialized early childhood professional preparation.
Teachers who have specific preparation, knowledge, and skills in child development and early childhood education are more likely to
engage in warm, positive interactions with children, offer richer language experiences, and create more high-quality learning environments.
Opportunities for teaching staff to receive supportive supervision and to participate in ongoing professional development ensure that their
knowledge and skills reflect the profession's ever-changing knowledge base.
What is Professional Development and Where to Find It
PA Keys to Professional Development is a comprehensive, statewide career development system for practitioners serving children and
families. It aims to strengthen early childhood and school-age programs through the development of a well-qualified, skilled, and diverse
workforce. Log in at www.pakeys.org to access the Calendar or Self-Learning sections to view the latest learning opportunities.
Professional Development information is also provided through several email news channels, offered to subscribers at
http://paprom.convio.net/signup.
This career development and quality improvement system provides a wide variety of professional development opportunities and on-going
support to practitioners in order to improve outcomes for children in early childhood and school age programs. It is a clearly articulated
framework, also called a Career Lattice, that defines pathways, which are tied to certification, leading to qualifications and credentials, and
addresses the needs of individuals and adult learners. Elements of the framework include a core body of knowledge, qualifications and
credentials, quality assurances, access and outreach, and funding. For more information go to:
http://www.pakeys.org/pages/get.aspx?page=Career_Requirements
Program improvements are designed to:

Strengthen the capacity to support children’s development and learning.

Increase positive outcomes for all Pennsylvania children in all early childhood and school-age settings.

Enhance the overall quality of early childhood and school-age programs through education and training of its workforce.

Establish and implement a professional development system for early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers based
on levels of training and education.

Create, promote and coordinate a clear career pathway for professionals working with children, birth through third grade, in all
out-of-home early learning settings.
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
Ensure that all early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers are well-prepared to nurture, educate, and meet the
needs of children and families.

Everyone is a stakeholder when it comes to high quality programs for children and families. Facilitate communication,
collaboration and participation among all key stakeholders concerned with early childhood and school-age professional
development.

Develop and implement a statewide system of on-going evaluation and quality assurances.

Coordinate and maintain a system of information, resources and technical assistance for the early childhood and school-age
professionals.

Enhance public recognition of early childhood and school-age practitioners and providers as professionals.
For more information on Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality Professional Development System, please visit the PA Keys website at
www.pakeys.org or contact your STAR Manager for assistance.
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