Developing the Everyday Quality Measure: A Transformativist Approach to Measuring Quality in Family Child Care

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Measurement and Assessment in Early Childhood

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative approach to measuring quality in family child care (FCC) through the development of the Everyday Quality (EDQ) measure. Traditional observational quality measures often overlook the unique characteristics of FCC settings. To address this, the EDQ employs the Transformativist Measurement Development Methodology (TMDM), centering the voices of FCC educators. This paper presents findings from psychometric analyses of preliminary EDQ items, including descriptive statistics and Many-Facet Rasch Model results, which support the items’ use to measure FCC program quality. By prioritizing FCC educator perspectives, the EDQ aims to provide a contextually relevant and technically sound tool for supporting continuous quality improvement and promoting equitable early childhood program assessments.

Authors

• Alison Hooper, University of Alabama

• Stefanie A. Wind, University of Alabama

• Rena Hallam, University of Delaware

• Ekaterina Novikova, University of Delaware

• Kristin Johnson, University of Alabama

• Whitney Wahl, University of Alabama