The need for high-quality childcare continues to be a topic of interest as more and more families enter the workforce and more and more children need care. Every week, families from all socioeconomic backgrounds drop their children off at some type of childcare. According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, “In the United States, 76% of children ages three to four, receive education and care from someone other than a parent.” (NIEER, 2002). With so many children needing childcare, researchers and policymakers are tasked with figuring out how to best support the next generation of preschoolers. In this chapter, we will address the need for high-quality in early care and education as means to reduce the achievement gap between children from low to high socioeconomic families. We will also compare standard industry practices to what the field of early care and education recognizes as high-quality practices. Lastly, we will review some of the current observation methods, tools and techniques that can be used to ensure programs are implementing quality practices.
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2.1: Closing the Achievement Gap
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Research indicates that high-quality early care and education programs are crucial for children's development, significantly benefiting children from low-income families in terms of academic performance and long-term outcomes. However, many families lack access to such programs due to financial constraints, exacerbating the achievement gap. Only 48% of low-income children are ready for kindergarten compared to 75% from higher-income backgrounds.
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2.2: Not all Preschool Programs are Alike
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Families seeking childcare face the challenge of choosing the right preschool program, considering factors like cost, location, school philosophy, teacher qualifications, and curriculum. They also decide between state-funded, faith-based, family childcare, or traditional preschool settings. In California, all childcare centers must be licensed and comply with regulations.
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2.3: Process Quality and Structural Quality
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High-quality early childhood programs emphasize positive child outcomes by focusing on classroom interactions, known as process quality, and program characteristics, known as structural quality. Process quality involves interactions and materials provided for children, while structural quality includes class size, teacher qualifications, and resources. Smaller, more qualified teacher groups promote supportive interactions, enhancing social competence and academic success.
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2.4: A Look at Standard Industry Practices
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To legally operate a childcare program in California, centers must adhere to Title 22 Regulations, which focus on health and safety standards rather than child development. These regulations cover space, supervision, and teacher qualifications but do not address curriculum or interaction quality. Compliance is verified through inspections by licensing analysts, who assess cleanliness, staff ratios, qualifications, and documentation. Violations must be rectified within a specified timeframe.
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2.5: The Role of the Teacher in High-Quality Practices
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The page underscores the crucial role teachers play in creating high-quality classroom environments that support children's diverse needs in California childcare programs. Teachers must craft safe, nurturing spaces considering cultural and socioeconomic factors of families. Effective classrooms integrate physical, social, and temporal elements to foster development. Key components include age-appropriate curricula, tailored assessments, teacher preparation, and family engagement.
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2.6: A Look at High-Quality Practices
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High-quality early childhood education programs emphasize continuous monitoring and evaluation for accountability, often using tools like ECERS, CLASS, and guidelines from NAEYC. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) promotes best practices based on research and theory for educators and stakeholders. Key elements include encouraging active learning, setting developmentally appropriate expectations, and supporting diverse learning strategies.
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2.7: Measuring High-Quality in Early Care and Education Classrooms
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One of the characteristics of a high-quality early childhood program is the practice of continuously monitoring children???s development, along with the environmental setting and teacher interactions. By evaluating the overall performance in these key areas, teachers, administrators and families can reflect, make necessary changes and improvements to support all students and families. There are numerous tools on the market that evaluate program quality.
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2.8: Conclusion and References
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Research highlights the importance of enriched learning environments and meaningful interactions in enhancing children???s development. High-quality early childhood education is essential, especially for the approximately four million children living in poverty. To bridge the achievement gap, educators must continually observe, collect data, and reflect on teaching practices. While scores are useful, ongoing documentation and observation are crucial for supporting the needs of families.