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Quality Rating and Improvement System (Early Childhood Education)

Journal Article
Do Early Care and Education Programs Improve When Enrolled in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems? Longitudinal Evidence from One System
We investigated whether providers that participated in a county-level QRIS saw increases to their global quality (tier) rating, domain-specific quality ratings, and scores on an observation measure of classroom quality.
Feb 8, 2023
Report
Holistic early education and care: Policy and practice in France 2017-2021
The report presents an overview of holistic early childhood education and care policy and practice in France between 2017-2021, including an analysis of broader societal, political and research trends regarding early childhood development.
Sep 8, 2022
Report
The Quality Start Los Angeles Developmental Evaluation: Research Findings and Lessons Learned
RAND researchers conducted a developmental evaluation of Quality Start Los Angeles, the voluntary quality rating and improvement system for early learning providers in Los Angeles County.
Feb 1, 2021
Report
Establishing A Research-Practice Partnership To Improve Early Care and Education Supports Within Quality Start Los Angeles: Partnership Insights and Lessons Learned
This report describes a developmental evaluation of Quality Start Los Angeles, a quality rating and improvement system, and provides recommendations for research-practice partnerships looking to achieve evidence-based decisionmaking.
Dec 17, 2020
Report
Estimating the Cost of Quality Early Childhood Care and Education in Oklahoma
Based on data from early childhood care and education (ECCE) providers in Oklahoma and a cost model tailored for the state, researchers estimated the cost of care by child age in center- and home-based settings and identified key ECCE cost drivers.
Oct 6, 2020
Report
Data Use in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems: Lessons Learned from Quality Start Los Angeles
Through an evaluation of Quality Start Los Angeles, a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that supports early learning providers, the authors identified lessons learned that could benefit other QRISs as they create or expand data systems.
Sep 9, 2020
Report
Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Early Care and Education Programs
Quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs) have now been almost universally adopted as an important tool to boost ECE program quality. For the second generation of QRISs, states will need to be more strategic about the allocation of funds to achieve their goals of expanding access to and improving the quality of ECE programs.
May 1, 2017
Report
The Costs and Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood in New Hampshire
Stakeholders in the public and private sectors in New Hampshire have been focused on investments in young children. What do they need to know?
Feb 15, 2017
Journal Article
Independent Evaluation of California's Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Quality Rating and Improvement System: Cumulative Technical Report
This final comprehensive report highlights key findings from the half-term report and presents additional results related to the implementation of the system, quality improvement (QI) supports provided through the system, program quality and children's developmental outcomes, and perceptions of quality and the rating system.
Dec 5, 2016
Journal Article
Independent Evaluation of California's Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Quality Rating and Improvement System: Cumulative Technical Report Executive Summary
These findings can be used to make revisions to improve the QRIS as a measure of program quality and to identify promising ways to support QI efforts among early childhood programs.
Dec 5, 2016
Journal Article
Independent Evaluation of California's Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Quality Rating and Improvement System
Implementation of the RTT–ELC QRIS was in an early stage at the time the study began, but significant progress has been made over the course of the system's development, from 2012 to 2015.
Dec 5, 2016
Report
Delaware Stars for Early Success: Final Report
Based on findings from an evaluation of Delaware's quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for early care and education programs, RAND provided recommendations for state decisionmakers, including considering further refinements to the rating structure, strengthening quality improvement supports, and enhancing administrative data systems.
Nov 7, 2016
Report
Professional Development for the Early Care and Education Workforce in Shelby County, Tennessee
This report examines how early care and education caregivers with licensed providers in Shelby County, Tennessee, gain through ongoing professional development the relevant knowledge for working with infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.
Apr 13, 2016
Report
High-Quality, Full-Scale Preschool Programs Boost School Readiness and Produce Sustained Benefits
The investment in high-quality preschool may be paid back through improved outcomes during the school-age years and beyond. In addition to school readiness, they produce long-term benefits like lower rates of special education use, reduced grade repetition, and higher high school graduation rates.
Mar 11, 2016
Journal Article
Independent Evaluation of California's Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Quality Rating and Improvement System: Half-Term Report
This half-term report presents findings which focus on the Validity and Reliability Study of California's RTT-ELC quality and improvement system (QRIS).
Nov 19, 2015
Report
Evaluating Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year Two Report
In the second year of RAND's evaluation of Delaware's quality rating and improvement system (QRIS), key findings offer insight into provider participation, the use of financial incentives, and the amount of technical assistance received by providers—all pointing to the importance of administrative data in a QRIS.
Jun 2, 2015
Report
Evaluating Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year One Report
As a first step in a larger study of Delaware Stars, a voluntary quality rating and improvement system for early learning and care programs, RAND researchers reviewed prior literature, examined existing data, and interviewed key stakeholders.
Jun 9, 2014
Journal Article
Local Quality Improvement Efforts and Outcomes Descriptive Study: Final Report: Executive Summary: A Governor's State Advisory Council on Early Learning and Care Project
Quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs) constitute an ambitious policy approach to improving early care and education practices and child outcomes.
Jul 1, 2013
Journal Article
Local Quality Improvement Efforts and Outcomes Descriptive Study: Final Report: A Governor's State Advisory Council on Early Learning and Care Project
Quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs) constitute an ambitious policy approach to improving early care and education practices and child outcomes.
Jul 1, 2013
Report
How Would Programs Rate Under California’s Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System?
In 2010, the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee recommended a structure for a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) that could apply to the state's licensed centers and licensed family child care homes. Researchers examined fundamentals of the proposed QRIS rating scheme that could inform California's QRIS design.
May 1, 2012

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RAND Topic:
Quality Rating and Improvement System (Early Childhood Education)