Building Strong

Foundations

for Early Learning

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S GUIDE TO

HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Richard W. Riley

Secretary

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY

Judith A. Winston

Under Secretary (A)

PLANNING AND EVALUATION SERVICE

Alan L. Ginsburg

Director

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION DIVISION

Ricky T. Takai

Director

NOVEMBER 2000

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While

permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education,

Planning and Evaluation Service, Building Strong Foundations for Early Learning: Guide to High-Quality Early

Childhood Education Programs, by M. Christine Dwyer, Robin Chait and Patricia McKee. Washington, DC:

2000.

The report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education under Contract EA94053001, Task 64. The

views expressed by the authors of this report do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S.

Department of Education, and no official endorsement by the Department should be inferred.

This guide was supported by a contract between RMC Research and the U.S. Department of Education. The

document contains contact addresses and Web sites for information and resources created and maintained

by other public and private organizations. This information is provided for the reader’s convenience. The

U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or

completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of information or addresses or Web sites for

particular items does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or

products or services offered.

Copies of this report may be ordered in the following ways:

• MAIL. Write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398,

Jessup, MD 20794-1398.

• FAX. Dial 301-470-1244.

• TELEPHONE (toll-free). Dial 877-433-7827 (877-4-ED-PUBS). If 877 service is not yet available in your area,

call 800-872-5327 (800-USA-LEARN). Those who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a

teletypewriter (TTY) should call 800-437-0833.

• ELECTRONIC MAIL. Send your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov

• ONLINE. This report may be downloaded from the Department’s Web site at:

www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/whatsnew.html

• ALTERNATE FORMATS. Upon request, this report is available in alternative formats such as Braille, large

print, audiotape, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate

Format Center at 202-260-9895 or 202-205-8113.
Building Strong

Foundations

for Early Learning:

The U.S. Department of Education’s

Guide to High-Quality Early

Childhood Education Programs

M. CHRISTINE DWYER

RMC RESEARCH CORPORATION

ROBIN CHAIT

PATRICIA MCKEE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

NOVEMBER 2000

CONTENTS

SECTION l

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1

SECTION ll

VITAL CONCEPTS FOR PLANNING EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS .................................................5

SECTION lll

FEATURES OF HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE

COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT ...............................................................................9

SECTION IV

CHILD OUTCOMES IN THE LANGUAGE DOMAIN........................................................................ 23

SECTION V

RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................ 29

SECTION VI

PROGRAM SELF-ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 35

I. INTRODUCTION

Educators, researchers, and policymakers now acknowledge the importance of early

childhood education for all preschool children. An accumulation of research

recognizes that young children have a much greater capacity to learn than has

previously been recognized. The first five years of life are a time of enormous

growth of linguistic, cognitive, social, emotional, and motor competence. Because

children learn continuously from birth, child care and education cannot be thought

of separately. High-quality child care and education should provide appropriate

developmental experiences for young children, including attention to the physical

needs of children. Early education promotes the overall development of a healthy

child, but it is also critical because children who have had the right kinds of

educational experiences before kindergarten do better in school.

A recent study of kindergartners illustrates the importance of early education for

later performance in school more clearly than ever before. It demonstrates that

children begin kindergarten with different levels of knowledge and skills based on

their background, and while the more disadvantaged children catch up on basic

skills in reading and mathematics during the kindergarten year, the gap widens on

measures of more sophisticated reading and mathematics knowledge and skills.

New syntheses of research developed by the National Research Council show the

positive connection between quality educational experiences in the preschool years,

readiness for kindergarten and first grade, and later learning outcomes. An

accumulation of studies points to the payoff for children and taxpayers of welldesigned early childhood programs, especially for children from low-income

families. As interest in improving American schools and children’s performance

continues to rate high as a public concern, our nation’s leaders are increasingly

aware of the critical role of early education.1

Unfortunately, studies have also found that while most preschool children in the

United States spend at least a portion of their days in care outside the home, they

are not in settings of sufficient quality to produce later learning outcomes. The

National Research Council’s newly published synthesis of research, Eager to Learn:

Educating Our Preschoolers, cites the warning that the growing understanding of

the importance of early education “stands in stark contrast to the disparate system

of care and education” available to the nation’s preschool children. The report

suggests that many children from low income families are in child care programs

“of such low quality that learning and development . . . may even be jeopardized.”2
Because of concern about the quality and availability of early childhood education,

the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is committed to raising awareness

about the importance of early childhood education, the characteristics of highquality programs, and the availability of federal resources to support preschool

services. As part of this task, the Department is providing information to educators

and policy-makers about why early education is important and what it takes to

ensure that preschoolers’ education experiences are of sufficient quality to make a

difference in learning outcomes. Recognizing the scope of the task, the Department

has chosen to focus initially on promoting the development of children’s cognitive

and language skills in preschool settings supported by public schools.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT?

This guide is an initial step designed to provide information to local, district, and

state educators about the hallmarks of high-quality early childhood programs. It

includes short syntheses of research about the characteristics of early education

programs that have the most influence on the development of cognition and

learning. Then, indicators are provided to assess the quality of preschool programs.

The indicators are based in research as well as guidelines developed by states and

early childhood professional associations. If a school or district currently operates a

preschool program, the guide can be used as a self-assessment tool to judge the

program’s quality and make plans for improvements. If the district is considering

starting a preschool program, the guide offers quality standards to be used during

planning. States may find the quality indicators and outcomes useful as they

prepare guidance for the operation of early childhood programs.

WHY TARGET PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

The target audiences for this document are public school educators and

policymakers who are planning or providing educational programs for children ages

three to five. Elementary school administrators are beginning to realize that they

must invest in the quality of preschools to demonstrate success in meeting

demanding educational standards. Administrators know that children need to enter

the K-12 system with a strong language and literacy foundation to achieve the goal

Side Bar

As part of the Pre-K through grade 3 continuum of learning, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System (NC) serves

2,000 four-year-olds in its Bright Beginnings program. Since 1997, the system has used 85 percent of its Title I

funds to provide Pre-K services to those students with the greatest educational needs. Title I funding supports

highly qualified staff, a literacy and language-oriented curriculum, professional development, family-school

partnerships, and transportation. The program has a fully developed, written curriculum; program standards; and a

curriculum-integrated parent component. Professional development includes summer institutes, monthly full-day

sessions, and bi-weekly after school opportunities. The program involves Even Start, Head Start collaborative

classes and state-funded community partnerships (North Carolina’s Smart Start) in addition to classes at

elementary schools. Children’s progress is assessed using components from the Child Observation Record and

Concepts about Print. Initial results show that the effects of Bright Beginnings are sustained; children perform

consistently better on end-of-year kindergarten assessments than do comparable children who did not participate.

Most important, initial results show that participation in Bright Beginnings has substantially reduced achievement

gaps associated with race and poverty by the end of kindergarten. The district has the goal of doubling the number

of children served in Bright Beginnings with the long term objective of having at least 85 percent of all CharlotteMecklenburg students reading at or above grade level by the end of grade three.
of producing competent readers by the end of the primary grades. Public schools

have great potential for improving the quality and increasing the impact of

preschool services. Schools have access to resources and the capacity to enhance

continuity between early education and kindergarten and first grade. Public funding

for pre-kindergarten has been increasing as the K-12 system recognizes its vested

interest in the preparation of young children for success in the early grades. Local

school districts already have the responsibility to provide education for preschoolaged children who need special education services. But public schools can do much

more by supporting staff, creating community connections and providing resources

to make an impact on the early foundation for learning.

There are many ways that the public school system can support early education:

providing universal pre-kindergarten; financing the placement of high needs

children in early education settings; extending services for some children; offering

professional development to Head Start and private preschool teachers;

coordinating local providers and community resources; and facilitating transitions

across settings.3

WHY EMPHASIZE COGNITION AND LANGUAGE?

The Department acknowledges that attention in the preschool years to all domains

is vital, but will place more emphasis on cognition and language. Research now

provides clear direction in these domains, which in the past have often been

neglected in preschool settings. The new research sheds light on the competencies

of young children, the role of a supportive context in development, and specific

ways to promote learning. An extensive body of evidence is now available, for

example, to guide emergent literacy skills and early reading.4 Because

developmental domains are related, however, growth in language and cognition will

optimally occur in the context of other areas of development. Language

development emerges from social interactions and rich experiences; good health

and nutrition are foundational for all types of learning; and self-assurance in a

group setting helps a child profit from school experiences.

Side Bar

Missouri’s Independence School District became the nation’s first School of the 21st Century in 1988. The district

provides child care for three-and four-year olds and before-and after-school care for school-aged children in every

elementary school. It operates Head Start and Full Start, a program initiated to blend Head Start and child care.

Independence schools also administer Medicaid and case management and offer child development training to

families and child care providers. A range of school programs in Texas’ Austin Independent School District

illustrates ways that public schools can support preschool education. At Becker Elementary, parents of prekindergarten children learn in the Parents As Partners program how to facilitate their children’s literacy

development. Parents learn about literacy activities to support learning and also develop supportive relationships

with teachers. The school reports unprecedented progress on observational assessments of literacy. At Sanchez

and Allison Elementary schools, the Parents Advocates for Literacy (PALS) program trains parents in early literacy

so that they can work as volunteers in pre-kindergarten programs. Each school day features a 45 minute PALS time

when parents and preschoolers work together in small groups in pre-reading and writing. PALS adds substantially

to the instructional time young children receive.
WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF STATES AND DISTRICTS IN SUPPORTING HIGHQUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS?

States and districts can provide leadership, guidance, and technical assistance in

support of early childhood programs. Putting in place high-quality education

programs for preschool children on a large scale requires action on many fronts

simultaneously. States can play a leadership role by providing guidance for program

design and assessment, acknowledging pre-kindergarten children as learners,

creating partnerships and collaborations to extend services, and offering financial

support to encourage additional and improved services. School district offices play

an essential role in creating effective early childhood programming because support

for young children’s learning requires the involvement of the full community. Early

childhood education is most effective when it is seen as part of the full continuum of

a child’s education.
SECTION ll

VITAL CONCEPTS FOR PLANNING EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS
II. VITAL CONCEPTS FOR PLANNING EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The type of early childhood programming that develops young children’s language

and cognitive abilities for school success has distinguishing characteristics that

make it a resource-intensive but worthwhile undertaking. Without specialized

training in the early childhood field, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the

program options and settings that will have a long-term payoff for young children in

later school achievement from those that merely have the appearance of quality.

Seven vital concepts can guide the planning of effective early childhood programs.

1. INTENSITY OF PARTICIPATION MATTERS.

Intensity refers to the amount and length of time a child participates in high-quality

experiences as well as the degree to which those services are tailored to a child’s

individual development. In general, the younger the child, the more individualized

the programming. Preschool children learn best in small group settings with

experienced adults who have the time each day to devote to their individual

development. Early childhood education is more expensive to provide than

elementary education simply because more adults are needed for the same number

of children. Intensity and length of participation matter a great deal, especially for

children who are living in circumstances that place them at greater risk of school

failure, including poverty, low level of maternal education, and maternal

depression.5 To realize cognitive benefits from preschool, children need to

experience educationally-focused programming on a regular basis over the course

of their years of development. Fortunately, high-quality education can take place in

a wide range of settings because some children now spend eight or more hours a

day in care settings outside the home. It may be unrealistic to expect that all

aspects of the child’s day would have an education focus, but it is important that

time is devoted each day to cognitive and language development.

2. TEACHER EXPERTISE IS THE CRUCIAL INGREDIENT.

Children’s cognitive growth and language development are primarily influenced by

the daily interactions between children and the adults who are guiding their

learning opportunities. Quality depends on the expertise of adults in listening to,

observing, talking with, and asking questions of children over time. How able is the

teacher to use a child’s interests and daily activities to extend vocabulary, introduce

numeracy concepts, and reinforce language sounds that are the building blocks of

reading? How facile is the teacher in observing signals that suggest a child is ready

for new cognitive challenges? While the classroom setup and materials available to

children are important elements of quality, it is the teacher’s ability to help the child

learn about his or her environment on a daily basis that makes a long-term

difference for learning. Teachers with early childhood expertise have backgrounds

that are different from those of elementary school teachers. They require additional

training in child development, language acquisition and early literacy, observation

and assessment, cultural diversity, special needs, and parental involvement.6

3. LINKS WITH FAMILIES ARE ESSENTIAL.

Preschool sets the pattern for the family’s contact with the formal learning system.

Early childhood teachers have the responsibility for reaching out to parents and
engaging them with their children’s learning so that parents begin to understand

the responsibility they have for supporting their children through the school years.

Teachers must work to bridge cultural and language differences with both parents

and children. If preschool is the child’s first independent foray outside the language

and culture of the home, it becomes the job of the early childhood teacher to

recognize and build on the strengths of the child and family while introducing the

expectations of the formal learning environment. The language of the home that

children have used since birth is most likely the language they will use for

meaningful communication and construction of knowledge. The native language can

be the foundation for English language acquisition.7

4. CHILDREN’S PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IS NOT UNIFORM.

Children enter preschool with many significant differences in their cognitive, social,

physical, and motor skills. Those differences arise from family experiences,

individual biology, and social and cultural contexts, and thus any approach that

assumes “lock-stepped development” is not productive. The role of the preschool

teacher is to learn about and build upon the individual and developmental

characteristics that the child brings to the learning situation.8

5. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CAN BENEFIT ALL CHILDREN.

Children with disabilities and children who may be not as advanced as their age

peers in some areas of development are likely to benefit most from high-quality

preschool experiences. Because advantages in literacy resources and activities,

language development, and some aspects of social and physical development are

correlated with higher socioeconomic status, it is especially important that children

from lower income backgrounds have access to quality early childhood education.

Delaying children’s entry into group settings because of disabilities or into preschool

because of presumed lack of readiness denies opportunities for growth through

interaction with peers of the same age. In the words of the National Association of

Early Childhood Specialists referring to the practice of delaying entry to

kindergarten, “[delaying entry] implies that children have failed at school even

before they begin.”9

6. CONTINUITY SUSTAINS POSITIVE EFFECTS.

Continuity has several dimensions. Children thrive in stable relationships with

adults who know and care for them. The strongest programs keep staff turnover to

a minimum, employ staffing patterns that keep primary caregivers with the same

children over several years, use a team approach, and try to keep the peer group

stable over time. Transitions across institutional structures must be carefully

planned. Children who receive consistent services as they move from preschool to

kindergarten and first grade will be more successful academically and socially.10

7. QUALITY REQUIRES RESOURCES.

Not every early care and education experience yields outcomes that are visible as

success in elementary school; preschool programs that economize on the extent of

children’s participation, teacher expertise, or ratio of adults to children are not likely

to provide visible benefits. High-quality early childhood programming is worth the

investment of resources in terms of its promise of school success.
If the principles described above and the quality indicators found later in this document are

absent, it is unlikely that learning outcomes will be realized for many children.
SECTION lll

FEATURES OF HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS

THAT PROMOTE COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
SECTION III. FEATURES OF HIGH-QUALITY EARLY

CHILDHOOD PROGRAMSTHAT PROMOTE COGNITIVE AND

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

This section of the document addresses six features of early childhood programs

related to cognitive growth and language development: parental involvement,

learning environment, pedagogy, curricula, assessment, and staff qualifications.

Each feature begins with a summary of salient findings from research followed by a

statement of the challenges to be faced for quality implementation. A series of

quality indicator statements describes what an observer could look for to determine

whether the program is on the track of producing long term meaningful outcomes

for children. Rate your preschool program on each of the indicators using the fivepoint scale that ranges from “Not at all Descriptive of our Program” to “Very

Descriptive of our Program.” The final section of this document includes the

indicator statements in instrument format for use in self-assessments.

The statements in the sections that follow describe hallmarks of good practice that

have widespread support, but they are not intended to serve as a complete list of

ideal program qualities. The statements can be used to help schools set

benchmarks for improving the quality of preschool services. The quality indicators

in this section are derived from the extensive work done in recent years by federal

agencies, state departments of education, academics, and professional

associations. Major sources include:

The National Research Council’s Eager to Learn, The National Reading

Panel Report on Teaching Children to Read, and Preventing Reading

Difficulties in Young Children

National Association for the Education of Young Children National

Association of Early Childhood Specialists

The standards and guidelines for early childhood developed by several

states, including California, Connecticut, New York, and Texas.

See endnotes and resource section for more information.
A. QUALITY OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT

FROM THE RESEARCH:

• Family variables are powerful predictors of children’s subsequent language

development and academic performance. Parental beliefs and attitudes about

literacy and reading affect children’s literacy development. Parents report that

they feel less able to positively impact their children’s intellectual development

than any other area of child development.11

• Families contribute to children’s literacy and school-related competence directly

by engaging in language-rich verbal exchanges with the child, and in indirect

ways, by providing reading and writing materials, and serving as role models in

the regular use and enjoyment of reading and writing in everyday life. Gains in

children’s skills are associated with parents’ responsiveness during story

reading.12

• Children with multiple risk factors, including poverty, are less likely than others

to engage in literacy activities frequently with their families.13

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

Many professionals have never had training in parental involvement strategies.

Certainly, many parents are not aware of the importance of their roles in supporting

children’s learning, nor have they been exposed to techniques for doing so. In

general, the field of parenting education is less well developed than other fields.

Relationship-building with parents can be especially challenging for staff when

families are from cultural, language, or income and social groups that differ from

their own backgrounds. Engaging parents who have limited literacy skills poses

both a challenge and opportunity. Schools might initiate or link with a family

literacy program specifically designed to develop parents’ literacy skills, while

supporting involvement with their children’s literacy development. It is important

for all schools to have clear expectations for parents as well as for their own roles in

the home-school relationship.

QUALITY INDICATORS FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT: LOOK FOR...

DEVELOPMENT OF HOME-SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 All parents believe that their child’s teacher respects their views and express

trust in the teacher. Parents are welcome visitors to the program at any time.

 A system is in place for teacher-parent communication of day-to-day happenings

that may affect children. Staff regularly provides information to parents about

how their children are progressing and does so formally through conferences

several times a year.

 The school has explicit expectations for the parent’s role. Staff provides

information to all parents about their roles in family-school relationships, the

schedule and school calendar, the meaning of progress reports and school

forms, and so forth.
 All parents have opportunities for input into program procedures and the plans

for meeting their child’s needs.

HOME LITERACY ENVIRONMENT AND PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff routinely provides books and other literacy materials for use in the home

environment. Staff encourages parent-child book reading in a variety of ways.

Staff demonstrates ways to read with children.

 Staff makes home visits for instructional purposes as appropriate.

 During parent-teacher conferences, staff asks parents for their observations

about their child’s language and literacy development. Staff uses the knowledge

in ongoing assessment and planning.

 The program makes available opportunities for parents to extend their own

literacy learning, directly or through referrals.

COMPETENCE IN WORKING WITH DIVERSE PARENT POPULATIONS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff has detailed knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children

live. Staff understands and respects the values and traditions of culturally

diverse families.

 Staff makes appropriate accommodations for parents with special needs, e.g.,

oral presentations of written material, visits to the home.

 Staff makes arrangements for communicating with parents in their preferred

language.
B. QUALITY OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

FROM THE RESEARCH:

• Class size and adult-child ratios are related to learning outcomes. Low ratios

allow more interaction and individualization. Small group size encourages more

extended language opportunities, child-initiated learning, and exploration and

problem solving.14

• Children learn best when their physical needs are met and they feel

psychologically safe and secure. Children need to know that school is a safe

place where adults will protect them.15

• A significant part of the variation in performance in Head Start is related to the

quality of classroom environments. Children’s performance is higher if the

teacher encourages independence, and classes have varied and appropriate

schedules, are well-equipped, and provide rich language learning

opportunities.16

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

Most early childhood educators would agree that learning environments strongly

influence what is learned and how it is learned. Unfortunately, when the rush to

provide services to increased numbers of preschoolers compromises the quality of

the learning environment, desired results might not be achieved. The goal is to

create an environment that conveys messages such as these to children: This is a

safe and comfortable place. I belong here and I am valued. I know what I’m

expected to do.17

QUALITY INDICATORS FOR THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: LOOK FOR...

CLASS SIZE AND TEACHER-STUDENT RATIOS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 The number of adults in the classroom and the adult-child ratio follow staterecommended guidelines for age groups. Ratios and grouping are adequate so

that each child is known well by at least one adult.

 Staff members have assigned responsibility for a particular group of children.

Programs maintain stable staff relationships, for example, keeping the same

staff with children over several years.

 Space is arranged so that children can work individually, in small groups, and as

a whole group.
SAFE, SECURE CLASSROOMS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 The space, including outdoor play areas, is clean, well-lighted and ventilated and

in good repair.

 Room arrangements, schedules, and daily expectations follow consistent

routines that are known to children. Transitions are smooth, purposeful, and not

rushed.

 There is at least one adult who speaks the home language of most children.

 Adults are respectful toward children.

 Adults involve children in the development of clear and consistent rules. Adults

encourage positive social behavior, e.g., turn taking, respecting others’ feelings,

and model how to solve problems and resolve differences.

RICH LITERACY ENVIRONMENT

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Arrangements and selection of materials engage children’s interest in

exploration. Children’s work and products are displayed in the classroom.

 The early childhood classroom has many and varied books, which are displayed

attractively and are accessible to children. Writing materials are available in

many different parts of the classroom.

 The classroom contains alphabet materials, including posted letters, labels on

objects in the environment, alphabet manipulatives, and alphabet books.

 At least some reading materials have been selected for their connections to

children’s linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

 Children have access to a wide range of materials useful for creative expression,

e.g., art materials, dramatic play props.

ACCOMMODATION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff includes all children in activities and events, e.g., games and sports.

Adaptations are made in activities to facilitate participation by all children, and

interventions for children with disabilities or other special needs maximize their

participation and membership in the group.

 Physical space and materials are adapted to promote engagement, interaction,

play and learning. Adaptations encourage children to initiate learning and do not

always depend on adults.
C. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PEDAGOGY

FROM THE RESEARCH: 18

• A supportive early childhood context can strengthen young children’s learning in

all domains, e.g., cognition and language, physical and motor development,

emotional and social development, and cultural and aesthetic development.

• Children are better prepared for school when early childhood programs expose

them to a variety of classroom structures, thought processes, and discourse

patterns.

• Children construct knowledge actively, integrating new concepts into existing

understandings. Teaching and learning are most effective when they begin with

and build on children’s existing understandings.

• Approaches that encourage children to reflect, predict, question, and

hypothesize allow children to learn more deliberately.

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

Children arrive at preschool with very different developmental, social, and cultural

experiences, resulting in great variations in their readiness for the setting. Because

individual differences among children have a strong influence on growth and

development, no single “lock-stepped” approach to teaching is useful. Working with

children who represent a wide range of development requires well-trained staff.

Early childhood programs must explicitly address the development of the whole

child because learning in one domain of development often reinforces or deepens

learning in another area of development. Some curricular activities such as arts,

music, and dramatic play are especially productive for developing language and

literacy concepts.

INDICATORS OF QUALITY IN PEDAGOGY: LOOK FOR...

VARIETY OF DOMAINS AND STRUCTURES

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 The early childhood program has the explicit goal of supporting all domains of

development for all children.

 Children’s daily schedules include a mix of whole class, small group, and

individual interaction with teachers.

INDIVIDUALIZATION

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff spends time each day observing children, including during play. Staff

records observations for use in planning, and discusses observations of progress

to match activities to the child’s level of development.
 Each day includes some opportunities for child-initiated learning activities along

with teacher-structured activities.

LEARNING HOW TO THINK

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 During all types of activities, staff frequently uses open-ended questions with all

children to develop children’s thinking.

 Staff conducts and facilitates conversations among children on a daily basis,

ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in taking turns

during conversations.

 Each day staff provides opportunities for children to ask questions and explore

responses, reason and problem-solve, and use both deliberate and trial and

error approaches for investigations. Staff encourages all children to participate

in hands-on activities and interact with peers and adults about their

observations.

D. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULA

FROM THE RESEARCH:

• Research does not identify any one best curriculum for preschool-age children to

prepare them for school. But it is clear that there are some important

ingredients, including explicit curricular goals, planned learning experiences in

all curricular areas, and extensive language and literacy development.19

• Children learn from interactions with the physical and natural environment and

also learn from each other. Children learn through play and active exploration of

the environment.20

• Teaching children phonemic awareness significantly improves reading.

Vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly, e.g., through story

reading or listening. Repetition and multiple exposure is important for

vocabulary learning.21

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

Early childhood programs need to balance consistent curricular guidance that

ensures that all children have an opportunity to attain desired outcomes with the

flexibility that staff needs to meet the wide-ranging needs of children. The nature of

learning should inform the practice of teaching. Learning activities that take a child

just beyond his or her existing knowledge and skill level are optimal for educational

development. Narrowly focused curricula that emphasize only basic skills or drills on

content have little meaning to children and should be avoided.
QUALITY INDICATORS FOR CURRICULA: LOOK FOR...

PLANNING

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff members in the early childhood program are able to describe the

theoretical base from which the program operates.

 The early childhood program has identified foundational concepts and specific

skills that all children should learn. Curriculum content is designed to achieve

long range goals for children. The early childhood curricular expectations are

linked to elementary school standards.

 The curriculum allows for children to work at different levels on different

activities. Children are not expected to all do the same thing at the same time.

 The curriculum is organized within conceptual frameworks such as projects,

units, and themes in order to provide context for abstract concepts.

LANGUAGE FOUNDATIONS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Adults engage throughout the day in meaningful conversations with children,

including conversations initiated by children. Adult speech is pleasant in tone,

varied in complexity, and understood by children.

 Vocabulary development is part of all learning activities. Staff takes advantage

of routines, informal daily activities, and play opportunities to point out new

words in context, and adults expand upon children’s speech.

 Staff members exhibit respect for the home language of children. Staff may use

the language in some daily conversations and include stories and materials in

the home language.

EMERGENT LITERACY FOUNDATIONS FOR READING

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff explicitly teaches phonological awareness skills through rhyming,

categorization of sounds, and identification of syllables. On a daily basis, staff

uses rhyming, poetry, music, and word play with sound clusters to build

sensitivity to sounds and awareness of phonemic patterns.

 Staff frequently makes explicit connections between speech and print, e.g.,

pointing out letters of the alphabet associated with sounds and speech units and

taking dictation from children.

 Staff explicitly teaches skills associated with conventions of print and literacy,

e.g., book handling, following print on a page.

 Adult-child shared book reading of quality children’s literature occurs every day.

During story reading and telling, instructional approaches are used frequently to

engage children in dialogue about the story and telling the story.
 Teachers encourage children every day to talk about their experiences and to

represent their ideas in stories and pictures.

 Children are encouraged to write using their own spellings of words to link

sounds with letters.

MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff encourages direct, first hand, interactive experiences with natural and

manipulative materials. The real world is the subject of learning activities.

Children have the opportunity to develop concepts about the natural world,

including the basic needs of living things, the differences and similarities among

objects and organisms, the materials things are made of, and cycles and

patterns of change.

 Staff develops children’s understanding of key vocabulary associated with

sequencing, comparisons and sorting, spatial relationships, and temporal

relationships.

 Children have the opportunities to learn the functions and properties of objects,

and classify and group materials.

 Staff provides instruction and practice in recognizing numerals, counting objects,

describing and naming shapes, reproducing and extending simple patterns,

using basic measurement tools, and collecting and organizing information.

 Staff helps children develop simple investigations that involve asking questions,

making observations, gathering information, drawing conclusions, and

communicating findings.

E. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD STAFF

FROM THE RESEARCH:22

• A defining feature of a supportive environment is a responsive and responsible

adult who nurtures children’s dispositions to learn. The quality of early teacherchild relationships affects social competence and school achievement.

• Teachers’ professional backgrounds are related to the types of interactions with

children that support cognitive and language development. When the teaching

staff knows how to observe children’s approaches to learning, they are able to

create challenging learning experiences that are within the reach of the child,

and as a result, extend the child’s competence.

• Stability and consistency of relationships between adults and children are

important for learning. Building close relationships depends upon stability;

therefore, turnover of staff is disruptive for children’s learning.

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

In many areas, there is a shortage of qualified early childhood staff so maintaining

staff, with expertise and experience requires ongoing attention. Because

individualized support for children is critical, schools need to create professional
working conditions that support continuous learning, enabling teachers to learn

more about the children in their care and reflect on the effectiveness of teaching

practices.

INDICATORS OF QUALITY OF STAFF: LOOK FOR...

BACKGROUND OF STAFF

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Early childhood teachers have at least baccalaureate degrees, ideally with

specialization in early childhood education. At a minimum, early childhood

instructional assistants are high school graduates or have equivalent credentials

and have been trained in early childhood education.

 Early childhood teachers and instructional assistants have or are working

towards appropriate state certification for early childhood.

 At least some members of the staff speak the home language of the majority of

the children.

PROFESSIONAL WORKING CONDITIONS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 During the school day, staff spends little time on tasks that do not involve

children’s learning.

 Early childhood staff members receive supervision from an early childhood

specialist with at least a Masters degree in early childhood education.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 All early childhood staff members (teachers and instructional assistants) have

training in child development; child observation and assessment; early literacy

and language acquisition, including second language acquisition; curricula,

environments and materials for young children; parental involvement; cultural

diversity and special needs; and working with other staff.

 At least weekly, staff has an opportunity to discuss their observations of

children’s development and seek guidance for instructional approaches.
F. QUALITY OF ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

FROM THE RESEARCH:

• Assessment serves several purposes in early childhood: planning instruction and

monitoring progress, communicating progress to parents, identifying children in

need of special services or intervention, and evaluating how well the program is

meeting its goals.23

• There are long-term negative consequences associated with deferring

identification of and planning interventions for children who need additional

support for language and literacy development.24

• Assessment in early childhood is currently in a state of flux and the field is

continuing to develop.25

THE CHALLENGE FOR PROGRAMS:

Assessment is inseparable from effective instruction; teachers daily guide learning

based on their assessments of each child’s development. A wide variety of

approaches and instruments is appropriate for instructional assessment to provide

additional support in areas of need. Those same instruments may not be

appropriate for higher stakes assessments of preschool children, for example,

placement decisions. Much more care needs to be employed when assessment is

used for purposes external to the classroom, e.g., program evaluation and

accountability. Schools certainly need to assess the effectiveness of preschool

programs in terms of their outcomes for children, but the data should always be

collected and reported in ways that bring benefits to children rather than delaying

services. Because the course of development in the preschool years is uneven and

sporadic, assessment results that reflect only a single point in time can easily

misrepresent children’s learning.

INDICATORS OF QUALITY OF ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUOUS

IMPROVEMENT: LOOK FOR...

GUIDANCE FOR INSTRUCTION

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Teachers use a variety of assessment procedures that are embedded in

instruction on an ongoing basis, including observation, performance assessment,

work samples and interviews.

 Records of assessments document what children know as well as what they do

not yet know. Teacher records show which children are not making adequate

progress in order to ensure that attention is paid to skill development.
IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS FOR SPECIAL SERVICES AND INTERVENTIONS

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 The program has a process in place for screening and referring children for

special education and other services.

 The process includes provisions for informing parents of the referral in advance,

along with their associated rights. Parents may remain with the child during

assessments.

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

NOT AT ALL DESCRIPTIVE VERY DESCRIPTIVE

12 3 4 5

 Staff and parents meet to develop instructional and other goals for children.

 Staff and parents participate in a formal annual review to determine the

program’s effectiveness in meeting the needs of children and families.

 The annual review includes an assessment of the overall context, including staff

turnover, and parental satisfaction.

 The annual review of the program includes performance data about children

collected by teachers. Multiple indicators of progress are included to assess

program effectiveness in meeting instructional goals.

 Staff make recommendations for program improvement based upon findings in

the annual review.

SUMMARY

If the indicators listed in the six features above are descriptive of your current

preschool program, then you are well on the way to providing experiences for

young children that will produce strong outcomes. The next section lists specific

outcomes for language development, enabling you to determine whether children in

your preschool program are attaining the skills that are important foundations for

school success. If your program did not rate well on some indicators, now is the

time to take stock and develop an action plan that answers these questions:

• Where do we want to be in a year? What changes are most important? What

goals are reasonable?

• What strategies, capacities, and resources do we need to achieve those goals?
SECTION IV

CHILD OUTCOMES IN THE LANGUAGE DOMAIN
SECTION IV. CHILD OUTCOMES IN THE LANGUAGE DOMAIN

What should parents and the public expect from the preschool experience? This

section lists examples of benchmarks within the language domain that most

children could be expected to attain as a result of participation in a quality

preschool. Of course, all children would not be expected to arrive at a benchmark at

the same time nor attain the same proficiency. Assessments should take into

account a child’s ability in English and his or her stage of native and English

language acquisition.

There are many ways to measure the attainment of the outcomes listed below,

including observation and performance assessments. The Resource Section includes

a list of assessment instruments that programs might consider for gauging

attainment of outcomes.

The outcomes listed below are expectations that are appropriate for most children

who have participated in high-quality preschool programs. Children’s performance

on these outcomes will help you judge the adequacy of preschool program quality.

By the end of preschool, how many of children in your program are able to ____?

A. ORAL LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND LISTENING

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Communicate to be understood by adults and peers.

Initiate and engage in conversations with adults and peers.

Ask questions for information and to extend learning.

Use multiple word sentences to express ideas.

Listen to others and indicate understanding.

Understand accurately directions with more than one step.

B. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND VOCABULARY

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Learn new vocabulary from everyday situations.

Attempt to communicate more than current vocabulary,

extending to create new meaning.

Use correct vocabulary related to position, order, direction,

size, and comparison.

Use vocabulary associated with scientific principles, e.g.,

sink, float, freeze, liquid, alive.

Use basic computer vocabulary, e.g., mouse, keyboard,

printer.
C. EMERGENT LITERACY

Phonological awareness

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Recognize that words are made up of individual sounds.

Recognize that language is made up of words.

Recognize and produce rhyming words.

Perceive the difference between similar sounding words.

Identify words that begin with the same sounds.

Break words into syllables.

Alphabetic principle

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Understand that sounds are represented in print by

combinations of letters.

Make some sound-letter matches.

Letter awareness

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Know some alphabet letter names, including those in own

name.

Recognize own name and several high frequency words in

environment.

Print awareness

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Understand that print conveys messages.

Understand that there are different text forms used for

different functions.

Demonstrate book awareness, e.g., holding the book right

side up, turning pages.

Understand print conventions, e.g., left to right, top to

bottom, and spaces between words.

Writing

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Use symbols or drawings to express ideas.

Use letter approximations to write words or ideas.

Dictate words, phrases, sentences to adults for recording.

Write letters in own name.

D. COMPREHENSION

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Retell the sequence of main events in a story.

Predict events in a story.

Connect information in books to real life experiences.
E. INTEREST IN LITERACY

MOST

(75%or more)

MANY

(50-75%)

SOME

(25-50%)

FEW

(less than 25%)

Play with the sounds of language in games and songs.

Attend to and engage in discussion about books when being

read to.

Show interest in reading-related activities.

Attempt to read and write independently.

Have favorite books and request re-reading of books.

Enjoy library visits and select books by own criteria.

CONCLUSION

The Department of Education offers the information in this guide to states, districts,

and schools to use in developing high-quality early childhood programs and in

supporting the continuous improvement of existing programs. The guide may also

be used to make the case for providing services to young children and ensuring that

those services are of sufficient quality to have long-term positive effects.

If your self-assessment shows need for improvement, the information in this guide

may help identify the capacities and resources needed to improve services over the

coming year. The resources in the next section can provide additional help for your

improvement efforts.

SECTION V

RESOURCES
SECTION V. RESOURCES

This section of the guide includes references for additional information, and

endnotes for the text.

A. Program Quality Instruments

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS). The ECERS is a global

rating of classroom quality based on structural features of the classroom. It uses a

seven-point rating scale that provides extensive descriptive information on the

classroom. The ECERS was recently revised, and is easier to train and gain interrater reliability. The ECERS-R features more clearly defined criteria for each scale,

as well as an improved balance between classroom materials, furnishings, and

routine activities with classroom processes and practices. The ECERS-R subscales

include space and furnishings, personal care routines, language-reasoning,

activities, interaction, program structure, and parents and staff. ECERS was used in

the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), the Observational

Study of Early Childhood Programs, National Child Care Staffing Study, the Cost,

Quality and Child Outcomes Study, Family and Classroom Correlates of Head Start

Children’s Developmental Outcomes, and the Thresholds of Quality Study. The

ECERS-R is currently being used in FACES.

Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs. The Assessment Profile is

an observational checklist containing 147 Yes/No items designed to assist in selfassessment to improve the quality of early childhood programs. It focuses on five

aspects of the dynamic classroom environment: (1) the learning environment, (2)

the curriculum, (3) interactions, (4) individualizing, and (5) health and safety. The

Assessment Profile is used in FACES (Learning Environment and Scheduling scales),

and was previously used in the Observational Study of Early Childhood Programs,

the Atlanta site of the National Child Care Staffing Study, the National Child Care

and Family Study and an adaptation was developed for the National Institute of

Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care.

Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO). The ELLCO is a

30-40 minute observation period followed by an interview with the teacher. The

observer then rates the classroom on 14 variables that span four functional areas:

1) classroom functional environment (organization of the classroom, contents of the

classroom, presence and use of technology, opportunities for child choice and

initiative); 2) the interactive environment (classroom management strategies,

classroom climate); 3) language and literacy facilitation (oral language facilitation,

presence of books, book reading practices, approaches to children’s writing); and 4)

broad support for literacy (approaches to curriculum, recognizing diversity in the

classroom, facilitating home support for literacy, approaches to assessment).
B. Selected References for More Information

(see also endnotes for major references):

Articles and Books

Allin, S. & Love, J.M. (1995). Influences on children’s transitions to kindergarten: A

review of the research and practice. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy

Research, Inc.

Barnett, W.S. (1995). Long-term effects of early childhood programs on cognitive

and school outcomes. The future of children: Long-term outcomes of early

childhood programs. 5(3).

Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (Eds.). (1997). Developmentally appropriate practices

in early childhood programs. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Burns, M.S., Griffin, P., & Snow, C. (Eds.). (1998). Starting out right: A guide to

promoting children’s reading success. Washington, DC: Committee on the

Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children, National Research

Council.

Frede, E.C. (1995). The role of program quality in producing early childhood

program benefits. The future of children: Long term outcomes in early

childhood programs. 5(3).

Katz, L.G. (1993, April). Five perspectives on quality in early childhood programs.

Available on-line: http://ericeece.org/pubs/books/fivepers.html

National Governors’ Association. (1996). Promising practices to improve results for

young children. Washington, DC: Author.

Regional Educational Laboratories Early Childhood Collaboration Network. (1995,

November). Continuity in early childhood: A framework for home, school,

and community linkages. Washington, DC: Author.

Stief, Elizabeth. (1994). Transitions to school. Washington, DC: National Governors’

Association.
Organizations

Center for Improvement of Early Reading (CIERA)

Available on-line: http://www.ciera.org

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Available on-line: http://www.cec.sped.org

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education

(ERIC/EECE)

Available on-line: http://www.ericeece.org/

International Reading Association (IRA)

Available on-line: http://www.reading.org

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Available on-line: http://www.naeyc.org

National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of

Education (NAECS/SDE)

Available on-line: http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu/naecs/abtnaecs.html

National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL)

Available on-line: http://www.fpg.unc.edu/NCEDL

National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL)

Available on-line: http://www.famlit.org

National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)

Available on-line: http://www.nifl.gov/

National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education, Early

Childhood Institute (ECI)

Available on-line: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/ECI/
C. Endnotes

1 West, J., Denton, K., and Reaney, L.M. (2000). The kindergarten year: Findings from the Early Childhood

Longitudinal study, kinder-garten class of 1998-99. Washington, D. C.: National Center for Education Statistics.

Available: <http://www.nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2001023: See following references in

Hinkle, D. (2000). School involvement in early childhood. (U.S. Department of Education Publication: ECI 2000-

9039). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. (a) Ramey, C., Campbell, F., & Burchinal, M. (1999).

The Abecedarian Project. (b) Karoly, L., Greenwood, P., Everingham, S., Hoube, J., Kilburn, R., Rydell, C.

Sanders, M., & Chiesa, J. (1998) Investing in our children. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation; and (c) National

Center for Early Development and Learning. (1999). Cost, quality, and outcomes children go to school.

www.fpr.unc.edu/ncedl/

2 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary. Washington,

DC: National Academy Press.

3 Hinkle, D. (2000). School involvement in early childhood. (U.S. Department of Education Publication: ECI 2000-

9039). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

4 Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington,

DC: National Research Council. www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/prdyc/; and National Research Council.

(2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading

and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: Author.

5 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary. Washington,

DC: National Academy Press.

6 National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education. (2000, March). New teachers for a new

century: The future of early childhood professional preparation. (U.S. Department of Education Publication: ECI

2000-9038) Available: <http://www.ed.gov> Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

7 National Association for the Education of Young Children. (1998, July). Learning to read and write:

Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A joint position statement of the International Reading

Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Adopted May 1998. Young

Children, 53(4); and Powell, D. R., & D’Angelo, D. (2000, September). Guide to improving parenting education in

Even Start family literacy programs. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Even Start Family Literacy

Program. Available: <http://www.ed.gov>

8 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary. Washington,

DC: National Academy Press.

9 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary. Washington,

DC: National Academy Press; and National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of

Education (NAECS). (2000, August). Unacceptable trends in kindergarten entry and placement. Author.

http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu/naecs/position/trends2000.html

10 Council of Chief State School Officers. (2000). Early childhood and family education. Washington, DC: Author.

11 Powell, D. R., & D’Angelo, D. (2000, September). Guide to improving parenting education in Even Start family

literacy programs. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Even Start Family Literacy Program.

Available: <http://www.ed.gov>

12 Snow, C., Burns, S., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington,

DC: National Research Council. www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/prdyc/; and Whitehurst, G.J., Epstein, J. N.,

Angell, A. L., Payne, D. A., Crone, D. A., & Fischel, J.E. (1994) Outcomes of an emergent literacy intervention in

Head Start. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 542-555.

13 Nord, C. W., Lennon, J., Liu, B., & Chandler, K. (2000, March). Home literacy activities and signs of children’s

emerging literacy, 1993 and 1999. (National Center for Education Statistics: NCES 2000-026). Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of Education.

14 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary.

Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

15 Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages 3 through 8. A

position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of

Early Childhood Specialists in State Department of Education. Adopted November 1990. Available:

<http://ericps.crc.uiuc.ed/naecs/position/currcont.html>

16 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1998, June). Head Start program performance measures.

Second progress report. (ACYF-IM-HS-98-19) Washington, DC: Author.

17 The University of the State of New York. (1998). Preschool planning guide: Building a foundation for

development of language and literacy in the early years. Albany, NY: The State Education Department.
18 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary.

Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

19 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary.

Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

20 Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages 3 through 8. A

position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of

Early Childhood Specialists in State Department of Education. Adopted November 1990. Available:

<http://ericps.crc.uiuc.ed/naecs/position/currcont.html>

21 National Research Council. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific

research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: Author. Snow, C.,

Burns, S., & Griffin, P., (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, D.C.:

National Research Council. www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/prdyc/

22 National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education. (2000, March). New teachers for a new

century: The future of early childhood professional preparation. (U.S. Department of Education Publication: ECI

2000-9038) Available: <http://www.ed.gov>. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

23 Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages 3 through 8. A

position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of

Early Childhood Specialists in State Department of Education. Adopted November 1990. Available:

<http://ericps.crc.uiuc.ed/naecs/position/currcont.html>

24 Snow, C., Burns, S., and Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington,

D.C.: National Research Council. www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/prdyc/

25 National Research Council. (2000). Eager to learn: Educating our preschoolers. Executive summary.

Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

26 Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages 3 through 8. A

position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the National Association of

Early Childhood Specialists in State Department of Education. Adopted November 1990. Available:

<http://ericps.crc.uiuc.ed/naecs/position/currcont.html>

27 Connecticut State Board of Education. (1999). The Connecticut framework: Preschool curricular goals and

benchmarks. Hartford, CT: Author; Texas Education Agency. (1999, December). Prekindergarten curriculum

guidelines. (Report No. CU 00 200 01). Austin, TX: Author; California Department of Education. Child

Development Division. (2000, June). Program standards for center-based programs and family child care home

networks: Desired results for children and families. Sacramento, CA: Author; and California Department of

Education (2000). Pre-kindergarten learning and development guidelines. Sacramento: California Department of

Education.
SECTION VI

PROGRAM SELF-ASSESSMENT

The following pages contain a self-assessment tool using the quality

indicator statements for the six features of high-quality early childhood

programs described in Section III. For each quality indicator statement,

determine how descriptive that indicator is of your program, ranging from

“Not at all Descriptive of our Program” to “Very Descriptive of our Program.”

Write notes to explain the ratings.

It is helpful to involve a multi-disciplinary team to determine and discuss the

ratings. Use the team discussion to identify the strengths of preschool

services and also determine areas for needed improvements.
A. QUALITY INDICATORS FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

DEVELOPMENT OF HOME-SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS 12345

1 All parents believe that their child’s teacher respects

their views and express trust in the teacher. Parents are

welcome visitors to the program at any time.

2 A system is in place for teacher-parent communication of

day-to-day happenings that may affect children. Staff

regularly provides information to parents about how

their children are progressing and does so formally

through conferences several times a year.

3 The school has explicit expectations for the parent’s role.

Staff provides information to all parents about their

roles in family-school relationships, the schedule and

school calendar, the meaning of progress reports and

school forms, and so forth.

4 All parents have opportunities for input into program

procedures and the plans for meeting their child’s

needs.

HOME LITERACY ENVIRONMENT AND PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS 12345

1 Staff routinely provides books and other literacy

materials for use in the home environment. Staff

encourages parent-child book reading in a variety of

ways. Staff demonstrates ways to read with children.

2 Staff makes home visits for instructional purposes as

appropriate.

3 During parent-teacher conferences, staff asks parents for

their observations about their child’s language and

literacy development. Staff uses the knowledge in

ongoing assessment and planning.

4 The program makes available opportunities for parents

to extend their own literacy learning, directly or through

referrals.
COMPETENCE IN WORKING WITH PROGRAM SELF-RATING

DIVERSE PARENT POPULATIONS 12345

1 Staff has detailed knowledge of the social and cultural

contexts in which children live. Staff understands and

respects the values and traditions of culturally diverse

families.

2 Staff makes appropriate accommodations for parents

with special needs, e.g., oral presentations of written

material, visits to the home.

3 Staff makes arrangements for communicating with

parents in their preferred language.

B. QUALITY OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

CLASS SIZE AND TEACHER-STUDENT PROGRAM SELF-RATING

RATIOS 12345

1 The number of adults in the classroom and the adultchild ratio follow state-recommended guidelines for age

groups. Ratios and grouping are adequate so that each

child is known well by at least one adult.

2 Staff members have assigned responsibility for a

particular group of children. Programs maintain stable

staff relationships, for example, keeping the same staff

with children over several years.

3 Space is arranged so that children can work individually,

in small groups, and as a whole group.
PROGRAM SELF-RATING

RICH LITERACY ENVIRONMENT 12345

1 Arrangements and selection of materials engage

children’s interest in exploration. Children’s work and

products are displayed in the classroom.

2 The early childhood classroom has many and varied

books, which are displayed attractively and are

accessible to children. Writing materials are available in

many different parts of the classroom.

3 The classroom contains alphabet materials, including

posted letters, labels on objects in the environment,

alphabet manipulatives, and alphabet books.

4 At least some reading materials have been selected for

their connections to children’s linguistic and cultural

backgrounds.

5 Children have access to a wide range of materials useful

for creative expression, e.g., art materials, dramatic

play props.

ACCOMMODATION OF CHILDREN WITH PROGRAM SELF-RATING

SPECIAL NEEDS 12345

1 Staff includes all children in activities and events, e.g.,

games and sports. Adaptations are made in activities to

facilitate participation by all children, and interventions

for children with disabilities or other special needs

maximize their participation and membership in the

group.

2 Physical space and materials are adapted to promote

engagement, interaction, play and learning. Adaptations

encourage children to initiate learning and do not always

depend on adults.
C. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PEDAGOGY

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

VARIETY OF DOMAINS AND STRUCTURES 12345

1 The early childhood program has the explicit goal of

supporting all domains of development for all children.

2 Children’s daily schedules include a mix of whole class,

small group, and individual interaction with teachers.

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

INDIVIDUALIZATION 12345

1 Staff spends time each day observing children, including

during play. Staff records observations for use in

planning, and discusses observations of progress to

match activities to the child’s level of development.

2 Each day includes some opportunities for child-initiated

learning activities along with teacher-structured

activities.

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

LEARNING HOW TO THINK 12345

1 During all types of activities, staff frequently uses openended questions with all children to develop children’s

thinking.

2 Staff conducts and facilitates conversations among

children on a daily basis, ensuring that all children have

the opportunity to participate in taking turns during

conversations.

3 Each day staff provides opportunities for children to ask

questions and explore responses, reason and problemsolve, and use both deliberate and trial and error

approaches for investigations. Staff encourages all

children to participate in hands-on activities and interact

with peers and adults about their observations.
D. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULA

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PLANNING 12345

1 Staff members in the early childhood program are able to

describe the theoretical base from which the program

operates.

2 The early childhood program has identified foundational

concepts and specific skills that all children should learn.

Curriculum content is designed to achieve long range

goals for children. The early childhood curricular

expectations are linked to elementary school standards.

3 The curriculum allows for children to work at different

levels on different activities. Children are not expected

to all do the same thing at the same time.

4 The curriculum is organized within conceptual

frameworks such as projects, units, and themes in order

to provide context for abstract concepts.

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

LANGUAGE FOUNDATIONS 12345

1 Adults engage throughout the day in meaningful

conversations with children, including conversations

initiated by children. Adult speech is pleasant in tone,

varied in complexity, and understood by children.

2 Vocabulary development is part of all learning activities.

Staff takes advantage of routines, informal daily

activities, and play opportunities to point out new words

in context, and adults expand upon children’s speech.

3 Staff members exhibit respect for the home language of

children. Staff may use the language in some daily

conversations and include stories and materials in the

home language.
PROGRAM SELF-RATING

EMERGENT LITERACY FOUNDATIONS FOR READING 12345

1 Staff explicitly teaches phonological awareness skills

through rhyming, categorization of sounds, and

identification of syllables. On a daily basis, staff uses

rhyming, poetry, music, and word play with sound

clusters to build sensitivity to sounds and awareness of

phonemic patterns.

2 Staff frequently makes explicit connections between

speech and print, e.g., pointing out letters of the

alphabet associated with sounds and speech units and

taking dictation from children.

3 Staff explicitly teaches skills associated with conventions

of print and literacy, e.g., book handling, following print

on a page.

4 Adult-child shared book reading of quality children’s

literature occurs every day. During story reading and

telling, instructional approaches are used frequently to

engage children in dialogue about the story and telling

the story.

5 Teachers encourage children every day to talk about

their experiences and to represent their ideas in stories

and pictures.

6 Children are encouraged to write using their own

spellings of words to link sounds with letters.
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS FOR PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PROBLEM-SOLVING 12345

1 Staff encourages direct, first hand, interactive

experiences with natural and manipulative materials.

The real world is the subject of learning activities.

Children have the opportunity to develop concepts about

the natural world, including the basic needs of living

things, the differences and similarities among objects

and organisms, the materials things are made of, and

cycles and patterns of change.

2 Staff develops children’s understanding of key

vocabulary associated with sequencing, comparisons

and sorting, spatial relationships, and temporal

relationships.

3 Children have the opportunities to learn the functions

and properties of objects, and classify and group

materials.

4 Staff provides instruction and practice in recognizing

numerals, counting objects, describing and naming

shapes, reproducing and extending simple patterns,

using basic measurement tools, and collecting and

organizing information.

5 Staff helps children develop simple investigations that

involve asking questions, making observations,

gathering information, drawing conclusions, and

communicating findings.

E. QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD STAFF

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

BACKGROUND OF STAFF 12345

1 Early childhood teachers have at least baccalaureate

degrees, ideally with specialization in early childhood

education. At a minimum, early childhood instructional

assistants are high school graduates or have equivalent

credentials and have been trained in early childhood

education.

2 Early childhood teachers and instructional assistants

have or are working towards appropriate state

certification for early childhood.

3 At least some members of the staff speak the home

language of the majority of the children.
PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 12345

1 All early childhood staff members (teachers and

instructional assistants) have training in child

development; child observation and assessment; early

literacy and language acquisition, including second

language acquisition; curricula, environments and

materials for young children; parental involvement;

cultural diversity and special needs; and working with

other staff.

2 At least weekly, staff has an opportunity to discuss their

observations of children’s development and seek

guidance for instructional approaches.

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PROFESSIONAL WORKING CONDITIONS 12345

1 During the school day, staff spends little time on tasks

that do not involve children’s learning.

2 Early childhood staff members receive supervision from

an early childhood specialist with at least a Masters

degree in early childhood education.

F. QUALITY OF ASSESSMENT AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

GUIDANCE FOR INSTRUCTION 12345

1 Teachers use a variety of assessment procedures that

are embedded in instruction on an ongoing basis,

including observation, performance assessment, work

samples and interviews.

2 Records of assessments document what children know as

well as what they do not yet know. Teacher records

show which children are not making adequate progress

in order to ensure that attention is paid to skill

development.
IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS FOR PROGRAM SELF-RATING

SPECIAL SERVICES AND INTERVENTIONS 12345

1 The program has a process in place for screening and

referring children for special education and other

services. The process includes provisions for informing

parents of the referral in advance, along with their

associated rights. Parents may remain with the child

during assessments.

2 Teachers know the signs of children who may be having

difficulty acquiring language skills. Assessments take

into account a child’s ability in English and his or her

stage of native and English language acquisition.

3 Results of screening tests are not used as the sole

criterion for placement into special programs.

PROGRAM SELF-RATING

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT 12345

1 Staff and parents meet to develop instructional and other

goals for children.

2 Staff and parents participate in a formal annual review to

determine the program’s effectiveness in meeting the

needs of children and families.

3 The annual review includes an assessment of the overall

context, including staff turnover, and parental

satisfaction.

4 The annual review of the program includes performance

data about children collected by teachers. Multiple

indicators of progress are included to assess program

effectiveness in meeting instructional goals.

5 Staff make recommendations for program improvement

based upon findings in the annual review.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In addition to the work on the document by M. Christine Dwyer of RMC Research

Corporation, Nicholas Zill of Westat provided information about program quality and

child outcome assessments for the resource section, Jenny Suh of Policy Studies

Associates (PSA) provided the list of references for more information, and Elizabeth

Witte of the Department of Education provided recommendations of resources.

Members of a work group at the Department of Education (the Early Childhood

Initiative Group), provided guidance throughout development of the project, and

engaged in several helpful rounds of review. The group included: Frances Bond,

Bridget Bradley, Robin Chait, Alan Ginsburg, Gail Houle, Connie Jameson, Naomi

Karp, Patricia McKee, Elois Scott, Miriam Whitney and Alex Wohl. The group was

chaired by Carol Rasco and Frank Holleman.

In August 2000, the Department convened a group to shape the content of the

document. The members of that group provided ideas and materials generously and

continued to offer suggestions through the review process. Their insights and

suggestions were extremely helpful and contributed greatly to the quality of the

document. In addition to members of the work group identified above, the group

included: Frank Holleman, Deputy Secretary of Education; Ruth Gordner, Council of

Chief State School Officers; Anthony F. Bucci, Director of Title I Services, CharlotteMecklenburg District; Harriett Egertson, Administrator of the Nebraska Office of

Children and Families; Susan Henry, New York State Even Start Coordinator;

Michael Jett, Director of the Child Development Division of the California

Department of Education; Jim Lesko, Delaware Department of Education; Gary

Resnick, Senior Study Director, FACES, Westat, Inc.; Nancy Wilson, Associate

Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education; and Grover J. Whitehurst,

Chair of the Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony

Brook.

Design of the document was the work of Diane Draper of By Design.
NOTES