Quality Counts Consortium 

Purpose 
This Consortium serves as the collaborative and community-based advisory body and guiding force for Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) implementation to support high-quality, early education programs in Santa Barbara County. For more informaiton visit: 

Santa Barbara County Quality Counts 

Importance of Early Childhood Education 
High-quality early learning and care programs can have a lifelong, postive impact on young children and their families. The first five years of a child's life are the most crucial in their development, and it is important that children have the most supportive learning environment possible during that critical time. Research shows that children who attend quality early-learning and care programs are more likely to succeed in school and less likely to drop out, need remedial education, or end up in prison. 

Quality Counts is based on California’s Quality Improvement System (CA-QIS), which supports and rewards child care providers for offering high-quality care and helps parents understand quality. Participating Quality Counts child care and preschool programs exceed state licensing standards and choose to be evaluated, make improvements, and measure those improvements every year. They achieve a star rating that indicates the level of quality the facility provides for children and families, much like the star ratings given to hotels and restaurants. The standards reflect what we know is good for children and prepares them for school.

FOR PARENTS: 
Quality Counts helps parents find a child care or preschool provider that makes quality a priority and optimally supports children’s healthy development.

FOR EDUCATORS:
Quality Counts connects child care and preschool providers with parents who are searching for quality care in Santa Barbara County while offering a clear path towards quality improvement.