The Senate gave first-round approval yesterday to a five-star ranking system for child-care centers that’s similar to the one used for hotels and restaurants.
But the approval on a voice vote came only after senators narrowly defeated what the measure’s sponsor, Majority Leader Charlie Shields, said would have been a "killer amendment." That amendment, which failed by a 16-14 vote, would have required the state to spend more money to help families pay for child care before the rating system could be implemented.
Under that amendment, Missouri would have needed to raise its child-care state subsidy to the highest quarter of states before rating facilities. Shields, R-St. Joseph, said that idea effectively would have killed his bill because the state is far from that level.
Sen. Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, who offered it, said ranking facilities would prompt them to start competing for more stars, driving up the price and leaving fewer people able to afford higher quality child care.
Shields’ measure still needs another vote before moving to the House.
The child-care center rankings would be based on a model developed by the University of Missouri Center for Family Policy and Research. That system examines factors such as staff education and training, communication with family members through bulletin boards and newsletters and evaluations of the center’s education plans.
A state license would get centers a one-star ranking. Accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children would guarantee a center gets the highest five-star ranking.
The legislation would require a rating system be in place by September. Being ranked would be voluntary, except for child-care centers that are receiving aid to improve their facilities. Those facilities would need to be rated by July 2011.
Shields said many parents already do their own research to determine where to send their children and this bill would help them. "I would ultimately like to see the state have that done," he said.
But one bill critic said parents shouldn’t be relying on the state to tell them who should take care of their children. "It makes it easier for a parent to push that decision off on the state because the state will take care of it," said Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield. "I just need to pay my taxes and shut up."
Last year, Shields filed a similar bill. But this year’s measure backs off a provision that would have tailored the state reimbursement for child-care centers based on their ranking.
Rather than give high-ranked centers more money, this year’s bill requires a report in 2009 about how to implement such a program.
Shields said the state should reward facilities that are doing more to get children learning early.