5.1 Introduction

To ensure that early childhood education programs provide the best possible environment for young learners, it is important to not only recognize but also understand the quality indicators that define exceptional early childhood settings. These indicators, which span across various domains such as curriculum, teacher-child interactions, family engagement, and physical space, serve as the foundation for creating environments where children can thrive. This chapter will guide you through the quality indicators so that we can ensure that each child has access to an environment that promotes their growth and well-being.

5.2 Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a teaching approach in early childhood education that focuses on meeting children where they are developmentally, contextually, and individually.

Here’s a simple breakdown to help you see it from a bird’s eye view:

1. Understanding Developmental Stages: DAP is based on the idea that children grow and learn at different rates. Educators use their knowledge of child development to create activities that are suitable for the age and stage of each child.
2. Individual Needs and Interests: Every child is unique, with their own strengths, interests, and needs. DAP encourages teachers to get to know each child and tailor their teaching methods to support each child’s individual journey.
3. Creating Engaging Learning Experiences: DAP emphasizes making learning fun and engaging. Activities are designed to be hands-on and interactive, helping children explore and discover through play and exploration.
4. Holistic Development: DAP supports all areas of a child’s development—cognitive (thinking), social (interacting with others), emotional (understanding and expressing feelings), and physical (movement and coordination).
5. Responsive Teaching: Teachers using DAP are flexible and responsive. They observe children closely and adjust their teaching strategies to better support each child’s learning and development.

In essence, DAP is about creating a nurturing and supportive environment where every child can thrive and develop a love for learning.

“Educators who engage in developmentally appropriate practice foster young children’s joyful learning and maximize the opportunities for each and every child to achieve their full potential” (National Association for the Education of Young Children, DAP Position Statement, n.d.).

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) defines developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) as methods that promote each child’s optimal development and learning through a strengths-based, play-based approach. DAP emphasizes creating joyful, engaged learning experiences that are tailored to the individual needs, cultural backgrounds, and developmental stages of each child. It supports educators in making intentional, informed decisions to foster children’s growth across all domains—cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.

1. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/dap/contents

The three core considerations of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), are described in Table 5a below.

By considering these three factors, educators can implement practices that truly support the needs of every child in a developmentally appropriate way. Educators that engage in developmentally appropriate practices foster joyful learning, which helps to maximize each child’s full potential.

Children are born eager to learn and as Figure 5a depicts, the child has made a connection to reading and exploring his grandmother’s books and learning materials.

5.3 Accreditation

Accreditation in early childhood education is a voluntary process through which programs demonstrate their commitment to high-quality standards that promote the well-being and development of young children. It involves an in-depth evaluation of various aspects of a program, including its curriculum, teaching practices, staff qualifications, and environment. Achieving accreditation ensures that a program meets or exceeds established benchmarks, providing families with confidence that their children are receiving the best care and educational experiences. There are a variety of accrediting bodies in early childhood education in addition to the two described below.

NAEYC Accreditation

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional organization that sets high standards for early childhood education programs. NAEYC accreditation ensures that early childhood programs provide high-quality care and education. It shows that a program meets rigorous standards in areas like curriculum, teaching, health, safety, and family engagement.

The Accreditation Process

• • Self-Study: Programs start by evaluating their own practices against NAEYC standards.
  • Application: They submit an application to NAEYC, showing their commitment to meeting these standards.
  • Site Visit: NAEYC sends trained assessors to visit the program, observe classrooms, and review documentation.
  • Decision: Based on the visit and the program’s documentation, NAEYC decides whether to grant accreditation.

Benefits of Accreditation

• • Quality Assurance: Accreditation confirms that the program provides a safe, nurturing, and effective learning environment.
  • Continuous Improvement: Accredited programs commit to ongoing improvement and professional development.
  • Trust and Recognition: Families can trust that accredited programs meet high standards, and programs gain recognition for their quality.

Early Learning Program Accreditation | NAEYC

As you can see, NAEYC accreditation is a way for early childhood programs to demonstrate their dedication to providing excellent care and education for young children.

In addition to NAEYC, several other organizations offer accreditation to ensure high-quality standards in early childhood education. These accrediting bodies assess programs based on research-based best practices, emphasizing child development, curriculum, teacher qualifications, and family engagement.

National Association for Family Childcare (NAFCC) Accreditation

The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) provides accreditation for home-based childcare providers. It ensures that family childcare homes meet high standards of care, learning, and professionalism.

The Accreditation Process

• Self-Study & Application: Providers assess their program and submit an application.
• Observation Visit: A trained observer evaluates interactions, learning materials, and the home environment.
• Accreditation Decision: Providers meeting NAFCC’s high-quality standards receive accreditation.

Benefits of NAFCC Accreditation

• Validates the quality of family childcare programs.
• Enhances professional credibility and career growth.
• Provides families with assurance of a nurturing and educational home-based setting.

Accreditation from organizations like NAEYC, NAFCC, and others ensures that early childhood education programs maintain high-quality standards that promote child development, safety, and learning. These accreditations give families confidence in the care their children receive while encouraging programs to engage in continuous improvement and professional excellence.

5.4 YoungStar

YoungStar is Wisconsin’s childcare quality rating and improvement system. It is designed to help providers improve the quality of their business and program practices. It evaluates and rates childcare programs to help parents choose the best options for their children.

YoungStar – Wisconsin’s Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System

YoungStar has a website where parents can search for childcare called Child Care Finder. The goal of the website is for parents to have access to high-quality childcare, so parents can make informed childcare decisions and identify quality standards that meet the unique needs of their children and families.

Youngstar also helps to support Wisconsin’s early educators by offering a variety of low-cost or free training programs covering key topics in early childhood education. The goal with this and technical assistance is to improve the quality of childcare in Wisconsin.

How Does It Work?

• • YoungStar is a Quality Rating System: Childcare programs are rated on a scale from 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars indicating the highest quality. These ratings are based on several factors, including the learning environment, staff qualifications, and business practices. Parents can see at a glance how a particular program is meeting the quality standards.
  • Assessment: Programs undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine their rating. This includes observations and reviews of their practices and policies. Each provider is rated around four important areas of care:
    1. The childcare staff’s education and training
    2. The learning environment and curriculum
    3. The program’s business and professional practices
    4. The child’s health and well-being
  • Improvement Support: YoungStar provides resources, training, and technical assistance to help childcare providers improve their quality. This support helps programs move up the rating scale. YoungStar For Providers – Rating Criteria and Tips for Achieving Highest Possible Rating

Why Does It Matter?

• • High-quality childcare positively impacts children’s development, including their cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. See the benefits for both parents and providers in Table 5a below.

In Wisconsin, YoungStar is a valuable tool for both parents and childcare providers, promoting high standards and continuous improvement in early childhood education.

5.5 Environmental Rating Scales

Environmental rating scales (ERS) are standardized tools designed to evaluate various aspects of early childhood settings, such as classrooms and child care centers. They help ensure that these environments are conducive to children’s learning and development.

What Are the Types ERS?

• Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS): Used for settings with children from birth to 2.5 years old.
• Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS): Used for preschool and kindergarten settings, typically for children aged 2.5 to 5 years.
• School-Aged Care Environment Rating Scale (SACERS): Used for programs serving school-aged children1. Remove this. It is covered by reference below.
• Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale (FCCERS): Used for home-based childcare settings.

What Do They Measure?

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale®, Third Edition | Environment Rating Scales®

ERS tools assess various components of the learning environment, including the following:

• Space and Furnishings: The physical setup and materials available such as indoor space; furnishings for care, play, and learning; room arrangements for play and learning; space for privacy, child-related display; space for gross motor play; and gross motor equipment
• Personal Care Routines: Meals/snacks, toileting/diapering, health practices, and safety practices
• Language and Literacy: Opportunities for language development and literacy activities such as helping children expand vocabulary, encouraging children to use language, staff using books with children, encouraging children’s use of books, and becoming familiar with print
• Learning Activities: Variety and appropriateness of activities offered such as fine motor, art, music and movement, blocks, dramatic play, nature/science, math materials and activities, math in daily events, understanding written numbers, promoting acceptance of diversity, and appropriate use of technology.
• Interactions: Quality of interactions between children and teachers such as supervision of gross motor, individualized teaching and learning, staff-child interaction, peer interaction, and discipline.
• Program Structure: Daily schedule and organization such as transitions and waiting times, free play, whole-group activities for play and learning, daily schedule, and balance of activities.

Why Are They Important?

• Quality Assurance: ERSs provide a reliable way to measure the quality of early childhood environments, ensuring they meet high standards.
• Guidance for Improvement: The results from ERS assessments help educators identify strengths and areas for improvement, guiding them to enhance their programs.
• Support for Development: High-quality environments, as measured by ERS, support children’s overall development, including their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth.

As you can see, environmental rating scales are valuable tools that help ensure early childhood education environments are high-quality and supportive of children’s development.

5.6 Conclusion

In conclusion, this chapter has provided a comprehensive overview of the essential quality indicators in early childhood education programs. By understanding and implementing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP), recognizing the importance of accreditation, utilizing the YoungStar criteria, and applying environmental rating scales (ERS), educators can significantly enhance the quality of early childhood education environments. These practices and standards ensure that programs are not only safe and nurturing but also developmentally appropriate, fostering the holistic development and well-being of young children. As you move forward, applying these principles will help create enriching and supportive learning experiences that lay a strong foundation for children’s future success.

Learning Activities

5.7 References

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) position statement. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/dap/contents

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Early learning program quality assessment & accreditation. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/quality-assessment-and-accreditation

National Association for Family Child Care. (2024). About us. https://nafcc.org/about-us/

UNC-Chapel Hill. (n.d.). Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale®, Third Edition. Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute: Environment Rating Scales. https://ers.fpg.unc.edu/scales-early-childhood-environment-rating-scale-third-edition.html

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. (n.d.). YoungStar. https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. (n.d.). YoungStar for providers. dcf.wisconsin.gov. https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers

Images:

“untitled” by Mary Beth Boettcher is used with permission.