The Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System, or QRIS, is the state's framework for rating and improving early education and care. Run by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, it uses a four-level scale built on licensing, with higher levels reflecting added standards.
If you are comparing daycares in Massachusetts and keep seeing a QRIS level, this guide explains what each level measures, who runs the system, how to confirm a program's standing, and how a rating connects to subsidy — so you can use it as one input, not the whole decision. The Massachusetts QRIS is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), within the broader structure the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care sets for states.
The Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is the state's framework for rating and improving early education and care programs, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). It uses a level scale built on licensing to recognize programs that meet added standards in areas like curriculum, staff qualifications, and family engagement, per EEC and the federal ACF Office of Child Care.
A quality rating system does two jobs at once. It rates programs so families can compare them, and it improves programs by pairing higher levels with coaching, training, and resources. Massachusetts adopted this model, like most states, with support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by the ACF Office of Child Care.
The Massachusetts QRIS uses a four-level scale. Level 1 is built on licensing, and higher levels reflect progressively stronger standards in curriculum, assessment, staff qualifications, and the learning environment, per the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). The table below shows how the levels build on each other.
| Level | What it generally reflects |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | The foundation: the program is licensed and participating in the Massachusetts QRIS. |
| Levels 2–3 | Added standards in curriculum, assessment, staff qualifications, and family engagement. |
| Level 4 | The highest level, reflecting the strongest documented quality standards, per EEC. |
Higher levels are voluntary and take time and resources for a program to reach, so a Level 2 program is not automatically a weaker choice. Massachusetts periodically revises QRIS standards, so confirm a program's current level rather than relying on an older figure.
Start with the license: confirm the program's status with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), which licenses child care in Massachusetts, and ask the program directly about its current QRIS level. Treat any level as one verified data point alongside your own tour, because ratings can lag a program's real, day-to-day conditions by a year or more.
Honest tradeoff. A QRIS level is genuinely useful, but it reflects documented standards a program chose to pursue, not a guarantee about any single classroom or day. A Level 2 program can be a wonderful fit, and a high level can mask recent staff turnover. Use the rating to narrow your list, never to replace a visit.
The rating does not set tuition, which each program decides on its own. But in Massachusetts, higher-rated providers can qualify for added support and, where offered, enhanced reimbursement tied to Child Care Financial Assistance, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), a structure the ACF Office of Child Care encourages under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. For national context, ChildCare Aware of America's 2024 Price of Child Care report put center-based care at roughly $8,000 to $24,000 per year depending on age and state.
For Massachusetts-specific figures, see our daycare cost guide and estimate your own with the cost calculator. If you may qualify for help paying, EEC's Child Care Financial Assistance is the place to start.
The Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) is the state's framework for rating and improving early education and care programs, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). It uses a level scale built on licensing to recognize programs that meet added standards in areas like curriculum, staff qualifications, and family engagement, per EEC and the federal ACF Office of Child Care.
The Massachusetts QRIS uses a four-level scale, with Level 1 built on licensing and higher levels reflecting progressively stronger standards in curriculum, assessment, staff qualifications, and environment, per the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). Higher levels are voluntary and take time and resources for programs to reach.
Confirm the program's license status with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), which licenses child care in Massachusetts, and ask the program about its current QRIS level. Because ratings can lag a program's day-to-day reality, pair any level with your own tour and a look at recent compliance history.
Not directly through tuition, which each program sets. But higher-rated providers can qualify for added support and, where offered, enhanced reimbursement tied to Child Care Financial Assistance, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), per EEC and the ACF Office of Child Care. Center care nationally runs roughly $8,000–$24,000 per year, per ChildCare Aware of America's 2024 Price of Child Care report.
For the full picture in your state, see the Massachusetts daycare guide, which covers licensing, subsidy, and pre-K. Our daycare quality and safety pillar explains accreditation, ratios, and what to look for on a tour.
Comparing how other states rate quality? Read our explainers on Maine's Quality for ME, Maryland EXCELS, and Connecticut's QRIS.
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