Program meets the basic health and safety requirements required by New Mexico Child Care Licensing Regulations.

Program meets Star 2 criteria and sets goals to improve program quality. Staff have completed required trainings focused on child development and the program ensures health and social relationship promotion and developmental screenings are completed for all children and shared with parents/caregivers, children’s development is observed, documented, and shared with families.

Program meets Star 3 criteria and has lower group size and teacher child ratios. Staff have completed more required training and education and directors have completed required training. The program sets additional goals to improve quality and uses lesson plan to document reflections.

Program meets all Star 4 criteria and has lower group size and teacher child ratios, and the director holds the New Mexico Child Development Certificate or ECECD Equivalency. The program is actively engaged in continuous quality improvement, consistently using data to inform planning and decision-making. Programs that receive national accreditation from ECECD approved organizations are also recognized as Star 5 quality.