Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS)
The QRIS system directly relates the quality of child care provided to the
corresponding center, home, or facility. Understanding how the score relates to quality will help families choose which facility best fits the needs of their child and family.
QRIS is designed to score two (2) different areas of quality on a quarterly basis for a total of four (4) visits. The total score possible for each visit is 100. Upon completion of the fourth visit the four (4) scores are averaged to determine the overall score for the child care agency. This score is displayed at the agency or home.
These two (2) broad quality components are: Health and Safety and Teacher-Child Interactions
Child Care Score Card
The quality of child care has a direct impact on a child's ability to learn, to build healthy relationships, and to become the best they can be. The critical decision of where to place their child is often difficult and confusing for parents. Because the quality of child care and a positive future for our children depends on parents having tools necessary for making informed choices for their family, the Department of Human Services is helping parents with this very important decision through Tennessee's Child Care Report Card System.
Under Tennessee's Child Care Report Card System new QRIS, every licensed child care agency must undergo an annual quarterly evaluation and post a report score card of the results. Agencies are required to post their report score card with their renewal license where parents can clearly see them inside the agency. The Report Score Card system is mandatory provided to for all licensed providers following the completion of all four quarterly visits, after receiving a continuous license status from the agency’s Licensing Consultant. An agency must be opened for one(1) year before it is assessed.
The score card contains the agency's rating for each of the two components: 1) Health and Safety and 2) Teacher-Child Interactions. Thi is applicable to all licensed child care centers and group family child care homes.
The official copy of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) and child care licensing rules can be found on the Secretary of State's Website.