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ERIC Number: EJ1072524
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-9289
EISSN: N/A
Identifying High-Quality Preschool Programs: New Evidence on the Validity of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) in Relation to School Readiness Goals
Gordon, Rachel A.; Hofer, Kerry G.; Fujimoto, Ken A.; Risk, Nicole; Kaestner, Robert; Korenman, Sanders
Early Education and Development, v26 n8 p1086-1110 2015
Research Findings: The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) is widely used, often to evaluate whether preschool programs are of sufficient quality to improve children's school readiness. We examined the validity of the measure for this purpose. Item response theory (IRT) analyses revealed that many items did not fit together to measure single dimensions, particularly when rated by consultants as indicating aspects of quality relevant for multiple domains of child development. IRT results also conflicted with the scale developers' expectations in terms of whether markers that they attached to higher response categories represented higher quality empirically. When reanalyzed based on experts' ratings, IRT results also showed that relatively few indicators captured the moderate to high range of quality. Practice or Policy: Our results suggest that policymakers should carefully consider whether measures designed for specific purposes are appropriate for other high-stakes uses. We encourage continued refinement of existing quality measures, development of new measures, and the accumulation of evidence for their various uses.
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A