IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/anname/v563y1999i1p39-55.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Defining and Assessing Early Childhood Program Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Debby Cryer

    (Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Abstract

In the United States, there is a definition of quality of early care and education (ECE) programs that is widely accepted in the early childhood profession. It emphasizes a child-centered approach to raising children, with caring adults who are kind and gentle rather than restrictive and harsh and who protect children's health and safety, while providing a wealth of experiences that lead to learning through play. According to the definition, individuality and creativity are encouraged rather than conformity. This definition is often criticized by those with differing perspectives, but in general, it appears to be valid for those who value the aspects of development that are associated with success in the current mainstream American educational system and society. In this article, the content, rationale, and criticisms of that definition of quality are presented. Methods used in its assessment, and information regarding its validity, are explained.

Suggested Citation

  • Debby Cryer, 1999. "Defining and Assessing Early Childhood Program Quality," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 563(1), pages 39-55, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:563:y:1999:i:1:p:39-55
    DOI: 10.1177/000271629956300103
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000271629956300103
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/000271629956300103?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David M. Blau, 1997. "The Production of Quality in Child Care Centers," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 32(2), pages 354-387.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. H. Naci Mocan & Deborah Viola, 1997. "The Determinants of Child Care Workers' Wages and Compensation: Sectoral Differences, Human Capital, Race, Insiders and Outsiders," NBER Working Papers 6328, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. V. Joseph Hotz & Mo Xiao, 2011. "The Impact of Regulations on the Supply and Quality of Care in Child Care Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(5), pages 1775-1805, August.
    3. Yamauchi, Chikako & Leigh, Andrew, 2011. "Which children benefit from non-parental care?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 1468-1490.
    4. Margaret R. Burchinal, 1999. "Child Care Experiences and Developmental Outcomes," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 563(1), pages 73-97, May.
    5. Emre Akgunduz & Egbert Jongen & Paul P.M. Leseman & Janneke Plantenga, 2015. "Quasi-experimental evidence on the relation between child care subsidies and child care quality," CPB Discussion Paper 310, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    6. V. Joseph Hotz & Mo Xiao, 2005. "The Impact of Minimum Quality Standards on Firm Entry, Exit and Product Quality: The Case of the Child Care Market," Working Papers 05-28, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    7. John R. Morris, 1999. "Market Constraints on Child Care Quality," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 563(1), pages 130-145, May.
    8. H. Naci Mocan, 2001. "Can Consumers Detect Lemons? Information Asymmetry in the Market for Child Care," NBER Working Papers 8291, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Gørtz, Mette & Johansen, Eva Rye & Simonsen, Marianne, 2018. "Academic achievement and the gender composition of preschool staff," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 241-258.
    10. Sarah Flood & Joel McMurry & Aaron Sojourner & Matthew Wiswall, 2022. "Inequality in Early Care Experienced by US Children," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 36(2), pages 199-222, Spring.
    11. David M. Blau & H. Naci Mocan, 2002. "The Supply Of Quality In Child Care Centers," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(3), pages 483-496, August.
    12. Pierre Merrigan & Philip Lefebvre, 2002. "The Effect of Childcare and Early Education Arrangements on Developmental Outcomes of Young Children," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 28(2), pages 159-185, June.
    13. Emre Akgunduz & Egbert Jongen & Paul P.M. Leseman & Janneke Plantenga, 2015. "Quasi-experimental evidence on the relation between child care subsidies and child care quality," CPB Discussion Paper 310.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    14. Zierow, Larissa, 2017. "Regulating Child Care Markets. Center-based Care vs. Family Day-Care in Germany," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168052, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    15. Bönisch Peter & Tagge Sven, 2012. "The Optimal Size of German Child Care Centers and the Impact of Regulation: Estimating the Cost Function of a Regulated Multi-Product Firm," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 232(5), pages 545-566, October.
    16. Larissa Zierow, 2017. "Economic Perspectives on the Implications of Public Child Care and Schooling for Educational Outcomes in Childhood and Adult Life," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 76.
    17. Blau, David M., 2007. "Unintended consequences of child care regulations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 513-538, June.
    18. H. Naci Mocan, 1995. "The Child Care Industry: Cost Functions, Efficiency, and Quality," NBER Working Papers 5293, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Cho, Yoonyoung, 2008. "An Evaluation of A Pronatal Subsidy Program in Korea: A Quasi-Experimental Approach," MPRA Paper 25958, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Y.E. Akgündüz & J. Plantenga, 2013. "Competition for a better future? Effects of competition on child care quality," Working Papers 13-14, Utrecht School of Economics.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:563:y:1999:i:1:p:39-55. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.