Families
Learn about quality early learning and care and connect to your local resource and referral agency to help you find high-quality child care.
Child Care Providers
Find resources and support to assist you in your commitment to quality early learning and care.
Quality Partners
Access quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) resources for coaches and trainers, higher education faculty, assessors and observers, and QCC consortium members.
Policymakers
Access information to help communicate the value and importance of quality early learning and care.
About Us Learn how Quality Counts California fits within the landscape of early learning and care for children.
Quality Counts California — Raising the Quality of Early Learning and Care
Quality Counts California is a statewide system of locally-implemented quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS), which helps to connect parents and families to high-quality early learning and care programs, and ensures that infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children have quality early learning experiences in their local communities. Quality Counts California also provides resources and support to early learning and care providers so they can create nourishing and effective early learning and care programs that will help children to grow and thrive.

A graphic shows an oblong shape labeled Quality. There are four circles filled with text within the oblong shape. The first circle on the left is blue. The text inside says, “Quality Counts California.” An arrow from the blue circle points to the right to a red circle. The text inside says, “Local & Regional Agencies.” An arrow from the red circle points to the right to an orange circle that says, “Providers of Early Learning & Care.” An arrow from the orange circle points to the right to a green circle that says, “Children & Families.”
What is Quality?
Quality early learning and care means learning environments, relationships, interactions, and activities support all children’s growth and development to prepare them for success in school and life.Why does quality matter?
Quality early learning and care programs can have a lifelong, positive impact on young children and their families. Research continues to show that children in quality early learning and care programs are more likely to succeed in school and less likely to drop out, need remedial education, or end up in prison.
Introducing Quality Partners
We’re excited to introduce the Quality Partners section of the website! Watch our short video to learn more. You can also select the descriptive audio track with essential visual information for blind and visually impaired individuals.