What Does a Five-Star Rated License Mean for Cary, NC Families?

Quick Answer

A five-star rated license is North Carolina’s highest available star rating for licensed child care programs. The Growing Years Cary holds a five-star designation, which the state assigns based on staff education, program standards, and an acceptable compliance history. It is a useful, official data point to bring into your search — one that helps you compare programs with a shared reference before you walk through the door.

Why the Rating Is Worth Knowing Before You Visit

A child care search can feel like weighing a lot of different things at once. One center may have a convenient route. Another may come with a recommendation from someone you trust. A third may have a program description that sounds strong but leaves you unsure what you are actually looking at.

North Carolina’s star-rated license gives families something more grounded to work with: an official state designation, not a marketing label created by the center. Programs that earn a star rating have met higher standards than what the state requires at the licensing baseline.

Five stars is the highest available rating in the system. That makes it a meaningful piece of information when you are narrowing your options in Cary.

What North Carolina Actually Evaluates

The Division of Child Development and Early Education reviews two components when awarding a star-rated license: staff education and program standards. Programs with a two-component license may also earn a quality point for meeting enhanced standards in those areas.

The rating is not based on a single feature. It takes into account the education and preparation of the people in the program, and the standards that shape the program itself. Families do not need to know how every point is assigned. The more useful takeaway is that a five-star designation reflects a defined, state-managed process — not something the center applies to itself.

Why Compliance History Is Part of the Picture

Before a facility receives a star rating, the state reviews its compliance history. The Division of Child Development and Early Education requires that a licensed facility maintain at least a 75 percent compliance history over the prior 18 months, or over the time it has been operating if that is shorter.

This is one reason to treat a star rating as current public information rather than a permanent credential. North Carolina’s online child care facility search lets families look up the most recent details on any licensed program. Checking that information before a tour gives you a clear starting point — and leaves room for the visit itself to fill in what the data cannot.

How to Use the Rating Once You Have It

A five-star rating is most useful when it gives your tour questions more focus. You might ask how teachers communicate with families, how the day is organized for your child’s age group, and how new children are supported through the first arrivals and transitions.

At The Growing Years Cary, families can meet the adults their child may know, see the open learning environment at 102 Davis Grove Circle, and learn how the center’s curriculum connects to the details of a child’s real day. The center provides full-time care for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A rating gives you a reliable place to start. A visit gives you the information that helps you decide.

Keeping the Whole Picture in View

Every family weighs a decision like this differently. One parent may be focused on how teachers communicate at pick-up. Another may need a center that fits a particular commute or a child who takes time to warm up in a new environment.

State licensing information helps you begin with confidence and compare programs with a shared framework. Your own observations, practical needs, and conversations with the team at the center help you understand whether the program is the right fit for your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is five stars the highest child care rating in North Carolina?

Yes. Five stars is the highest available rating in North Carolina’s star-rated license system. It is a state licensing designation with defined criteria — different from a private accreditation or an award.

What does North Carolina evaluate for a star-rated license?

The state evaluates staff education and program standards. A program with a two-component license may also earn a quality point for enhanced standards. Before receiving a star rating, a facility must also meet the state’s compliance-history requirement of at least 75 percent over the prior 18 months.

How should a parent use a five-star rating when choosing child care?

Use it as one reliable point of reference. A rating can help you narrow your options and sharpen the questions you bring to a tour, but a visit lets you see the setting, meet the people who may care for your child, and ask how the program works for your family’s specific needs.

How can I review current North Carolina licensing information?

North Carolina offers an online child care facility search through the Division of Child Development and Early Education. Use it to look up a program’s current public information, then bring any remaining questions to the center when you visit.

A five-star rating tells you that The Growing Years Cary has met a clearly defined state standard. A tour helps you turn that into a real decision about your child’s day. If you are ready to see the program in person, we would love to show you around.

Schedule your tour at The Growing Years Cary in Cary, North Carolina today.