Keystone STARS Child Care Quality Ratings for Pennsylvania Families
Keystone STARS is Pennsylvania's quality rating and improvement system for child care and early learning programs, run by the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). It gives families a way to see how a program rates before you enroll your child.
Child care and Head Start programs in Keystone STARS earn a STAR 1 to STAR 4 rating based on quality standards that measure staff education, meaning early childhood teachers have the training and knowledge for working with young children; the classroom and learning environment, meaning the program has a variety of materials and activities for each age level; including families and the community in the child's learning progress; and leadership and management, meaning sound business practices to ensure your child's safety and early learning. As programs earn more STARS, they are providing higher quality early education for your child.
At a Keystone STARS program you can expect a Department of Human Services Certificate of Compliance for child care centers, or a Certificate of Registration for family child care homes; a comfortable place where your child can explore and learn; laughing, reading and talking which builds language skills; teachers who continue to learn new ways to help your child thrive; a safe, healthy and exciting place; music, art, science and play activities that increase school preparedness; and families involved in the program and their child's development.
To find rated programs, use the state provider search at compass.state.pa.us and click "Find a Provider" to choose what you are looking for in a program. You can select by things like your child's age, your location, if you need access to public transportation, and how many STARS each program has. When your search results come up, look for the STAR level listed with each program.
Your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) can also help you find a Keystone STARS provider. You can find yours at raiseyourstar.org and search by county or zip code.
For general questions, PA Promise for Children, the campaign that publishes this information for families, lists a general contact of 717-213-2077 and papromise@pakeys.org.
The page does not say whether anything costs money to use, and it does not give hours for the phone line, so ask when you call.
Source: papromiseforchildren.com/keystone-stars, read September 18, 2026.
The details
In The Pennsylvania Key’s words
Keystone STARS can help you understand the quality of a child care/ early learning program. Keystone STARS rates child care programs from one to four STARS on things you care about. Child care and Head Start programs within Keystone STARS earn a STAR 1 to STAR 4 rating based on quality standards that measure: Staff education: Early childhood teachers have the training and knowledge for working with young children Classroom/Learning environment: The program has a variety of materials and…
Organization
The Pennsylvania Key
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from papromiseforchildren.com/keystone-stars. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.