Laurie Klug proudly pointed to the certificate hanging on the wall at the base of the stairs in her home. She placed it where anyone entering the child care center she operates could see it.

"This certificate is awarded to Precious Moments Childcare for participation in IDAHOSTARs Quality Rating and Improvement System. Five Stars," the certificate announced with a breakdown of the points she earned.

"This was really important to me. I really worked hard," Klug said as Ethan Christman, 4, and Marti Barrett, 5, listened to Jennifer Ross, Child Care Resource Center coordinator for the Panhandle Health District (PHD), read a story.

Precious Moments is the third child care center in the five northern counties to earn a STAR rating through the IdahoSTARS Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Five stars is the highest award.

IdahoSTARS works to improve delivery of child care services and quality of early childhood programs. The University of Idaho and Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children run the project. The state Dept. of Health and Welfare supplies the funding from the federal Child Care Development Block Grant.

QRIS goals are to improve the quality of child care and to reduce child abuse and neglect by strengthening families through education and connections to community resources.

The IdahoSTARS rating program is voluntary. Ross promotes it with all child care providers in the five northern counties and encourages parents to ask if their centers are in the program.

"If parents ask providers about it, more will see the need to be part of the program," she said. "It's a way to build their skills and improve their centers."

QRIS started last year. Child care centers and homes that participate conduct a self-study, create an improvement plan and work to implement the plan over time. During the process, they request grants for needed improvements and then earn a one-to five-star rating.

The rating is based on eight standards: environment, current education of the director and staff, on-going professional development, inclusion of children, programs to strengthen families, ratio, group size and business practices.

As a parent, Klug had sought ratings for child care centers years ago but had found none. She volunteered her center for the QRIS as soon as it became available.

"Idaho's child care regulations are so low," she said. "I want to show parents that there are those of us who go beyond the minimum required."

Precious Moments is licensed to take 12 children, but Klug generally takes six.

"That allows me more time with each child," she said.

"Laurie goes above and beyond the requirements for licensing," Ross said. "She's an accredited program through the National Association of Family Childcare and that's voluntary. There are not many in Idaho."

Klug worked with a mentor to earn her stars. Her mentor could see that Klug already did some of the items listed in her improvement plan and just needed proof. She helped Klug create a system with documentation.

Klug added 40 hours of business training to the associate's degree in child care she had already earned.

"It's a good process to go through," she says. "You notice areas where you're lacking and have opportunities to improve."

Her rating is good for three years and can be extended as she meets new goals. Fifteen other child care providers are working now toward their star ratings. For information on IdahoSTARS, visit www.idahostars.org or call Jennifer Ross at Panhandle Health District, 415-5145.