This study examined the quality of early childhood education programs in two different quality rating and improvement systems, one in Turkey and the other in the state of North Carolina in the USA. The early childhood environment rating scale-revised edition was used to evaluate the quality of early childhood classrooms, and the Program Administration Scale was used to evaluate the quality of administrative processes. These scales were used to rate 20 early childhood programs, in each of the two systems. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests and Pearson correlations. Results indicated that early childhood classroom quality of classrooms in North Carolina was rated significantly higher than classroom quality in Turkey. However, there were no significant differences in the quality of administrative processes. Results also indicated significant positive associations between classroom environment quality and program quality. Even though there were several differences between the quality rating and improvement systems across the two contexts, the need for continued efforts to support and develop ongoing quality in early childhood education is common across the two systems. (author abstract)