The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: The Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Evaluation Toolkit
A guide to planning and conducting child care quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) evaluations
Other
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Compendium of quality rating systems and evaluations
A compendium of information on quality rating systems of child care and early education programs, including a proposal of an analytic framework for the assessment and evaluation of quality rating systems and profiles of such systems in 26 states
Reports & Papers
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Compendium of quality rating systems and evaluations [Executive summary]
A summary of a compendium of information on quality rating systems of child care and early education programs, including a proposal of an analytic framework for the assessment and evaluation of quality rating systems and profiles of such systems in 26 states
Executive Summary
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Defining and measuring quality: An in-depth study of five child care quality rating and improvement systems
An examination of aspects of child care quality rating and improvement systems related to definitions and measures of quality, including variation in definitions and measures, processes to measure each component and determine the overall level of quality, and availability of data on quality ratings, based on in-depth case studies in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
Reports & Papers
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Measuring quality across three child care quality rating and improvement systems: Findings from secondary analyses [Executive summary]
A summary of a study of the prevalence of quality components among participating child care quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) providers and their relationship to observed quality, based on analyses of QRIS administrative data, professional development registries, and observation data in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee
Executive Summary
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Measuring quality across three child care quality rating and improvement systems: Findings from secondary analyses
A study of the prevalence of quality components among participating child care quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) providers and their relationship to observed quality, based on analyses of QRIS administrative data, professional development registries, and observation data in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee
Reports & Papers
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Child care quality rating and improvement systems: Approaches to integrating programs for young children in two states [Executive summary]
A summary of an examination of the role, and how to assess the role, that state child care quality rating and improvement systems can play in early childhood care and education system integration and development, based on document reviews, administrator interviews, and two-day site visits in Indiana and Pennsylvania
Executive Summary
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Child care quality rating and improvement systems: Approaches to integrating programs for young children in two states
An examination of the role, and how to assess the role, that state child care quality rating and improvement systems can play in early childhood care and education system integration and development, based on document reviews, administrator interviews, and two-day site visits in Indiana and Pennsylvania
Reports & Papers
The Child Care Quality Rating System (QRS) Assessment: Defining and measuring quality: An in-depth study of five child care quality rating and improvement systems [Executive summary]
A summary of an examination of aspects of child care quality rating and improvement systems related to definitions and measures of quality, including variation in definitions and measures, processes to measure each component and determine the overall level of quality, and availability of data on quality ratings, based on in-depth case studies in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
Executive Summary
Assessing States' Child Care Quality Rating Systems (QRS)
Statewide or local child care Quality Rating Systems (QRS) are in place in 26 states and are under consideration in many others as tools to measure, monitor, and promote quality in early child care and education programs. The QRS Assessment produced a series of products as a resource to inform decision-making about and evaluation of QRS. Key products include: (1) a compendium of QRS, (2) two in-depth study reports (one focused on quality measurement and one on the role of QRIS in integration of the early care and education system); (3) a secondary data analysis on quality measurement, and (4) a toolkit for evaluating QRIS. Research questions include: (1) What is the variation in how select QRIS define and measure quality?;
(2) What processes are used to measure components and determine an overall rating?; (2) What is the availability (and use) of consistent and reliable data on quality measurement?; (4) What role does QRIS have and to what extent does it contribute to integration of early care and education programs?; (5) How could states and localities monitor and assess the extent to which QRIS contribute to ECE system development?; (6) What is the prevalence of quality rating components across QRIS and at different levels?; (7) How does the prevalence of quality rating components differ between rating levels across QRIS and between types of providers (such as Head Start and accredited centers)?; (8) What is the unique effect of each quality component on observed quality?; and (9) What patterns of quality profiles emerge based on unique effects of components and how do these profiles map to actual rating levels in QRIS?
Administration for Children and Families/OPRE Projects
Effective evaluation of quality rating and improvement systems for early care and education and school-age care
An overview of methodological design options for quality rating and improvement systems used to evaluate and improve the quality of early childhood education and school-aged care (ECE-SAC) systems
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Better beginnings: The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Impact evaluation findings
Findings from an impact evaluation of Seeds to Success, a quality rating and improvement system developed as part of the Early Learning Initiative in White Center and East Yakima, Washington
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Better beginnings: The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Implementation lessons
Lessons from the implementation evaluation of Seeds to Success, a quality rating and improvement system developed as part of the Early Learning Initiative in White Center and East Yakima, Washington
Fact Sheets & Briefs
The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Findings from the impact and implementation studies [Executive summary]
A summary of an implementation and impact evaluation of Seeds to Success, a quality rating and improvement system developed as part of the Early Learning Initiative in White Center and East Yakima, Washington, based on pre- and post-treatment program observations and staff surveys and interviews in 14 randomly assigned child care centers and 52 randomly assigned family child care providers
Executive Summary
The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Findings from the impact and implementation studies
An implementation and impact evaluation of Seeds to Success, a quality rating and improvement system developed as part of the Early Learning Initiative in White Center and East Yakima, Washington, based on pre- and post-treatment program observations and staff surveys and interviews in 14 randomly assigned child care centers and 52 randomly assigned family child care providers
Reports & Papers
Supporting quality in home-based child care: Initiative design and evaluation options
A discussion of strategies for the implementation and evaluation of programs and initiatives that support home-based child care
Reports & Papers
Intervention dosage in early childhood care and education: It's complicated
A discussion of the concept of dosage in early childhood care and education interventions and its role in their implementation
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Building a community-wide early learning system: East Yakima at baseline
Baseline findings from a multi-year implementation evaluation, one of four components in an overall evaluation, of the East Yakima Early Learning Initiative, part of a 10-year strategy to improve children's school readiness in Washington State, that examined the East Yakima community, the availability and quality of child care services there, the East Yakima Early Learning Initiative planning process, and the community's goals and expectations for East Yakima Early Learning Initiative implementation
Reports & Papers
Building a community-wide early learning system: White Center at baseline
Baseline findings from a multi-year implementation evaluation, one of four components in an overall evaluation, of the White Center Early Learning Initiative (WCELI), part of a 10-year strategy to improve children's school readiness in Washington State, that examined the White Center community, the availability and quality of child care services there, the WCELI planning process, and the community's goals and expectations for WCELI implementation
Reports & Papers
Building a community-wide early learning system: White Center at baseline [Executive summary]
A summary of baseline findings from a multi-year implementation evaluation, one of four components in an overall evaluation, of the White Center Early Learning Initiative (WCELI), part of a 10-year strategy to improve children's school readiness in Washington State, that examined the White Center community, the availability and quality of child care services there, the WCELI planning process, and the community's goals and expectations for WCELI implementation
Executive Summary
Quality of early childhood development programs in global contexts: Rationale for investment, conceptual framework and implications for equity
An examination of issues related to quality of and access to early childhood programs and services in international settings
Other
Learning as we go: A first snapshot of Early Head Start programs, staff, families, and children: Vol. I. First report
A profile of the characteristics of Early Head Start children and families, their home and Early Head Start program environments, and program services and staff in spring 2009, based on data collected from a nationally representative sample of 89 Early Head Start programs and 976 parents of 194 newborns and 782 1-year-olds, as part of the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey, or Baby FACES
Reports & Papers
Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project
This project involves both a cross-site national study and local longitudinal studies of low-income families with young children in Early Head Start sites in 17 communities in the United States. The project was funded in two waves: Birth to Three (1996-2001) and Pre-Kindergarten Follow-Up (2001-2004). The five major components of the project are: an implementation study, an impact evaluation, local research studies, policy studies, and efforts toward continuous program improvement. The implementation study assessed the level and quality of implementation of EHS at each site, as well as variations across sites, with regard to five program areas: child development and health care; family partnerships; community involvement and partnerships; staff development; and program management. Results include a profile of each of the 17 research programs, their services and expected outcomes. The information gathered was critical for the development of the impact evaluation analyses and the identification of pathways to full implementation. The impact evaluation followed a random assignment, longitudinal design to examine how child, parent and family outcomes were influenced by EHS programs, as well as by variations in program approaches and community contexts, program implementation and services, and the characteristics of children and their families. The third component involves 16 local research projects conducted by 15 university-based researchers who partnered with Early Head Start research programs. Designed to investigate the unique outcomes and program functions of each Early Head Start program, these longitudinal studies continue through the second phase of the project, Pre-Kindergarten Follow-up (2001-2004). The policy studies component focuses on issues related to welfare reform, health and disabilities, child-care and fatherhood. The component of continuous program improvement consists of reports and presentations disseminating new information that can help all Early Head Start programs to increase their ability to meet the needs of families.
Major Research Projects
Better beginnings: The state of early learning and kindergarten readiness in East Yakima and White Center
An overview of children, families, school readiness, and early learning services and quality in East Yakima and White Center, Washington, prior to the start of the East Yakima and White Center Early Learning Initiatives, parts of a 10-year strategy to improve children's school readiness in Washington State
Fact Sheets & Briefs
Design options for the assessment of Head Start quality enhancements: Final report. Volume I
A study of quality enhancement and assessment designs for Head Start programs
Other
