BrightStars Steering & Advisory Committee
Statement of Purpose
The BrightStars Advisory Committee works in a public-private partnership to build a strong foundation for Rhode Island’s Quality Rating and Improvement System and the programs and public and non-public schools participating across the quality continuum. The BrightStars Advisory Committee will review proposals for change from stakeholders to BrightStars standards or policy. The Advisory Committee is directly responsible for ensuring any proposed changes to the framework are based in research, best practice, and ensuring it is best for the children in Rhode Island. They are an integral vote on the Steering Committee, who needs to approve all changes in any QRIS-related framework.
The BrightStars Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from the RI Department of Human Services, the RI Department of Education, the Governor’s Office and RIAEYC. The BrightStars Steering Committee will consider recommendations from the BrightStars Advisory Committee and make final decisions on all changes or modifications to BrightStars standards or policies.
Members of the committee guide and assist BrightStars’ on-going work by:
- Review participating data and outcomes
- Receive, research and consider implementation of revisions for strengthening the BrightStars frameworks
- Maintain relationships with national advocacy groups, foundations and other states for sharing best practices
- Identify key strategies focused on continuous quality improvements for participating BrightStars programs and schools
- Represent the voice of the communities that BrightStars serves
- Spread the word that quality matters for children
The group is composed of a respected community and early care and education leaders.
BrightStars Advisory Committee Goals
- To introduce an overall governance framework for RIAEYC to solicit and review proposals to modify and/or strengthen the QRIS framework
- To maintain an effective and evidence-informed framework for measuring quality in RI’s mixed-delivery early childhood system, leveraging child- and classroom-level outcomes related to program growth and quality improvement.
Members of the committee guide and assist BrightStars’ on-going work by:
- Reviewing BrightStars’ participating data and outcomes.
- Suggesting improvements to BrightStars operations based on shared data.
- Sharing a voice of the community that BrightStars serves.
- Spreading the word that quality matters for children
- Being an active participant in implementing BrightStars standards.
Leadership
The group is composed of a respected community & early care/education leaders.
| Name: | Email: | Affiliation: |
|---|---|---|
| Leanne C. Barrett | lbarrett@rikidscount.org | Advocate |
| Sarah Nardolillo | Sarah.Nardolillo@dhs.ri.gov | State |
| Ruth Gallucci | Ruth.gallucci@ride.ri.gov | State |
| Brenda Potter | BPotter@edc.org | TA |
| Khadija Lewis Khan | k.lewiskhan@jhcdc.org | Provider |
| Lori Wagner | lori.wagner8@gmail.com | Provider |
| Amy Vogel | Avogel@drdaycare.com | Provider |
| Dulari Tahbildar | dulari.tahbildar@seiuesf.org | TA |
| Mary Varr | mvarr@whscda.org | Provider |
| Lauren Bush | Lauren.Bush@ppsd.org | Provider |
| Emily Squillante | eSquillante@gpymca.org | Provider |
| Theresa Spengler | silveiraschool143@gmail.com | Provider |
| Sabrina Uribe Ruggiero | suriberuggiero@mcsri.org | Provider |
| Kerry Gallup | standrewpreschoolri@gmail.com | Provider |
| Hyunjin Kim | hkimed@uri.edu | Higher Ed |
| Carol Patnauade | cpatnaude@ccri.edu | Higher Ed |
| Rosemary Raygada | rosemaryraygada@yahoo.com | Higher Ed |
| Zoe McGrath | Zoe.McGrath@ride.ri.gov | State |
| Lisa Hildebrand | Lhildebrand@riaeyc.org | TA |
| Alyson Panzarella | apanzarella@riaeyc.org | TA |
| Joyce Laramee | joyceLaramee08@gmail.com. | Provider |
| Diane Nelson | abckids4@verizon.net | Provider |
Previous Meeting Materials
Beginning August 2021, the BrightStars Advisory Committee began soliciting feedback and proposals from child care providers and the general public. Each proposal will be thoroughly reviewed by the BrightStars Steering Committee, and recommendations will be presented to the Advisory Committee. Proposals may be submitted to info@riaeyc.org
