Measuring preschool quality in low- and middle-income countries: Validity of the ECERS-R in Colombia

Abstract

As preschool enrollment has spread across the globe, many researchers have turned to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) to assess the quality of preschool in low and middle-income (LAMI) countries. However, questions remain about the pertinence of this measure in LAMI countries due to evidence of low variability and extreme low scores across items. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the ECERS-R in a Colombian sample of 174 classrooms from which 668 four-year-old children were selected for developmental assessment. Principal Component Analysis failed to identify the seven dimensions indicated in the original structure. Analyses instead found three dimensions in the Colombian sample: materials and spaces, interactions, and routines and practices. The predictive validity of these dimensions was not strong, but suggested that better routines and interactions are associated with children's development. Results and implications for the development of future measures are discussed.