The cost of quality

Abstract

This paper deals with the future directions of early childhood education in New Zealand, and what the Early Childhood Education Project has done to enhance the structures and funding required to support high quality education. The objectives of this project are to provide a rigorous and coherent review of the current situation and access of early education in Aotearoa, New Zealand; to contribute towards a comprehensive policy for Maori education; and to recognize the diversity of organizations, cultures, and communities. The report provides background information on the development of the Early Childhood Education Project since April 1995, and introduces the organizations represented on the project team. The key issues that are discussed include managing the funding and administration of services, meeting the costs of provision on the present level of funding, providing access to all sectors of the community, and obtaining necessary support from government agencies. (MOK) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * *********************************************************************** THE COST OF QUALITY Linda Mitchell, senior research officer, NZEI Te Riu Roa and member of the early childhood education project team Address to the national seminar "Assessing and improving quality in early childhood centres" 16-17 May 1996 Ko Ranginui kei runga Ko Papatuanuku kei raro Tena korua E nga mana E nga iwi E nga hau e wha Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educafronal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 0 This document has been reproduced as waived from the person or organization Onginating d. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality Points of view or opmiOns staled in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy This national seminar on assessing and improving quality in early childhood centres comes at a good time. In the last seven years early childhood education has had more than its fair share of change. Educational administration, funding arrangements, regulatory and legislative requirements have been radically altered. In those same years the importance of high quality education and how to enhance quality has been given considerable thought by early childhood organisations. The thinking about quality did not go hand in hand with the funding and support needed to achieve the quality objectives. Indeed in 1991, funding for under-two-year olds was reduced by 38 percent, and other hourly funding rates remained static, while costs increased. Until the 1995 budget, new government funding largely went into increasing places but not into enhancing the quality of centres. This retrenchment by the state has had costs for early childhood education. There appears to be an erosion of high quality, publicly funded early childhood education. There are some shameful cases of early childhood centres that have failed badly to reach important licensing standards as Sharon Ellis evidenced this morning. The Education Review Office reviews of these centres indicate that the well-being of children is not safeguarded. I'm not talking about minor matters that can be easily fixed, but significant problems where health, safety, staffing and programme requirements were not fulfilled. So, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk to you today about the work being done by the early childhood education project on the future directions of early childhood education. The project aims to pinpoint the structures and funding required to support high quality early childhood education. A feature of early childhood education policy development since 1990 has been the carrying out of "top down" reviews with very little appropriate consultation with those in the field. Most of us here remember the 1991 and 1993 reviews of funding that were carried out by officials behind closed doors. The collaborative work, the Lopdell