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Environment Rating Scales FAQ’s & Resources |
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Manatee County
ELC Quality Initiatives Team |
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July 2009 to June 2010 |
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Welcome
to the Environment Rating Scales FAQ’s and Resources. We hope this
information will answer the most frequently asked questions about the Rating
Scales. For more information, please contact a Quality Initiatives Team member. Contents
Section 1: How is Quality Assessed in Centers and Family Child Care
Homes? Section 2: Are the Rating Scales Available to Centers and FCCH
Facilities? Section 3: What Can I do to Prepare for the Assessment Visit? Section 4: Will I Know When to Expect My Quality Assessment Visit? Section 5: Are There Required Forms or Documents? Section 6: Can I Plan the Assessment Visit? Section 7: Scoring and Results Section 9: Use of the
Environment Rating Scales ·
Hand Washing ·
Substantial Portion of the Day ·
Diversity ·
Cozy Area ·
Art Displays ·
ERS Assessment Preparation Tips ·
ERS Classroom Checklist ·
Gross Motor Space and Equipment ·
Meal Guidelines ·
Playground Safety Handbook ·
Supplemental Clarification Notes Section 1: How is Quality Assessed in Centers and Family Child Care Homes?Assessors
from the ELC Quality Team will record information about safety and health,
interactions, daily activities and the environment in child care settings
using one of the four rating scales: ·
The ITERS-R, The Infant/Toddler Environment
Rating Scale – Revised: Ages Birth through 30 Months ·
The ECERS-R, The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised: Ages 2 ½
Years to 5 Years ·
The FCCERS-R, The Family Day Care Rating Scale
and Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale – Revised: Multi-Age Care in a Home Environment ·
The SACERS, The School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale: Ages 5 to 12 Years Section 2: Are the Rating Scales Available?The
Rating Scales are available from: ·
The
ELC Resource Library, free of charge for all School-Readiness Providers ·
The
ELC Education Department, free copies given to School-Readiness Providers who
apply for ELC’s Focus Grant (Call 757-2900, Ext. 253 for more information) ·
Amazon.com,
Teachers College Press (1-800-575-6566), Red Leaf Press (1-800-423-8309), and
Kaplan (1-800-423-8309) Section 3: What Can I do to Prepare for the Assessment Visit?·
Read
and study the Environment Rating Scale(s) that would be appropriate for your
Center or FCCH ·
Attend
ELC Rating Scale Training Classes ·
Conduct
a Self-Assessment using the Scale prior to the ELC Assessment ·
Request
Assistance or Information from the ELC Quality
Initiatives Team ·
Prepare
your Center or FCCH to reflect best practices, an on-going quality program ·
Tell
the children they will have a visitor prior to the assessment so they will
feel more comfortable ·
Refer
to the Supplemental Clarification
Notes, Requirements for Gross Motor Space and Equipment, Playground Safety
Handbook, and USDA Meal Guidelines (See Links in Tips and Resources) Section 4: Will I Know When to expect my Quality Assessment visit?You
will receive an email from ELC, or a letter in the mail if you don’t have
computer access, advising you to expect an assessment visit from the ELC Quality Initiatives Team. You will not
be given an exact date or time, but you will be given a two-week window. Section 5: Are there required forms or documents?Required
forms and documents to submit to ELC Quality
Initiatives prior to your Assessment: ·
Teacher Information Checklist Section 6: can I plan the assessment visit?You
can know what to expect on the day of the visit. One or
more ELC Assessors will arrive typically in the morning, introduce
themselves, give you an overview of the Assessment process, and tour the
whole facility prior to the observation. Assessors will attempt to remain in
the background as much as possible, and not interact with children or staff
during the observation itself. In a
center, one-third of the classrooms for each age group will be observed. For
instance, if you have three 3-yr.-old classrooms, only one would be assessed;
four 2-yr.-old classrooms, two would be assessed. Classrooms are chosen at
random on the day of the visit. In an FCCH, the entire FCCH will be observed. Assessment
observations will normally last three to five hours including interview time
with the owner/director and teachers, during naptime or when a substitute
teacher is present. An assessment observation may include more than one day
to complete. Section 7: Scoring and ResultsScore Range for The Environment Rating Scales: 1 –
Inadequate (Dangerous or Unhealthy for Children) 3 –
Minimal (Basic Care) 5 – Good
(Adequate Environment and Developmentally Appropriate Program) 7 –
Excellent (Best Quality Care) A
score of 7, which is considered a perfect score, is nearly impossible to
obtain. Comparison with ELC Quality
Checklists: The
ERS are far more detailed and extensive than the Checklists. If you obtained
a 100% on the Checklist, that would translate to approximately a 3 on the
ERS. ELC Score Requirement: ELC school-readiness providers are expected
to work toward a “3.” You will be given a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) and
offered technical assistance in order to improve your score. Results will be emailed or mailed to you, normally
within four weeks after your assessment. Yes. 1.
Contact
Pam Parmenter by phone to ask questions, or to clarify your disagreement
concerning the assessment process or score. 2.
If
your issue is still unresolved, write a letter to ELC including: ·
Your
facility name, provider name, address, phone number, and email address if you
have one ·
The
assessor’s name(s), assessment date(s), and the rating scale used ·
Each
item listed by name and indicator number, with a description of your
grievance for each item ·
Follow
the Coalition Grievance Policy (on ELC-Manatee website) The
Environment Rating Scales are objective and detailed checklists to accurately
measure the quality of child care facilities. They are now used by several
coalitions and regulatory agencies across the country and around the world.
In North Carolina, licensing levels are based on ERS scores. Tips ·
When
do you wash hands? o
Upon
arrival or re-entry into the classroom o
After
diapering/toileting (both adult and child) o
Before
meal and snack preparation and eating o
After
eating meals and snacks o
After
touching contaminated surfaces, such as trash cans or pets o
After
dealing with bodily fluids o
After
messy activities such as finger painting,
sand play, outdoor play, before and after water play ·
How do
you wash hands? o Turn on water o Rinse hands o Apply soap o Make lather for 20 seconds – hands should NOT
be under running water o Rinse hands with fingertips pointed downward o Dry hands with paper towel o Use towel to turn off water o Discard towel ·
How do
you calculate substantial portion of the day, which affects 11 items on the
Environment Rating Scales? A substantial portion of the day is one-third
the time children are in attendance. So if materials and furnishings, for
instance, should be accessible to children for a substantial portion of the
day, they should be accessible for at least 4 hours of a 12-hour program. ·
What
are items of diversity? Items
of diversity pertain to different cultures, races, and ethnic groups. They
should be present and easily seen by children in the classroom most of the
day. ·
What
is a “cozy area?” A cozy
area is a space removed from active play areas, with soft furnishings such as
pillows, throw rugs, maybe stuffed animals and books, where a child can be
alone but still easily observed. Soft furnishings alone are not the same as a
cozy area. ·
Do we
need an art display? Yes.
In fact, the majority of your displays should be child-initiated.
Child-initiated art is preferable to dittoes, and it should be displayed at
children’s eye-level where they can easily see it. Child-initiated art is
work that encourages individual expression and is created by the children
themselves, not work that is copied or requires too much input from teachers. Resources ·
ERS ELC Assessment Preparation List ·
Gross Motor
Space and Equipment ·
Meal
Guidelines ·
Supplemental
Clarification Notes: o
ECERS-R o
ITERS-R o
FCCERS-R o
SACERS |
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