Committee Questions Ratings Plan for Daycare Centers
"If you starve a two-star (daycare center), how do they get the resources to become a four-star?" said Rep. Kitty Rhoades, voicing concern about the governor's daycare rating system. DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman said 85 percent of state daycare providers provide inadequate services.
"Our goal is not to have a bell curve where we have the same number of lower level as top level providers," Gassman said, explaining that the state's goal was to improve the state of day care.
Rep. Scott Jensen argued that the state should have an appeals process for daycare providers who want to dispute their rating. "The comfort level of some of the people in this building will rise if you have an appeals process in place," Jensen said, pointing out a poor rating could ruin a business. Gassman said an appeals process is being worked out.
