Search Type Title Author/Investigator Search Advanced Search

Table of Contents | Previous | Next

CHILD CARE QUALITY: PROCEDURAL QUALITY
HEAD START FAMILY AND CHILD EXPERIENCES SURVEY

Measure: Assessment Profile-Scheduling, Learning Environment, Individualizing

Source

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) evaluation is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The project team for FACES 1997 included Westat (prime contractor), Abt Associates, Ellsworth Associates, and the CDM group. The project team for FACES 2000 included Westat (prime contractor), Xtria (formerly Ellsworth Associates), and the CDM group. The project team for FACES 2003 included Westat (prime contractor), Xtria, and the CDM group.

The Assessment Profile provided in this document was developed by: Abbott-Shim, M., & Sibley, A. (1987). Assessment profile for early childhood programs. Atlanta, GA: Quality Assist, Inc. The measure was modified for FACES.

Population Assessed

Each cohort of FACES employs a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, centers, classrooms, children, and parents. Each sample is stratified by three variables: region of the country (northeast, Midwest, south, or west); urbanicity (urban versus rural); and percentage of minority families in the program (50 percent or more versus less than 50 percent). Data collection methods included child assessments, parent interviews, teacher reports, staff interviews, and classroom observations. Since its inception, FACES has involved an initial field-test sample and three nationally representative cohorts: FACES 1997, FACES 2000, and FACES 2003.

FACES 1997 field test. FACES was field tested in spring 1997 with 2,400 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds and their parents in a nationally stratified random sample of 40 Head Start programs. These children were followed up in spring 1998 when the children were in kindergarten.

FACES 1997. Data from the initial cohort for the main study of FACES 1997 was first collected in fall 1997 on 3,200 children and families from the same 40 Head Start programs employed in the field test. Data were collected on 1,200 3-year-olds new to Head Start; 1,280 4- and 5-year-olds new to Head Start; and 720 4- and 5-year-olds who were in the field-test study and returning for another year of Head Start. Data on these children were also collected in spring 1998 (spring of the Head Start year), spring 1999 (spring of the kindergarten year or spring of the Head Start year for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997), spring 2000 (spring of the first-grade year or spring of kindergarten for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997), and spring 2001 (spring of the first-grade year for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997).

FACES 1997 also included a validation substudy or embedded case study of 120 randomly selected families from the larger FACES sample. (NB. The embedded case study was not a part of FACES 2000 or FACES 2003). Data collection included in-person parent interviews, home and neighborhood observations, monthly telephone contacts for demographic updates, and community agency interviews regarding the amount and overall nature of collaboration between the agency and the Head Start program.

FACES 2000. A new national cohort of FACES was launched in fall 2000 (FACES 2000). Beginning in fall 2000, data from 2,800 children and families in a new nationally stratified random sample of 43 Head Start programs were collected to ascertain what progress was made in improving program performance. Data were collected in fall 2000, spring 2001, spring 2002 (when children were in kindergarten or in a second year of Head Start), and spring 2003 (when the children who were 3 years old in fall 2000 were in kindergarten).

FACES 2003. Data on a third national cohort (FACES 2003) were collected in fall 2003. Data from 2,700 children and families in a new nationally stratified random sample of 66 programs were collected in fall 2003 and will be collected in spring 2004, spring 2005 (when children are in kindergarten or in a second year of Head Start), and spring 2006 (when the children who were 3 years old in fall 2000 are in kindergarten).

Each cohort of FACES has approximately equal numbers of girls and boys and representative samples of white, African American, Hispanic, and children of other races (see exhibits 1 and 2).

Exhibit 1. Original Faces Sample (FACES 1997)

	Weighted Percentages
	All (n=3, 120)	Age 3 (n=1, 129)	Age 4 (n=1, 991)
Gender
Male	50.4	48.7	51.2
Female	49.6	51.4	48.8
Race/Ethnicity
African American	28.8	34.7	26.1
White	30.7	29.0	31.4
Hispanic/Latino	27.6	22.5	30.0
Native American	1.9	2.3	1.7
Asian/Pacific Islander	1.3	1.3	1.3
Other	8.8	8.7	8.6

Exhibit 2. FACES 2000 Sample

	African American		White		Hispanic		Other		Total
	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%
Male	343	13.8	471	19.0	363	14.6	65	2.6	1242	50.1
Female	383	15.4	415	16.7	371	14.9	68	2.7	1237	49.9
Total	726	29.3	886	35.7	734	29.6	133	5.4	2479	100

Periodicity

In the initial field test for FACES, classroom observation data were collected in spring 1997.

Classroom observation data from the initial cohort for the main study of FACES 1997 were first collected in fall 1997 and spring 1998 (spring of the Head Start year). Classroom observation data were also collected in spring 1999 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 1997).

For FACES 2000, classroom observation data were collected in fall 2000 and spring 2001. Classroom observation data were also collected in spring 2002 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 2000).

For the FACES 2003 cohort, classroom observation data were collected in fall 2003 and will be collected in spring 2004. Classroom observation data will also be collected in spring 2005 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 2003).

Subscales/Components

The Assessment Profile is a structured observation guide designed to assist in self-assessment to improve the quality of early childhood programs. It is made up of three subscales (scheduling, learning environment, and individualizing). The scheduling subscale assesses the written plans for the classroom and the way classroom activities are implemented. The learning environment subscale examines the variety of learning materials available in the classroom to support various areas of children’s development. The individualizing subscale (which was shortened to five observational items for FACES) measures how a teacher plans the classroom activities to meet the learning needs of each child, the tracking system used for children’s work (e.g., child portfolios), and the accommodation for children with disabilities.

The FACES 1997 observation instruments included only the scheduling and learning environment subscales. The individualizing subscale was added to the FACES observation instruments in the FACES 2000 and FACES 2003 cohorts.

Procedures for Administration

The assessment profile is completed as part of a classroom observation by a trained observer. The assessment profile is composed of a set of standards, and each standard is supported with criteria. Criteria are “concrete, observable procedures, behaviors, and records that exemplify values and expectations” (www.qassist.com). Observations of criteria are recorded as “yes” observed or “no” not observed. In addition to observation of classrooms, two other methods of data collection are used: documentation (e.g., record review) and a report based on conferences with staff and teachers. Information is scored by dimensions for each component, and scores are summarized on dimension score sheets and graphed on an assessment profile.

Psychometrics/Data Quality

For the FACES 2000 cohort, reliability (as measured by Cronbach’s alpha) of the scheduling subscale was 0.89 for fall 2000 and 0.87 for spring 2001. Reliability of the learning environment subscale was 0.68 for fall 2000 and 0.77 for spring 2001. Reliability of the individualizing subscale was 0.50 for fall 2000 and 0.54 for spring 2001. Agreement between two independent observers in a sample of fall 1997 classrooms averaged 91 percent for the assessment profile.

Languages Available

The scale developers do not expressly state availability of the assessment profile in languages other than English.

Items Included

The assessment profile is copyrighted and was reproduced for FACES by permission of the scale developers. The subscales of the profile are not reproduced in full in this document, but samples of items from each subscale are given. The assessment profile can be purchased from the study developers by contacting Quality Assist, Inc (full contact information is listed in the references and source documents section).

Example of Scheduling items:

1. Scheduling and planning occur (yes/no)
   1. Written time schedule is posted (yes/no)
   2. Teacher has materials and supplies prepared in advance (yes/no)

Example of Learning Environment items:

8. Classroom materials support a variety of learning experiences (yes/no)
   1. a. At least 3 different types of small muscle/manipulative materials are accessible to children without adult assistance
      1. Legos (yes/no)
      2. Puzzles (yes/no)
      3. Sequence beads (yes/no)
      4. Etch-A-Sketch (yes/no)
      5. Interlocking materials (yes/no)
      6. Board games (yes/no)
      7. Scissors (yes/no)
      8. Marble rollways (yes/no)
      9. Keyboard templates (yes/no)
      10. Other (yes/no)

Example of Individualizing items:

1. Child assessment occurs systematically (yes/no)
   1. A portfolio is available for each child which includes child work samples, performance inventory, and anecdotal or narrative reports (yes/no)

References and Source Documents

Abbott-Shim, M., & Sibley, A. (1987). Assessment profile for early childhood programs. Atlanta, Georgia: Quality Assist, Inc.

More information about the assessment profile is available on the Quality Assist Web site at www.qassist.com.

Ordering information for the assessment profile
Quality Assist, Inc.
368 Moreland Ave. NE, Suite 240
Atlanta, GA 30307
404-325-2225

A number of FACES reports are available on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

The reports include the following:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003, June). Head Start FACES (2000): A whole child perspective on program performance, fourth progress report. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2002, January). A descriptive study of Head Start families: FACES technical report I. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001, January). Head Start FACES: Reaching out to families: Head Start recruitment and enrollment practices. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001, January). Head Start FACES (1997): Longitudinal findings on program performance, third progress report. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000, June). FACES findings: New research on Head Start program quality and outcomes. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1998, June). Head Start FACES (Pilot): Program performance measures, second progress report. Washington, DC: Author.

Information about FACES presentations and papers is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

More information about the FACES validation substudy is available in the following paper:

Vaden-Kiernan, M., D’Elio, M. A., & Sprague, K. (n.d.). The FACES embedded case study: Documenting the methodology and early findings. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/embedded_casestdy/embedded.pdf

 

 

Table of Contents | Previous | Next