Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ)
Indiana’s Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) system is a voluntary program that provides ratings for child care and early education providers throughout the state.
Program Description
Indiana uses a child care Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) known as Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ). The Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) system rates the quality of child care providers across the state. When using the Child Care Finder on the Family and Social Service Administration (FSSA) website, you can search for providers who meet the desired quality rating.
Learn more about the Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) program on the Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) website.
Levels of Quality
The Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) system has four Levels of Quality for child care providers, as mentioned on the Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) Levels of Quality web page:
Level 4 – National Accreditation
Level 4 programs are the highest rated programs and have demonstrated a commitment to the highest level of professionalism in high quality child care—achievement of a nationally recognized accreditation. Level 4 programs are managed by a provider or director who has volunteered to provide mentoring to others in the field.
Level 3 – Planned Curriculum
Level 3 programs have demonstrated the knowledge and skill necessary for planning appropriate activities and opportunities that lead children toward school readiness.
Level 3 programs have made a significant investment in the professional development of the staff, and they incorporate family and staff input into the program.
Level 2 – Learning Environments
Level 2 programs have demonstrated a commitment to improve program quality. They offer opportunities for children to advance their growth and development. Level 2 programs will have evidence of a consistent daily schedule, planned activities for children, and will provide relevant program information for families.
Level 1 – Health and Safety
Level 1 programs have demonstrated that they are operating in good standing and have been recognized by the state of Indiana as having met all required health and safety standards.
Unrated Child Care and Early Education Providers
Not all child care providers participate in the Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) program. These providers may or may not meet the standards of quality that participating providers have to meet and should be considered “unrated.”
Reimbursement rates for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) programs are affected by the Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) ratings earned by a child care provider. Those child care providers that earn the highest ratings are eligible to receive more funding than those that are unrated or have lower Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ) ratings.