Comparing Predictors of Quality in Infant and Toddler Early Education Programs Operating in Lower-Income Areas

• In Event: Quality in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This study fills a critical gap in the extant literature by comparing workforce-, classroom-, and program-level predictors of quality in programs serving infants and toddlers paid for with subsidies with programs that receive other sources of public and non-public funding. Using the most recent nationally representative data available, the NSECE (n=1,091), our findings suggest that while programs serving children receiving subsidies tend to offer fewer programmatic supports to families and staff and are staffed with less qualified teachers, particularly as it compares with Early Head Start programs, they typically have smaller group sizes, potentially allowing for more meaningful teacher-child interaction. We discuss specific items that could be targeted for increased funding to increase infant and toddler classroom quality.

Authors

• Gerilyn Slicker, University of Delaware

• Jing Tang, Child Trends

• Cara Lynn Kelly, University of Delaware