Unit 5 Assignment: QRIS Due Date: Sunday, 11:59 pm (EST) of Unit 6 Total Points: 100 Overview: Overview: For this assignment, you will write a one-page paper about the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). The QRIS was developed by the National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance to provide what is described in the QRIS Resource Guide as "a systematic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs". (nd) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. https://ecquality.acf.hhs.gov/ Like rating systems for restaurants and hotels, QRIS awards quality ratings to early and school-age care and education programs that meet defined program standards. By participating in their State's QRIS, early and school-age care providers embark on continuous quality improvement. Even providers that have met the standards of the lowest QRIS levels have achieved a level of quality that is beyond the minimum requirements to operate. Instructions: For this assignment, you will first need to research your state's Department of Education website to see if they participate in the QRIS; if your state DOES NOT participate, choose another state. 1. The name of your state and the website link to the QRIS. 2. Does a program have to be star rated to be considered high quality? 3. Is it optional for private early learning centers to participate? 4. Explicit synopsis, written in own words showing a deep understanding the importance of high-quality education in the early years. 5. Locate an article about the importance of an early learning center being "high-quality" and write a short synopsis and a link to the article. Requirements: Submit your one-page paper as a MS Word document Use double spacing and 12-point, Times New Roman font