Daycares in Montana
Montana's quality rating program is the Quality Recognition System (QRS), formerly called STARS to Quality. QRS is in a redesign phase and is not currently accepting new applicants. A QRS Bridge has been in place since October 1, 2025 for the 207 providers already enrolled under STARS. The redesigned QRS launches October 1, 2026 with a 3-stage, recognition-focused structure, replacing the previous 1 to 5 star scale.
Montana's minimum legal requirements for adult-to-child ratios match the standards published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the leading professional accreditation body for early-childhood programs and the most widely cited benchmark for high-quality care, across all age bands. The state caps infant ratios at 1:4 (matching NAEYC), toddler ratios at 1:6 (matching NAEYC), and preschool ratios at 1:10 (matching NAEYC). Group sizes match NAEYC's recommended cap for preschool (20) but run above NAEYC for the youngest ages, at 12 for infants (NAEYC: 8) and 12 for toddlers (matching NAEYC). Where Montana sits below the NAEYC benchmark is on staff qualifications. The state requires only a high school diploma for a lead teacher in a licensed center, where NAEYC's professional standard is a bachelor's degree. Required pre-service training is 32 hours, well below the 2,080 hours we recommend, and required ongoing professional development is 16 hours per year, below the 25 hours we recommend.
These minimum legal requirements apply to every licensed daycare in Montana, regardless of its QRS standing. They are one of the Structural inputs in every Childery rating shown above. The rating distribution above combines that Structural input with available QRS-era Process signals and other inputs to produce the Overall scores. For the full breakdown, see the Montana methodology page.
Rating Distribution in Montana
These are Childery's Overall Ratings (1–5 stars) — our composite that combines this state's QRIS where it exists, national accreditation (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA, NAFCC), federal Head Start CLASS scores, and the state regulatory baseline. They are not the state's stand-alone QRIS score. See our methodology for the full breakdown.
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Montana: 3.9 (Sample of 843).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Montana: 4.6 (Sample of 14).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Montana: 3.9 (Sample of 843).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Montana?
- Childery tracks 843 licensed child care providers across Montana.
- How do Montana daycares score on teaching quality?
- Montana daycares average 4.6 out of 5 on Childery's Process score, which combines state QRIS ratings, national accreditations (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA), and federal Head Start CLASS scores. 14 providers have classroom-quality data.
- Which cities in Montana have the most daycares?
- The cities with the most licensed daycares in Montana are Billings (144), Missoula (106), and Great Falls (73).
- Is there financial help for childcare in Montana?
- Montana offers childcare financial assistance for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, priority groups, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in Montana
- How do I choose a good daycare in Montana?
- Childery's guide covers what to look for when touring daycares in Montana, questions to ask providers, and how to use quality ratings when comparing options.How to find a good daycare in Montana
- How does Childery rate daycares in Montana?
- Childery's Overall Rating (1–5 stars) combines Montana's state QRIS where available, national accreditations (NAEYC, NAC, NECPA), federal Head Start CLASS scores, and the state regulatory baseline.View Childery's Montana methodology