Quality In Early Childhood Programs Research Articles

Quality of early childhood programs in inclusive and noninclusive settings

Quality of early childhood programs in inclusive and noninclusive settings

Pathways to Quality in Head Start, Public School, and Private Nonprofit Early Childhood Programs

This study examines differences in teacher qualifications, inservice training, program quality, and children's development in 109 Head Start, 72 public school, and 110 private nonprofit early childhood classrooms. Teachers in public school and nonprofit programs had more formal education, while those in Head Start more often had early childhood credentials. Inservice training was found to be better in Head Start than in other settings. Observed differences in program quality and children's development generally favored public schools. Developmental differences may be attributable to children planning and reviewing activities more in public schools and having less access to diverse materials in nonprofit settings. Significant differences among settings, however, were almost overshadowed by their similarity in achieving high levels of quality. Most intriguing was the discovery that in public schools only, teachers' formal education was positively related to program quality, while in Head Start only, inservice training was related to quality. These findings, placed in the context of accumulating research on professional development, point to alternative pathways for achieving high quality in early childhood programs.

Defining and Assessing Early Childhood Program Quality

Defining and Assessing Early Childhood Program Quality

Defining and Assessing Early Childhood Program Quality

In the United States, there is a definition of quality of early care and education (ECE) programs that is widely accepted in the early childhood profession. It emphasizes a child-centered approach to raising children, with caring adults who are kind and gentle rather than restrictive and harsh and who protect children's health and safety, while providing a wealth of experiences that lead to learning through play. According to the definition, individuality and creativity are encouraged rather than conformity. This definition is often criticized by those with differing perspectives, but in general, it appears to be valid for those who value the aspects of development that are associated with success in the current mainstream American educational system and society. In this article, the content, rationale, and criticisms of that definition of quality are presented. Methods used in its assessment, and information regarding its validity, are explained.

Quality of Early Childhood Programs in Inclusive and Noninclusive Settings

This study assessed factors that contributed to global program quality in early childhood settings. The sample consisted of 180 community-based child care centers from 12 geographically and economically diverse regions in North Carolina. The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) total mean score was used as the primary measure of global program quality. The study found that 62 (34%) of the early childhood programs reported enrolling at least one child with disabilities. The study also found that inclusive early childhood programs scored significantly higher on the ECERS overall than did noninclusive programs. Results of an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated three other predictors of global program quality: teacher education, professional experience, and teacher self-ratings of knowledge and skill.

Implementing early childhood inclusion: Barrier and support factors

This study examined the underlying factor structure of a rating scale designed to assess perceived barriers and supports associated with early childhood inclusion. Participants were 201 administrators and direct service providers from the early intervention, early childhood, and special education fields and 287 parents (primarily mothers) of young children with disabilities (birth through 5 years) who received early intervention services. A four-factor solution for barriers that accounted for 41% of the total variance emerged from an exploratory factor analysis. Because one of the factors was found to have low internal consistency, a three-factor solution was used in subsequent analyses. The three factors consisted of barriers associated with early childhood program quality, community resources, and coordinating and integrating services for children with disabilities and their families. Items reflecting supports for early childhood inclusion produced a single supports factor. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a barriers factor structure for parents that was consistent with that obtained for professionals. Background variables contributed to explaining ratings of barriers and supports among parents who differed with respect to race, education, employment status, and experience with inclusion, lending further support for the validity of the factor structure.

Evaluation practices of model early childhood programs

During the last half of the twentieth century, increasing numbers of young children have been placed in out‐of‐home care. The need to assure quality experiences for young children in such settings is a pressing social and parental need. One important method of insuring program quality lies in the program evaluation process. This article summarizes literature on early childhood program evaluation, presents an overview of the national standards addressing quality in early childhood programs and presents the results of a study of evaluation practices of model early childhood programs. A questionnaire was devised based on the program evaluation literature. The questionnaire asked programs to identify the methods and staff used to evaluate nine program components. Programs were identified in the literature which were cited for exemplary practices. The questionnaire was sent to these programs. The study and analyzes the results of the information returned by the model programs.

The professional status and preparation of early childhood teachers: Recent developments from the former Soviet Union∗

Writing a paper whose purpose is to explore the current state of the professional status and preparation of teachers of young children in the former Soviet Union is not without serious limitations. The Gorbachev Era unleashed unprecedented openness in all sectors in its attempt to address increasingly difficult social and economic issues which ultimately led to the demise of the Soviet Union in December, 1991. Concomitant with rampant socioeconomic changes prior to this breakup, were rapidly emerging proposals and developments in the area of early childhood education and the preparation of professionals for this field. At the risk of being outdated by the time the manuscript is published, this paper explores the educational system for which teachers of young children arevery urgently needed in the new commonwealth nations, current plans to improve the quality of early childhood programs and the professional preparation and status of upbringers/teachers and an update on the progress toward espoused goals p...

The policy implications of compensation and working conditions in three publicly funded early childhood systems

This article analyzes the policy implications of disparate compensation and working conditions associated with teaching in three publicly funded early childhood systems. Survey data from 559 teachers (336 public school, 134 publicly funded child care, and 89 Head Start) included information on level of training, credentials held, course work in early childhood education, workforce stability, and future career plans. Unacceptable rates of teacher turnover and vacancy in the nonpublic school programs were predicted by differences in compensation and working conditions. The results are discussed in the context of what is known about the quality of early childhood programs and the increasing involvement of public schools in programs for young children.

Approaches to Quality in Early Childhood Programs

Approaches to Quality in Early Childhood Programs