Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Quality Rating and Improvement Systems and Children’s Cognitive Development

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Child & Youth Care Forum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Providing enriched learning environments is important to stimulating children’s development in early childhood. Early child-care policymakers in many states in the US have adopted Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) as a way to verify quality of child care and to support children’s school readiness.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between QRIS, a statewide government-funded early childhood care and education policy which integrates structural quality of child-care, and children’s cognitive skills.

Methods

A sample of randomly selected 313 children (mean age = 54.9 months, SD = 6.7) from 36 QRIS-participating early child-care programs was included in this study.

Results

Multilevel analysis with a latent variable (i.e., observed cognitive skills consisting of vocabulary, phonological awareness, and mathematical skills) revealed that children in the highest level of QRIS programs demonstrated better cognitive skills after controlling for child demographics, and home and neighborhood environments. In addition, QRIS moderated a negative association between family socioeconomic risk and children’s cognitive skills.

Conclusions

The results suggest that policymakers may expect positive returns on QRIS investments in terms of children’s early cognitive achievements that support their school readiness in later life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acock, A. C. (2005). Working with missing values. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(4), 1012–1028. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00191.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, W. S. (1985). Benefit–cost analysis of the Perry Preschool Program and its policy implications. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 7(4), 333–342. doi:10.3102/01623737007004333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belfield, C. R., Nores, M., Barnett, S., & Schweinhart, L. (2006). The High/Scope Perry Preschool Program: Cost–benefit analysis using data from the age-40 followup. The Journal of Human Resources, 41(1), 162–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blau, D. M., & Hagy, A. P. (1998). The demand for quality in child care. Journal of Political Economy, 106(1), 104–146. doi:10.1086/250004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–162). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, D. M., Burchinal, M. R., Lau, L. B., & Sparling, J. J. (1994). Family and classroom correlates of head start children’s developmental outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9(3–4), 289–309. doi:10.1016/0885-2006(94)90011-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., & Cryer, D. (2003). Diversity, child care quality, and developmental outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 18(4), 401–426. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2003.09.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Howes, C., Pianta, R., Bryant, D., Early, D., Clifford, R., et al. (2008a). Predicting child outcomes at the end of kindergarten from the quality of pre-kindergarten teacher–child interactions and instruction. Applied Developmental Science, 12(3), 140–153. doi:10.1080/10888690802199418.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Kainz, K., & Cai, Y. (2011). How well do our measures of quality predict child outcomes? A meta-analysis and cooredinated analysis of data from large-scale studies of early childhood settings. In M. Zaslow, I. Martinex-Beck, K. Tout, & T. Halle (Eds.), Quality measurement in early childhood settings (pp. 11–31). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., & Nelson, L. (2000). Family selection and child care experiences: Implications for studies of child outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15(3), 385–411. doi:10.1016/s0885-2006(00)00072-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Nelson, L., Carlson, M., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2008b). Neighborhood characteristics, and child care type and quality. Early Education and Development, 19(5), 702–725. doi:10.1080/10409280802375273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Peisner-Feinberg, E., Bryant, D. M., & Clifford, R. (2000a). Children’s social and cognitive development and child-care quality: Testing for differential associations related to poverty, gender, or ethnicity. Applied Developmental Science, 4(3), 149–165. doi:10.1207/s1532480xads0403_4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Roberts, J. E., Hooper, S., & Zeisel, S. A. (2000b). Cumulative risk and early cognitive development: A comparison of statistical risk models. Developmental Psychology, 36(6), 793–807. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.36.6.793.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Roberts, J. E., Riggins, J. R., Zeisel, S. A., Neebe, E., & Bryant, D. (2000c). Relating quality of center-based child care to early cognitive and language development longitudinally. Child Development, 71(2), 339–357. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00149.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buyse, E., Verschueren, K., & Doumen, S. (2011). Preschoolers’ attachment to mother and risk for adjustment problems in kindergarten: Can teachers make a difference? Social Development, 20(1), 33–50. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00555.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, F. A., Pungello, E. P., Miller-Johnson, S., Burchinal, M., & Ramey, C. T. (2001). The development of cognitive and academic abilities: Growth curves from an early childhood educational experiment. Developmental Psychology, 37(2), 231–242. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.37.2.231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Caughy, M. O. B., DiPietro, J. A., & Strobino, D. M. (1994). Day-care participation as a protective factor in the cognitive development of low-income children. Child Development, 65(2), 457–471. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00763.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Center for Human Resources Research. (1993). NLSY user’s guide. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Child Care Aware of America. (2013). Child care in America: 2013 state fact sheets. Arlington, VA: Child Care Aware of America.

    Google Scholar 

  • Child Trends. (2010). Quality rating and improvement systems for early care and education. Early Childhood Highlights, 1(1). http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2010_05_10_HL_QRIS.pdf.

  • Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A. C., Klebanov, P., et al. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6), 1428–1446. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, L. M. (1997). Peabody picture vocabulary test (3rd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Early, D. M., Bryant, D. M., Pianta, R. C., Clifford, R. M., Burchinal, M. R., Ritchie, S., et al. (2006). Are teachers’ education, major, and credentials related to classroom quality and children’s academic gains in pre-kindergarten? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(2), 174–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Early, D. M., Maxwell, K. L., Burchinal, M. R., Alva, S., Bender, R. H., Bryant, D., et al. (2007). Teachers’ education, classroom quality, and young children’s academic skills: Results from seven studies of preschool programs. Child Development, 78(2), 558–580. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01014.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furnes, B., & Samuelsson, S. (2009). Preschool cognitive and language skills predicting kindergarten and grade 1 reading and spelling: A cross-linguistic comparison. Journal of Research in Reading, 32(3), 275–292. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9817.2009.01393.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, E., Halle, T., Terry-Humen, E., Lavelle, B., & Calkins, J. (2006). Children’s school readiness in the ECLS-K: Predictions to academic, health, and social outcomes in first grade. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(4), 431–454. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.09.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howes, C. (1997). Children’s experiences in center-based child care as a function of teacher background and adult: Child ratio. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 43, 404–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Invernizzi, M., Sullivan, A., Meier, J., & Swank, L. (2004). Phonological awareness literacy screening: Pre-K teacher manual. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeon, L., Buettner, C. K., & Hur, E. (2014). Examining pre-school classroom quality in a statewide quality rating and improvement system. Child and Youth Care Forum, 43(4), 469–487. doi:10.1007/s10566-014-9248-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karoly, L. A., Zellman, G. L., & Perlman, M. (2013). Understanding variation in classroom quality within early childhood centers: Evidence from Colorado’s quality rating and improvement system. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28(4), 645–657. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2013.05.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, K. (2010). Do early academic achievement and behavior problems predict long-term effects among Head Start children? Children and Youth Services Review, 32(12), 1690–1703. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.07.012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loeb, S., Fuller, B., Kagan, S. L., & Carrol, B. (2004). Child care in poor communities: Early learning effects of type, quality, and stability. Child Development, 75(1), 47–65. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00653.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Love, J. M., Harrison, L., Sagi-Schwartz, A., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., Ross, C., Ungerer, J. A., et al. (2003). Child care quality matters: How conclusions may vary with context. Child Development, 74(4), 1021–1033. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00584.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, X., Shen, J., Kavanaugh, A., Lu, X., Brandi, K., Goodman, J., et al. (2011). Effects of quality improvement system for child care centers. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 25(4), 399–414. doi:10.1080/02568543.2011.605208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mashburn, A. J., Pianta, R. C., Hamre, B. K., Downer, J. T., Barbarin, O. A., Bryant, D., et al. (2008). Measures of classroom quality in prekindergarten and children’s development of academic, language, and social skills. Child Development, 79(3), 732–749. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01154.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mistry, R. S., Benner, A. D., Biesanz, J. C., Clark, S. L., & Howes, C. (2010). Family and social risk, and parental investments during the early childhood years as predictors of low-income children’s school readiness outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(4), 432–449. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.01.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2012). Mplus user’s guide. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

  • National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2005). Key facts and resources. http://www.naeyc.org/about/woyc/facts.asp.

  • NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2000). The relation of child care to cognitive and language development. Child Development, 71(4), 960–980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2002a). Child-care structure → process → outcome: Direct and indirect effects of child-care quality on young children’s development. Psychological Science: A Journal of the American Psychological Society, 13(3), 199–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. (2002b). The interaction of child care and family risk in relation to child development at 24 and 36 months. Applied Developmental Science, 6(3), 144–156. doi:10.1207/S1532480XADS0603_4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peisner-Feinberg, E. S., Burchinal, M. R., Clifford, R. M., Culkin, M. L., Howes, C., Kagan, S. L., et al. (2001). The relation of preschool child-care quality to children’s cognitive and social developmental trajectories through second grade. Child Development, 72(5), 1534–1553. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00364.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, D., Mekos, D., Scarr, S., McCartney, K., & Abbott-Shim, M. (2000). Within and beyond the classroom door: Assessing quality in child care centers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15(4), 475–496. doi:10.1016/S0885-2006(01)00077-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Press, F., & Hayes, A. (2000). OECD thematic review of early childhood education and care policy: Australian background report. Australia: Commonwealth Government of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, A. J., Temple, J. A., White, B. A. B., Ou, S., & Robertson, D. L. (2011). Age 26 cost–benefit analysis of the child–parent center early education program. Child Development, 82(1), 379–404. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01563.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Curby, T. W., Grimm, K. J., Brock, L. L., & Nathanson, L. (2009). The contribution of children’s self-regulation and classroom quality to children’s adaptive behaviors in the kindergarten classroom. Developmental Psychology, 45(4), 958–972.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sabol, T. J., & Pianta, R. C. (2014). Validating Virginia’s quality rating and improvement system among state-funded pre-kindergarten programs. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Online Advanced Publication.,. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.03.004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., Morenoff, J. D., & Gannon-Rowley, T. (2002). Assessing “neighborhood effects”: Social processes and new directions in research. Annual Review of Sociology, 28(1), 443–478. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.28.110601.141114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schweinhart, L. J., & Weikart, D. P. (1981). Effects of the Perry Preschool Program on youths through age 15. Journal of Early Intervention, 4(1), 29–39. doi:10.1177/105381518100400105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stapleton, L. M. (2002). The incorporation of sample weights into multilevel structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling, 9(4), 475–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swenson-Klatt, D., & Tout, K. (2011). Measuring and rating quality. In M. Zaslow, I. Martinex-Beck, K. Tout, & T. Halle (Eds.), Quality measurement in early childhood settings (pp. 347–362). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taguma, M., Litjens, I., Kim, J. H., & Makowiecki, K. (2012a). Quality matters in early childhood education and care: Korea. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taguma, M., Litjens, I., & Makowiecki, K. (2012b). Quality matters in early childhood education and care: Finland. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taguma, M., Litjens, I., & Makowiecki, K. (2012c). Quality matters in early childhood education and care: New Zealand. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornburg, K. R., Mayfield, W. A., Hawks, J. S., & Fuger, K. L. (2009). Missouri quality rating system school readiness study. Columbia, MO: Center for Family Policy & Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torquati, J. C., Raikes, H., & Huddleston-Casas, C. A. (2007). Teacher education, motivation, compensation, workplace support, and links to quality of center-based child care and teachers’ intention to stay in the early childhood profession. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22(2), 261–275. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2007.03.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vandell, D. L., Belsky, J., Burchinal, M. R., Steinberg, L., Vandergrift, N., & NICHD Early Child Care Research. (2010). Do effects of early child care extend to age 15 years? Results from the NICHD study of early child care and youth development. Child Development, 81(3), 737–756. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01431.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Votruba-Drzal, E., Coley, L. R., & Chase-Lansdale, L. P. (2004). Child care and low-income children’s development: Direct and moderated effects. Child Development, 75(1), 296–312. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00670.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, R. W., McGraw, K. S., & Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock-Johnson III tests of achievement. Itasca, IL: Riverside.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zellman, G. L., & Perlman, M. (2008). Child-care quality rating and improvement systems in five pioneer states: Implementation issues and lessons learned. http://www.rand.org.

  • Zellman, G. L., Perlman, M., Le, V. N., & Setodji, C. M. (2008). Assessing the validity of the Qualistar early learning quality rating and improvement system as a tool for improving child-care quality. http://www.rand.org.

  • Zhai, F., Brooks-Gunn, J., & Waldfogel, J. (2010). Head Start and urban children’s school readiness: A birth cohort study in 18 cities. Developmental Psychology, 47(1), 134–152. doi:10.1037/a0020784.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is developed from first author’s dissertation, which was supported by the Lucile and Roland Kennedy Scholarship Fund in Home Economics at The Ohio State University.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lieny Jeon.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jeon, L., Buettner, C.K. Quality Rating and Improvement Systems and Children’s Cognitive Development. Child Youth Care Forum 44, 191–207 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9277-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-014-9277-7

Keywords

Navigation