Vermont STARS, explained.

Vermont STARS — the STep Ahead Recognition System — is Vermont's voluntary daycare quality rating, awarded from 1 up to 5 stars, where higher levels reflect higher program standards beyond licensing. Because joining is optional, not every licensed Vermont program carries a STARS level — so a missing rating does not, on its own, mean a program is weaker.

If you are comparing daycares in Vermont and you see a STARS rating, this guide explains what it measures, who licenses programs, how to confirm it, and how it connects to cost and subsidy. The aim is to help you treat the rating as one input, not the whole decision. STARS is run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Child Development Division (CDD), inside the broader structure the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care sets for every state's quality system.

What is Vermont STARS?

Vermont STARS is the state's voluntary quality rating, awarded from 1 up to 5 stars, where higher levels reflect higher standards. It is run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Child Development Division (CDD), per the State of Vermont and the federal ACF Office of Child Care. Participation is optional, so a program can hold a current license and run a strong classroom without carrying a STARS level.

A quality rating system does two jobs at once. It rates programs so families have a common yardstick, and it improves them by pairing higher levels with mentoring, training, and resources. Vermont built STARS with support from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) administered by the ACF Office of Child Care, and the Child Development Division (CDD) rates programs across categories such as regulatory history, staff qualifications, family and community engagement, program practices, and administration.

Who runs and licenses daycare in Vermont?

In Vermont, one division wears both hats. Licensing is the mandatory floor, and the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Child Development Division (CDD), both licenses programs and runs the voluntary STARS rating on top. The table below separates the labels you will run into while you compare programs.

Because STARS is voluntary, you will see star levels on some Vermont programs and not others — so confirm the current Child Development Division (CDD) license status and any compliance history first, then read the star level as a bonus signal where it exists.

How do I check a Vermont daycare's star level or license?

Start with the license: confirm the program's status with the Vermont Child Development Division (CDD) and review any compliance history. Then look at the STARS level. Treat any rating as one verified data point alongside your own visit, because a rating can lag what a classroom is actually like by a year or more.

1. Confirm the license. Check the program's license status and recent compliance history with the Vermont Child Development Division (CDD).
2. Read the star level. Ask the program for its current STARS level and what it is doing to maintain or raise it.
3. Tour anyway. A rating cannot tell you whether this teacher, on a Tuesday morning, is warm and attentive. Visit, watch a drop-off, and ask about staff turnover.

How does a Vermont STARS level affect cost and subsidy?

STARS does not set tuition, which each program decides on its own. But Vermont's quality system connects with how the state supports families and programs, while the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) helps eligible families pay, 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 Vermont-specific figures, see our daycare cost guide and estimate your own with the cost calculator. If you may qualify for help paying, the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) through the Vermont Child Development Division (CDD) is the place to start.

Common questions

Where to go next

For the full picture in your state, see the Vermont 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 Granite Steps in New Hampshire, Quality for ME in Maine, and QRIS in Massachusetts.