2005

Provides a brief for policy-makers details a QRIS and provides an accout of how quality has improved overtime.

This policy brief discusses the topics that teacher competencies generally cover and presents options for how they might be developed and structured in California. Examples of major efforts by national organizations and other States are included. The National Education Goals Panel has cited the following five domains of development and learning during early childhood: (1) physical well-being and motor development, (2) social and emotional development, (3) approaches to learning, (4) language development, and (5) cognition and general knowledge.

Report.pdf

This report presents findings from the Wisconsin Data Sharing Project, which is intended to establish a statewide research infrastructure to strengthen analysis, interpretation, and sharing of critical administrative child care data from multiple State sources. It also intends to create a merged program and provider file and distribute key quality indicators to parents. Research findings that are pertinent to the quality rating system policy are presented. The proposed quality rating system and proposed tiered reimbursement system are described.

A description of QRIS financing strategies and recommendations of future funding including raising new funds and redirecting existing funds.

A paper addressing the problems with definition and measurement of the early childhood workforce.

A guide for implementing a QRIS, including guidance for the early planning stage, the development and assessment of standards, the use of incentives to encourage quality improvement, the financing of the system, and the outreach to promote parental awareness of the system.

Report.pdf

This briefing paper informs policymakers about the level of quality observed in child care centers in Minnesota, the characteristics of programs that provide higher quality care, and the resources needed by child care centers to improve quality. Nationally recognized observational tools were used (i.e., the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised and the Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale) to document activities and interactions and to track quality benchmarks in 100 randomly selected classrooms serving children (aged 3-5 years) in Minnesota child care centers.

This document presents findings from a Florida study on the availability and accessibility of formal professional development programs that offer college credit. Researchers identify strengths and weaknesses in early childhood program dynamics and examine course offerings and articulation of credit among institutions of higher education (IHE) in Florida. Overall, institution representatives report having students who want to be educated and faculty with the expertise to provide a quality education.

This executive summary highlights the findings from an inventory of almost all of the California institutions of higher education that train adults to teach children under the age of five years, including certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs. Findings show that in California, 136 institutions of higher education, or approximately one-half of the State's public colleges and universities, are engaged in preparing teachers to work with young children prior to kindergarten.

This executive summary highlights the findings from an inventory of almost all of the California institutions of higher education that train adults to teach children under the age of five years, including certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs. Findings show that in California, 136 institutions of higher education, or approximately one-half of the State's public colleges and universities, are engaged in preparing teachers to work with young children prior to kindergarten.