In the Spring of 2009, the Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) Workgroup (comprised of professionals working in early childhood education), along with United Way of Southern Nevada, the Nevada Office of Early Care and Education, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and the Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy, implemented the Silver State Stars QRIS Pilot Project. This project was designed to pilot test a rating scale created by local professionals involved in a workgroup, as well as conduct a process evaluation for the program's implementation. The QRIS system was implemented in a small sample of childcare centers in Southern Nevada to identify potential problems with the rating system and its criteria. A total of 24 early childhood education centers in Clark County were selected to participate in the two year pilot project. Each of these centers agreed to participate in the evaluation activities, and completed surveys and interviews for the evaluation, received pre- and post- environmental rating assessments, and completed an application binder which was reviewed to assign a final star rating. In exchange for their participation, centers received 6 months of technical assistance from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension staff, as well as a grant based on the size of the center. (author abstract)