DOI: 10.3886/icpsr33968
title: Massachusetts Early Care and Education and School Readiness Study, 2001-2008
title: Archival Version

description: Young children are spending increasingly greater hours in early care and education. While research has clearly documented the importance of the quality of these experiences (National Research Council, 2000), more research is needed in several key areas. This study is an assessment of the impact of varying hours of early care and education on children's school readiness, and the specific factors in both infant and preschool classrooms that promote school readiness, using two samples: one group of 242 children attending child care centers that have been followed since infancy (Family Income, Infant Child Care, and Child Development Study); and another group of 130 children attending child care centers primarily serving low-income families. A developmental-ecological conceptual framework was employed, which considered the influence of ecological contexts on children's developmental trajectories. The following school readiness outcomes were assessed: language development and communication cognition and general knowledge, including early math social and emotional development approaches to learning health and physical development
Additional information is available on the Massachusetts Early Care and Education and School Readiness Study Web site.
description: The study informs policy and program choices regarding standards for infant and preschool early care and education, the education and training of early care and education professionals, hours of care for young children, and the processes that improve school readiness among young children at risk.
description: This study was conducted in two waves. This dataset includes data on 130 children from the low-income sample, referred to as the first wave in this data collection. In this wave, data was collected from children's parents, children, and teachers at the pre-kindergarten age time point. This dataset includes data on only those children who completed a full assessment and whose parent and teacher surveys were received.
This dataset also includes data for 242 children that have been followed since infancy, referred to as the second wave in this data collection. These children participated in the Family Income, Infant Child Care, and Child Development Study in infancy, and were then recruited to participate in this study. For the second wave children, data was collected at 12 months, 24 months, and pre-kindergarten. Data was collected from children's parents and the children themselves. At pre-kindergarten, data was also collected from children's teachers. This dataset also includes infancy data for children who were not mailed surveys at the 48 months/pre-kindergarten age time point (220 families and 223 children).
description: Response Rates: For the first wave low-income sample, 136 parent surveys and 138 parent Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) packets were returned, out of a possible 170. In addition, 170 packets and SRRS packets from children's teachers were returned.
Children in the second wave from the Family Income, Infant Child Care and Child Development Study had an attrition rate of 3.6 percent. Out of a total of 228, 220 48-month parent packets were returned. 223 children remain in the study. Out of a possible 186 child assessments (children who were eligible to have their child care centers recruited), 179 assessments were completed. 162 teacher questionnaire and Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) packets were returned. Out of 223 eligible parents, 213 parents surveys and 212 SSRS packets were returned.
description: Presence of Common Scales: <strong>Child and Family:</strong>
ASQ-SE for 12 months and 24 months MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (CDI): Words and Gestures and Toddlers CES-DSocial Skills Rating System (SSRS) for parents and teacherBrief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA)Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT)Bracken Basic Concepts ScaleExpressive Vocabulary Test (EVT)Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive AbilitiesPhonological Awareness and Literacy Screening (PALS)
<strong>Infant Care Quality:</strong> Arnett Caregiver Interaction scale Howes and Stewart Teacher Involvement Scale Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), including the Listening, Talking, and Interaction subsetsEarly Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS)StimQ Cognitive Home EnvironmentSupports for Early Literacy Assessment (SELA)Ratio snapshots
description: The first wave of 170 infants attending child care centers servicing primarily low-income families were recruited as part of a randomly-selected sample of centers in the Massachusetts Cost and Quality Study. 41 centers were represented and observed. 163 children from this sample underwent the complete child assessment. 170 questionnaires were mailed.
The second wave of 242 infants attended center-based infant child care. 88 centers were represented and observed, and were part of a randomly-selected sample of centers in the Massachusetts Cost and Quality Study. Children were observed within the same classroom (clustered sample design). Out of this sample, 186 children were eligible to have their child care centers recruited as well. 228 questionnaires were mailed. Children living outside of New England, not interested in participating, and receiving a diagnosis (bipolar disorder, autism) were excluded from receiving surveys at pre-kindergarten age.
Average age of children at time of the first child/family survey was 54.7 weeks.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Massachusetts Early Care and Education and School Readiness Study, 2001-2008
description: Infant and preschool age children living in Massachusetts, their families, and their child care centers. Smallest Geographic Unit: state
description: mail questionnaire