Poster #184 - Examining Red Flag Conditions in Child Care Classrooms: Associations With Quality and Child Outcomes

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - School Readiness/Childcare

Integrative Statement

Purpose: The Early Childhood Quality Improvement Pathway System (EQuIPS) is a new program-level quality measure that has been developed for use within state Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS). Twenty “Red Flag” items are embedded in the classroom observation component of EQuIPS to capture negative conditions such as lack of supervision, disrespectful interactions, punitive punishment, and disengagement. Although current measures of classroom quality yield a range of scores, very little is known about adverse conditions even though they likely contribute to lower quality scores (Burchinal, Vandergrift, Pianta, & Mashburn, 2010). Examined separately, Red Flag items may be critical to understanding quality and children’s classroom experiences. Rather than merely measuring the lower end of quality, they may distinguish classrooms where children experience inhibiting conditions. They may also provide priorities for supporting quality improvement. This study examines the potential contribution of Red Flag items by asking: 1) How frequently are Red Flag items observed in early childhood classrooms; 2) How do Red Flag items relate to classroom quality; and 3) Do Red Flag items relate to child outcomes?
Sample: 224 early childhood center-based classrooms were observed using EQuIPs (95 preschool classrooms, 84 toddler rooms, and 45 infant rooms). Programs were located in one southeastern state and ranged across quality ratings. School readiness measures were collected as outcome data from preschool-age children only.
Method: The EQuIPS classroom observation includes three 35-minute cycles of global ratings and time sampling. Red Flag items are coded as absent or present at the end of each cycle. Although the EQuIPS observation includes items across three quality constructs (classroom interactions and community, curriculum and instruction, daily organization), this study focuses on the 20 Red Flag items. Data are analyzed descriptively and in relation to EQuIPS quality constructs and child outcomes for preschool-age children.
Results and Conclusions: Among the results, we find that the frequency of different Red Flags varies by child age, and the likelihood of observing at least one Red Flag is highest in infant classrooms (Table 1). The percentage of classrooms with any Red Flags was 53%, 44%, and 38% for infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms, respectively. Several Red Flags (i.e., including disrespectful interactions, a predominance of directive language, disengaged children, disengaged teacher, ignoring children’s cues/bids, significant time in transitions, and a lack of opportunities for creativity and exploration) were negatively associated with EQuIPs quality constructs suggesting that Red Flag conditions contribute to overall quality scores. Finally, as a set, Red Flags explain variation in child outcomes as a negative predictor, over and above that explained by pretest scores, controls, and the EQuIPS quality constructs (Table 2). Implications for whether and how to incorporate Red Flags into classroom/program quality measures are highlighted.

Authors

• Karen M La Paro, UNC Greensboro
  Presenting Author

• Danielle Annik Crosby, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Linda Hestenes, UNC Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sharon Mims, UNC Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mary Lee Porterfield, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rebekah Pierro, UNC Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dana Marie Conlin, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rena Hallam, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alison Hooper, University of Alabama
  Non-Presenting Author