In so many cases, hours spent focused on documenting accountability to standards actually decreases the possibility for quality improvements through genuine reflection, self-examination, and the exercise of intelligent judgment. Focusing only on ratings and requirements narrows one's thinking and exemplifies the tendency toward stagnation. The challenge for programs today is how to embrace standards and assessment tools using one's own intelligent judgment. The author asserts that there is no point in dedicating hours pulling together hundreds of pages of documentation, snapping thousands of photos for portfolios, or purchasing the latest and greatest materials. If the end goal is simply to earn that STAR rating or quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), then one has missed an opportunity to connect up these tools with the quality teachers are offering in their daily practice. The author suggests some possible alternatives to consider. She contends that any serious consideration of the environmental impact of the existing assessment systems and proposed alternatives must have the voices of quality-striving program administrators and classroom teachers in sharp focus.