Midwest Child Care Research
Consortium
Midwest Child Care
Research Consortium:
Perspectives from Iowa
and the Midwest
Susan Hegland, Carla Peterson, Lesia Oesterreich
Department of Human Development & Family Studies
Iowa State University
Iowa Community Action Association
October 23, 2002
Members of the Consortium
Funding
Center on Children, Families and U.S. Department of Health
the Law, U of Nebraska
and Human Services,
The Gallup Organization
Child Care Bureau
University of Nebraska
Marion Ewing Kauffman
University of Missouri
Foundation, Kansas City
Iowa State University
University of Kansas
Child Care and Early Childhood
Divisions: IA; KS; MO; NE
CCR&R’s and other agencies
1
Sample Selection
Presentation Questions
• What are characteristics of the
workforce in four Midwest states?
• What have we learned about the
utilization rates of various initiatives to
improve quality?
• What is quality of care? Across the
Midwest, what policy factors seem to be
important to quality?
• What should we be concerned about?
• What can we be excited about?
3
Measures
Survey-Workforce
Characteristics :
• Education
• Training
• Wages and benefits
• Beliefs about the work
and workplace
• Demographic features
• Self -report quality
practices
2
Observations-Quality of
Child Care:
• Infant Toddler
Environment Rating
Scale (ITERS)
• Early Childhood
Environment Rating
Scale (ECERS)
• Family Day Care Rating
Scale (FDCRS)
• Arnett Caregiver
Interaction Scale
• Informal Child Care
Quality Instrument
5
• Obtained names -- all licensed providers & all
providers receiving subsidy as of October 2000 -40,000 names across four states.
• Stratified according to type of care, subsidy or not,
and whether in an EHS/HS partnership.
• Gallup sent letters to 10,000 -- they might be called.
• 2,022 telephoned by Gallup -- 12.5 min. interview.
Respondents asked if they would be willing to be
contacted again -- 88% said “yes.”
• Universities completed observations of 365 in
summer and fall of 2001.
• Some re-contacted for parent surveys.
4
Findings About the Child Care
Workforce in Midwest, N = 2022
• Many providers (72%) in child care over 5 years,
Nearly half (43%) with their programs that long
• Over a quarter (27%) of infant toddler providers in their
positions less than a year.
• Majority of providers strongly agreed their work was their
profession (60%) or a calling (59%).
• Less than half (42%) providing child care as a way to
help someone, as work to do while their children are
young (36%) or see it as a “job with a paycheck” (29%).
• More than half (60%) plan to stay in child care 5 more
years
• Few (17%) would choose other work if they could;
29% non-registered and non-licensed
• Few providers work in accredited programs (2.9%). 6
1
Findings About the Child Care
Workforce in Midwest
Findings About the Child Care
Workforce in Midwest, N = 2022
• Of those with degrees, 65% had CD related degrees.
• Average number of reported training hours (35) above
minimum required by any state. Range: 22 hours (Iowa)
to 44 (Missouri).
• Most receive training:
• 37% of Midwest sample report a one-year CD degree or
higher.
• Average annual earnings $13,900. Earnings: highest in
Missouri; lowest in Iowa.
• Over a third of all family providers (39%) care for relatives;
most relative care by unregulated family providers (64%).
• Most (80%) report using quality practices (e.g., daily reading
to children and greeting parents).
• Few providers are members of NAEYC (16%) or NAFCC
(7%).
• Average age is 39.
• 72% are married and 84% are parents.
Of parents, 44% have their own children cared for where they
work (home or center).
• 83% of the labor force is white; 11% African American, 4%
Hispanic, and 2% American Indian or other
8
– in their own community (79%) via workshops or support groups
– from their directors (center based) (72%).
• Video taped training and self -study materials common
(68%).
• Over 80% had completed CPR or first aid in past 2 years.
• Of those without first aid training:
–
–
–
–
–
52% license exempt (non-registered)
16% registered homes
12% infant center -based
10% preschool
8% licensed family homes.
7
Training in the Midwest
Utilization of Training Initiatives
Form
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
Initiative
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
Videotapes and self study
materials
78%
64%
55%
78%
CDA
8%
15%
21%
7%
Teleconferencing or ICN
Distance Learning
28%
6%
7%
12%
Creative Curriculum
27%
34%
39%
23%
Internet
14%
19%
19%
19%
West Ed
2%
3%
1%
1%
Support, workshops in your
community
74%
82%
82%
75%
Parents as Teachers
2%
7%
13%
3%
Regional, national
conferences
42%
47%
49%
52%
High Scope
8%
7%
7%
12%
Support person who comes
to your program
--
22%
46%
--
State Initiatives
Childnet
15%
Project
Construct
Training for college or CEU
credit
53%
49%
51%
42%
Heads Up!
Reading 8%
First
Connections
11%
First Aid
83%
30%
9
Findings About the Child Care
Workforce in Iowa, N = 408
• Lower wages
• Fewer training hours
• More likely to report they would do other work
if they could
• Less likely to report receiving training needed
to do the job
• Lowest report quality factors
• Highest percentage report CEU or credit for
training
• Most training by distance learning and video
(with NE)
11
84%
77%
89%
10
What aspects of the program
are observed?
ECERS- Revised Areas:
• Space and Furnishings
• Personal Care Routines
• Language-Reasoning
• Activities
• Interaction
• Program Structure
• Parents and Staff
12
2
Characteristics of ECERS,
ITERS, FDCRS Scales
Assessing quality with the
ECERS, ITERS, & FDCRS:
• Uses a reliable standardized measure with
predictive validity so that:
– Results comparable across studies that link
specific levels of quality to specific child
outcomes in academic & social skills
– No control group needed
• Requires interrater reliability of 85% across all
items before any observations completed
• Requires regular re-assessment in interrater
reliability
14
• From 30 to 43 items in each scale
• Each scored on 7-point Likert-type scale from
Inadequate (1) ↔ Excellent (7)
• Good programs *: Average score ≥ 5
• Mediocre Programs *: Average score < 5 and ≥ 3
• Poor Programs *: Average score < 3
• Children in good programs *
– Better cognitive, language, & social development in
preschool & early grades
– More positive mother-child interactions
*Cost, Quality, & Outcomes Study, 1995
13
What is Good Quality? (ECERS,
ITERS, FDCRS)
Informal use of language:
• Children allowed to talk much of the day
• Many caregiver-child conversations during
free play and routines
• Language is primarily used by caregiver to
exchange information with children and for
social interaction
• Caregivers add information to expand on
ideas presented by children.
• Caregivers encourage communication
among children.
Predicts higher academic skills in school 15
Child Care Quality by State
and Type of Care, N = 365
Infant Classrooms
Family Regulated
7
6
Quality of Care Across All
Observed Midwest Programs,
N = 365
n = 112
5
n = 111
4.44
4.25
n = 131
4.39
n = 12
4
3.23
3
2
1
Infant
Classrooms
Preschool
Classrooms
Registered
Family Homes
Non-registered
Family Homes
16
Percentage of Midwest Care At Each
Quality Level, N = 365
Preschool Classrooms
7
Good
Mediocre
Poor
100%
6
5
4
4.52
4.324.344.46
4.4
4.8
4.52
3.693.61
4.5
80%
4.72
4.13
60%
40%
3
20%
2
0%
1
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
17
Iowa
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
18
3
Comparison of Iowa Shared Visions, Iowa
Preschool Child Care Classrooms, & Centers
in CT, NC, CO, & CA
Percentage of Iowa Care at each
Quality Level
n = 23
n = 26
U.S.
Percent of Programs
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Family Homes
Good
30%
20%
10%
0%
Preschool
Classrooms
Mediocre
19
Poor
Mediocre
20
ECERS Scores
In Iowa, Shared Visions Programs* are higher
in quality than preschool child care classrooms:
Poor
Shared Visions
40%
1.
0<
1.
5
1.
5<
2.
0
2.0
<2
.5
Infant
Classrooms
IA Child Care
50%
2.
5<
3.
0
3.
0<
3.
5
3.
5<
4.
0
4.
0<
4.
5
4.
5<
5.
0
5.0
<5
.5
5.
5<
6.
0
6.
0<
6.
5
6.
5<
7.
0
n = 25
100%
In Iowa, lowest areas of quality in infant centers
were learning activities & adult needs:
Good
Space & Furnishings
Space & Furnishings
Care Routines
Personal Care
Language & Reasoning
Listening/Talking
Activities
Learning Activities
Interaction
Social Interaction
Program Structure
Program Structure
Parents & Staff
Adult Needs
Total
Total
*state-funded preschools
Zan & Edmiaston, 2002
1
2
3
Child Care
4
5
6
7
Shared Visions
1
21
non-registered
registered
•
•
•
•
•
•
Basic Care
Language & Reasoning
Learning Activities
Social Development
Adult Needs
3
4
5
6
22
7
Lowest Quality Area:
Learning Activities
In Iowa, lowest areas of quality in family
child care homes were learning activities
& language/reasoning activities:
Space & Furnishing
2
Fine motor
Art
Music/movement
Blocks
Sand/water
Dramatic Play
• Nature/science
• Math/number
• Use of TV, videos,
and/or computers
• Promoting
acceptance of
diversity
Total
1
2
Poor
3
4
Mediocre
5
6
7
Good
23
24
4
Specific items of good quality* in Iowa
preschool classrooms:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What specific good and poor
quality items were observed in
Iowa?
Specific items from the ECERS,
ITERS, & FDCRS Measures
Greeting/departing
Basic furnishings
Staff-child interactions
Interactions among children
Discipline
General supervision
Gross motor equipment
Safety practices
*Average item scores above mediocre range on
the ECERS
25
26
Specific items observed to be of poor
quality* in Iowa infant/toddler center
classrooms:
Specific areas of good quality* in Iowa
infant/toddler center classrooms:
•
•
•
•
•
Greeting/departing
Discipline
Safety policy: overall
Peer Interaction
Staff cooperation
*Average item scores above mediocre range
on the ITERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cultural awareness
Adult personal needs
Opportunities for active physical play
Diapering/toileting
Pretend play
Books and pictures
Meals and snacks
*Average item scores below mediocre range on
the ITERS
27
Specific areas of good quality* in Iowa
family and group child care homes:
• Arriving/departing
• Relationship with parents
• Tone of caregiver/child interactions
28
Specific areas of poor quality* in Iowa
family and group child care homes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
*Average item scores above mediocre
range on the FDCRS
29
Help infant/toddler understand language
Helping children use language
Diapering/toileting
Safety
Personal grooming (of the children)
Caregiver preparation
Dramatic play
*Average item scores below the mediocre range
30
on the FDCRS
5
Low area for Family Child Care
Homes: Language & Reasoning
Criteria for “Good” Rating:
• Informal use of language (much social talking
between caregiver & children; language used to
share information; children’s talk encouraged;
caregiver adds to ideas presented by children;
caregiver helps children enjoy language)
• Helping children understand language (at least 20
children’s books and several picture games
accessible daily; at least one planned activity daily)
• Helping children use language (many materials for
helping children practice talking accessible daily; two
planned activities a day)
• Helping children reason (variety of games and
materials accessible and in good repair; while
children using materials; caregiver helps children
think; at least one nature/science/cooking activity
31
each week)
Quality Scores for Early Head Start/Head
Start Partners vs. Other Child Care in
Midwest
5
5.37
Non EHS/HS
4.94
4.17
4.72
4.39
4.17
4
3
2
1
Infant Classrooms*
Preschool
Classrooms
Family Child Care
33
Factors associated with
observed quality in Iowa
Preschool & Infant Center
• Formal education
• Training provided by the
center director
• Training over 10 or 20
hours per year
• Workplace supports
• Employee benefits
• Child care income
Early Head Start/Head Start partnerships
Formal Education
CDA
First aid training
USDA Food Program
Training hours over 12 and 24
Accreditation
32
What factors relate to quality
across the Midwest?
7
6
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Family Child Care
• Formal education
• NOT a job with a
paycheck
• NOT work to do
while your children
are young
• Membership in professional
organizations
• Employee health benefits in centerbased programs
• Belief that child care is career or
profession
• Not wanting to do other work
• Having an annual conference with
parents
15
14
13
12
11
10
Infant Center
35
34
In Iowa, observed preschool center
caregivers have more years of formal
education:
16
Years of Formal Education
EHS/HS
What factors relate to quality
across the Midwest?
Family Care
Type of Care
Preschool
Center
36
6
In Iowa, observed preschool classroom
caregivers earn higher salaries
Iowa starting and highest wages for
assistant teachers and teachers
•
$16,000
$14,000
$12,000
$10,000
•
$8,000
$6,000
$4,000
$2,000
Assistant teachers
– Average starting wage
= $6 per hour
– Average peak wage =
$7 per hour
Teachers
– Average starting wage
= $7 per hour
– Average peak wage =
$9 per hour
$10
Starting
$8
Hourly wage
Annual Childcare Income ($$)
$18,000
Highest
$6
$4
$2
Assistant teacher
Teacher
$Infant Center
Family Care
Preschool Center
Type of Care
CD-Dial: Iowa Director’s Survey, 2001
37
38
Teacher benefits and program types
Starting teacher wages
Reduced child care fees
• Starting teacher wages highest in
Head Start & school/college programs;
lowest in profit & non-profit
independent programs.
• Starting teacher starting wages are
highest in NAEYC-accredited and
publicly operated (e.g., Head Start,
Shared Visions) programs.
Annual Evaluations
Written job descriptions
Formal Grievance
Procedures
0%
For profit
20%
40%
Non profit
60%
80%
100%
Publicly operated
Teachers in publicly operated programs are more likely to have
retirement/pension plans than teachers in profit or other non-profit programs.
39
CD-Dial: Iowa Director’s Survey, 2001
40
In Iowa, observed family care
providers have the most experience:
In Iowa, observed preschool center
caregivers have the most training
hours:
12
50
10
Years of Experience
Training Hours in previous 12 months
CD-Dial: Iowa Director’s Survey, 2001
Retirement plans
40
30
20
8
6
4
2
10
0
0
Infant Center
Family Care
Type of Care
Infant Center
Preschool Center
41
Family Care
Type of Care
Preschool Center
42
7
In Iowa, one-third of observed infant
center and family caregivers have not
completed 10 hours of training:
70%
60%
Percentage
50%
Infant Center
Family Care
Preschool Center
40%
30%
20%
10%
Policy Context for Quality in Iowa
• Less child care regulation and enforcement than
Missouri, Nebraska, & Kansas
– 9 full-time licensing specialists for 1500 centers & 5700
registered home providers
– Required bi-annual licensing visits to centers
– No licensing for family child care homes
– 20% registered family homes are visited annually
• Fewer state-wide initiatives to support quality or
professional development of the workforce than in other
states.
• More local control of birth to five state and federal
dollars through Empowerment
– High percentage targeted for parent education
– Training/subsidy dollars may not link to quality improvement
0%
< 10 hrs
10-20 hrs
>20 hours
Training Levels
43
• Publicly operated programs (e.g., Iowa Head Start,
Shared Visions) typically lack wrap -around care;
therefore, were not included in this study
44
For a copy of this presentation:
Thanks to our Iowa Partners:
• Iowa Department of Human Services
• Iowa Cooperative Extension
• Child Care Resource & Referral
Agencies
• Iowa State University
45
• Search for shegland
• Or go to:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~shegland/
46
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