Extension to Families
Success Stories
Child Care Environment Rating Scale Training
Problem:
Providing quality child care and advancing in the Quality Rating System continues to be a goal of many child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes in northeast Iowa. Despite on-going challenges, child care professionals continue to be committed to learning what comprises quality child care and identifying and implementing changes that will improve the quality of the environment experienced by young children in their home or center.
Response:
In cooperation with the QRS Specialist, six trainings - 4 sessions, 8 hours each - were held in Allison, Clear Lake and Cedar Falls. The classes focused on understanding an Environment Rating Scale specific to their situation (home or center) and accurately using it for self-assessment and program improvement.
Impact:
Thirty-nine persons from child development homes completed the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS) training and 19 from child care centers and preschools completed the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) training. These 64 programs serve 600 families and 812 children. On pre/post evaluations completed at the conclusion of each class, participants reported their knowledge and skills increased quite a bit or most of the time on the following items:
| Item | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Recognize how the Environment Rating Scale is used as a tool to measure quality | 8% |
100% |
| Understand how to use the scale to identify inadequate and minimal care | 4% |
100% |
| Clearly prioritize needed changes | 31% |
100% |
| Develop a workable improvement plan for making needed changes | 18% |
100% |
| Identify specific strengths of my child care program | 31% |
98% |
| Understand how to use the scale to identify good and excellent care | 8% |
95% |
| Identify specific limitations of my child care program | 22% |
95% |
Of the seventeen 3-4 month follow-up evaluations returned nine reported making 1-3 changes, six made 4-7, one made 8-11 and one made 12 or more changes. These included:
• Making or improving the cozy area
• More free art instead of teacher-led crafts and more displaying of it
• Playground changes and upgrades, children’s art displayed more
• Purchased and using more various culture CDs & DVDs
• Sanitizing more before meals
• Moved beds around to be 36’ apart
• Increased number of soft toys available
• In the process of fencing the back yard
Participant comments included:
“We improved the quality of our program greatly. This training was highly beneficial to us.”
“My overview of my class time was great. There was a lot to take in. You can make so many changes that a person can hardly believe when you think you are doing everything right. The class opens your eyes. I’m glad I took this class.”
“Every child care provider should take this class.”
Contact:
Donna Andrusyk
Bremer County Extension
720 7th Ave SW
Tripoli, IA 50676
319-882-4275
andrusyk@iastate.edu