Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
Child care providers don’t fully understand the Environmental Rating Scale rankings when self-assessing their child care homes or centers. Training helps them more accurately self-assess.

Response:
Four sites in the Corner Counties Empowerment area were identified for quality improvement assistance (3 community preschools and 1 preschool age room in a child care center). Following observation by inter-rater reliable field staff, written reports were developed for each site and a face-to-face consultation was held to review item scores and recommendations for quality improvement. Forty environment rating scale items were scored for each site. Sites also received ECERS-R books and an “All About ECERS” reference. The project was funded by Corner Counties Empowerment. Sites were asked to provide feedback on recommendations they had implemented and field specialists rescored items that experienced change.

Impact:
The Environment Rating Scale scores determined after observation indicated that only one of the 4 sites could potentially have gained a QRS point from an outside observation, as the other three sites had subscales that scored below a 2. Environment rating scale scores ranged from a 2.73 (inadequate care) to a 3.83 (minimal quality of care). Thirty Eight (24%) of the 160 items scored at the desirable quality level of 5 (Good Quality). 32% of the items (62 items) scored in the 1-2 level, red flags for quality care. When sites were surveyed for changes they had made, their reports showed that there was an improvement on 84 (53%) of the 160 items scored. The number of individual items scoring at the level of 5 or above (Good Quality) had increased from 25% of the items scored to 53% (84 items) scoring at 5 or above. The number of items scoring in the 1-2 range (red flags for quality) were decreased from 32% to 21% (33 items). No site continued to have a subscale scoring below 2 and Environment rating scale scores now ranged from 3.83 (Minimal Quality) to 5.48 (Good Quality) . One site could potentially earn one point from a QRS outside observation and the other 3 sites could potentially earn 3 points from an outside observation.

Additional ISUE Extension Staff:
Mary Hughes, Family Life Field Specialist

Contact:
Patricia Anderson
West Pottawattamie County Extension
3501 Harry Langdon Blvd - Careers Bldg
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
712-366-7070
pander@iastate.edu