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

Measure: Selected “curriculum and classroom activities,” “beliefs about teaching,” “your center,” “a day in Head Start,” and “questions about your class” items from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey Staff Questionnaires (Center Director Interview, Classroom Teacher Interview, Head Start Teacher Self-Administered Survey, Kindergarten Teacher Self-Administered Survey, First Grade Teacher Survey)

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 “Beliefs about Teaching” are adapted from a similar measure from Burts, D.C., Hart, C.H., Charlesworth, R., & Kirk, L. (1990). All other items were developed by the FACES research team.

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

Administration periodicity was dependent on the measure and the cohort.

Center Director Interview: This interview was administered at the following times: FACES 1997, fall 1997; FACES 2000, fall 2000; and FACES 2003, fall 2003.

Classroom Teacher Interview: This interview was administered at the following times: FACES 1997, fall 1997 and spring 1998; FACES 2000, fall 2000 and spring 2001; and FACES 2003, fall 2003. In addition, for FACES 2003, this interview will be administered in spring 2004.

Head Start Teacher Self-Administered Survey: For each of the cohorts, the Head Start Teacher self-administered survey was administered as needed (e.g., whenever a new teacher assumed a sampled classroom).

Kindergarten Teacher Questionnaire: This questionnaire was administered at the following times: the initial FACES field test, spring 1998; FACES 1997, spring 1999 and in spring 2000 (for children who were 3 years old in fall 1997); FACES 2000, spring 2002 and Spring 2003 (for children who were 3 years old in Fall 2000); and FACES 2003, spring 2005 and spring 2006 (for children who were 3 years old in fall 2003).

First Grade Teacher Questionnaire: The First Grade Teacher Questionnaire was administered only to the FACES 1997 cohort in spring 2000 and spring 2001 (for children who were 3 years old in fall 1997).

Subscales/Components

The majority of questions about child care quality (procedural) come from five sections within the staff questionnaires: curriculum and classroom activities, beliefs about teaching, your center, a day in Head Start, and questions about your class. The section on curriculum and classroom activities focuses on specific questions about the curriculum used in a center, such as the name of the curriculum; teachers’ responsibility for developing their own curricula; the extent to which the curricula is specific about things, such as specific activities for children and goals for children’s learning/development; the type of plans and teaching materials; and the frequency with which certain activities are offered to children (e.g., reading stories, naming colors, outdoor physical activities, and computer time). The section about beliefs about teaching has one item specific to procedural quality. It asks what teachers believe Head Start teachers should do in their classrooms (e.g., showing more interest in how children work and play rather than what they produce, having formal instruction in pre-reading skills, and letting children solve problems on their own). The section about a teacher’s center asks teachers about the quality of the learning environment at the center (e.g., whether classrooms have enough space for typical learning activities and whether teachers have good quality resource materials). The section on a day in Head Start focuses on many items that assess procedural quality, such as (1) the way a typical day is spent in the classroom, including the total number of hours spent in different activities (e.g., teacher directed activities, free play, and involvement with parents and curriculum planning) and (2) the most important goals in working with children (e.g., providing safe haven from home/neighborhood, providing physical activities that enhance gross/fine motor skills, and improving children’s self-esteem and self-confidence). Lastly, the section about questions about a teacher’s class ask procedural quality questions, such as the existence of activity centers in the classroom; the time the typical child engages in numerous activities in a typical week (e.g., running, climbing, jumping, engaging in free play, and using manipulatives for math or science); the average time spent per day in formal group instruction in reading, numbers, or alphabet; and the average time spent each day in individual or small group activities.

Procedures for Administration

Center director interview: The center director completes the interview in a one-on-one setting where the interviewer asks questions and writes the respondent’s answers. The complete FACES 1997 center director interview takes about 90 minutes; the center director interview was shortened for FACES 2000 and 2003, taking only 30 minutes to complete.

Classroom teacher interview: The classroom teacher completes the interview in a one-on-one setting where the interviewer asks questions and writes the respondent’s answers. The complete FACES 1997 classroom teacher interview takes about 40 minutes; the classroom teacher interview was shortened for FACES 2000 and FACES 2003, taking only 20–25 minutes to complete.

Teacher self-administered survey: The classroom teacher survey is self-administered. The complete teacher self-administered survey takes about 20 minutes.

Kindergarten teacher self-administered survey: The kindergarten teacher completes the interview. It is self-administered. Information about time to complete the full interview is not given.

First grade teacher survey: The first grade teacher completes the interview. It is self-administered. Information about time to complete the full interview is not given.

Psychometrics/Data Quality

Psychometric information is not yet available.

Languages Available

The staff questionnaires can be administered in English and Spanish. For respondents who
speak a language other than English or Spanish, an interpreter is used (if possible).

Items Included

Note: Items included are from the first administration of the interviews. The items are also
included in subsequent interviews, with minor differences/additions/changes. The full interviews
are available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

Curriculum and Classroom Activities Items:
Now I’d like to ask a few questions about the curriculum used in your class(es).

1. Is a specific curriculum or combination of curricula used in your program?
   1. No
   2. Yes
   3. Don't Know
2. If your principal curriculum has a name, what is it? (Circle One)(IF RESPONDENT SAYS “HEAD START” CURRICULUM, PROBE: “Does it have a name?”)
   1. High Reach
   2. High/Scope
   3. Montessori
   4. Bank Street
   5. Creative Curriculum
   6. Creating Child-Centered Classrooms – Step by Step
   7. Curiosity Corner – Johns Hopkins
   8. Scholastic Curriculum
   9. State Developed Curriculum (Which state)
   10. Other (specify)
3. If your additional curricula have names, what are they? (Circle One)(IF RESPONDENT SAYS “HEAD START” CURRICULUM, PROBE: “Does it have a name?”)
   1. High Reach
   2. High/Scope
   3. Montessori
   4. Bank Street
   5. Creative Curriculum
   6. Creating Child-Centered Classrooms – Step by Step
   7. Curiosity Corner – Johns Hopkins
   8. Scholastic Curriculum
   9. State Developed Curriculum (Which state)
   10. Other (specify)
4. To what extent are teachers responsible for developing their own curriculum? (Read list and circle one)
   1. very much
   2. somewhat
   3. very little
   4. not at all
5. Does the curriculum used by your program specify the following? (Read list. Mark no, yes, or don't know for each)

	No	Yes	Don't Know
a. Goals for children's learning and development
b. Specific activities for children
c. Suggested teaching strategies
d. Suggested teaching materials
e. Ways to involve parents in their child's learning activities

6. Do you have or have you recently begun any efforts to improve children's early literacy skills, that is, to teach them more about letters, word sounds, words, writing, understanding and appreciating books and reading?
7. [As part of this effort,] do you encourage teachers in your Center to do more of any of the following kinds of activities? How about:...? Would you say teachers are very much encouraged, somewhat encouraged, not very much encouraged, or not at all encouraged to do this? (NB - Classroom teachers are also asked how often children in the class do these reading and literacy activities, using the following response options: Never, Once a month or less, Two or three times a month, Once or twice a week, Three or four times a week, Every day)
8.  

	Very much encouraged	Somewhat encouraged	Not very much encouraged	Not at all encouraged
a. Reading stories to the children?	1	2	3	4
b. Retelling stories?	1	2	3	4
c. Discussing new words?	1	2	3	4
d. Learning about rhyming words and word families	1	2	3	4
e. Learning about common prepositions, such as over and under, up and down?	1	2	3	4
f. Learning about conventions of print (left to right orientation, book holding)?	1	2	3	4
g. Learning the names of letters?	1	2	3	4
h. Writing letters of the alphabet	1	2	3	4
i. Writing own name?	1	2	3	4
j. Working on phonics?	1	2	3	4

Classroom teacher interview only (FACES 1997 interview only):
In your class, how many hours in an average week are spent reading to children individually or
in a small group?

How important a priority is reading to children in your class? Would you say it is: (Circle one
response)
Essential
very important
sort or important
not important

In your opinion, what are the main benefits that Head Start provides to children? (Do not read list.
Circle all that apply)
School readiness
Social skills with children
Social interactions with adults
Safe haven from home/neighborhood
Improved child health
Other (specify)

Beliefs about Teaching Items:

1. I’m going to read some statements that some teachers have made about how children in Head Start should be taught and managed. Please tell me whether each statement agrees or disagrees with your personal beliefs about good teaching practice in Head Start.

(READ ITEM) Do you strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, or strongly agree with that statement?

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
a. Head Start classroom activities should be responsive to individual	1	2	3	4	5
b. Each curriculum area should be taught as a separate subject at separate times	1	2	3	4	5
c. Children should be allowed to select many of their own activities from a variety of learning areas that the teacher has prepared (writing, science center, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5
d. Children should be allowed to cut their own shapes, perform their own steps in an experiment, and plan their own creative drama, art, and writing activities	1	2	3	4	5
e. Students should work silently and alone on seatwork	1	2	3	4	5
f. Children in Head Start classrooms should learn through active explorations	1	2	3	4	5
g. Head Start teachers should use treats, stickers, or stars to encourage appropriate behavior	1	2	3	4	5
h. Head Start teachers should use punishments or reprimands to encourage appropriate behavior	1	2	3	4	5
i. Children should be involved in establishing rules for the classroom	1	2	3	4	5
j. Children should be instructed in recognizing the single letters of the alphabet, isolated from words	1	2	3	4	5
k. Children should learn to color predefined lines	1	2	3	4	5
l. Children in Head Start classrooms should learn to form letters correctly on a printed page	1	2	3	4	5
m. Children should dictate stories to the teacher	1	2	3	4	5
n. Children should know their letter sounds before they learn to read	1	2	3	4	5
o. Children should form letters correctly before they are allowed to create a story	1	2	3	4	5

Your Center Items:

1. We would like your opinion about the quality of the learning environment at your center. Please read the following statements and indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement. (Circle one for each)
   
   

   	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Does not apply
   a. Classrooms have enough space for typical learning
   b. Classroom equipment is of good quality
   c. Teachers have enough time to complete paperwork
   d. Teacher have good quality resource materials
   e. Teacher have a comfortable place to relax during breaks and to prepare instructional materials
   f. The program day is long enough to provide children with enough time for learning activities

A day in Head Start items:

1. We would like you to tell us how a typical day is spent in your classroom. (Please round to the nearest ½ hour throughout)
   1. Total number of hours in the classroom day
   Number of hours spent in each of the following activities:
   2. Routine caregiving (including meals, snacks, naps, toileting, etc)
   3. Teacher directed learning activities
   4. Free-play/free-choice child activities (both indoor and outdoors)
   5. Transition activities (cleaning-up, getting ready to go outside, etc)
   Outside of class time, on a typical school day, how many hours do you spend on:
   6. Involvement with parents (greetings, home visits, talking about kids, etc)
   7. Program administration/curriculum planning, etc

Questions about your class items:

1. Do you have activity centers in this classroom?
2. How often do children in this class do each of the following reading and language activities? Would you say children (READ ITEM) never, about once a month or less, two or three times a month, once or twice a week, three or four times a week, or every day?
   
   

   	Never	Once a month or less	Two or three times a month	Once or twice a week	Three or four times a week	Every day
   a. Work on learning the names of the letters	1	2	3	4	5	6
   b. Practice writing the letters of the alphabet	1	2	3	4	5	6
   c. Discuss new words	1	2	3	4	5	6
   d. Dictate stories to a teacher, aide, or volunteer	1	2	3	4	5	6
   e. Work on phonics	1	2	3	4	5	6
   f. Listen to you read stories where they see the print (e.g., Big Books).	1	2	3	4	5	6
   g. Listen to you read stories but they don't see the print	1	2	3	4	5	6
   h. Retell stories	1	2	3	4	5	6
   i. Learn about conventions of print (left to right orientation, book holding)	1	2	3	4	5	6
   j. Write own name	1	2	3	4	5	6
   k. Learn about rhyming words and word families	1	2	3	4	5	6
   l. Learn about common prepositions, such as over and under, up and down	1	2	3	4	5	6



3. How often do children in this class do each of the following math activities?
   
   

   	Never	Once a month or less	Two or three times a month	Once or twice a week	Three or four times a week	Every day
   a. Count out loud	1	2	3	4	5	6
   b. Work with geometric manipulatives	1	2	3	4	5	6
   c. Work with counting manipulatives to learn basic operations	1	2	3	4	5	6
   d. Play math-related games	1	2	3	4	5	6
   e. Use music to understand math concepts	1	2	3	4	5	6
   f. Use creative movement or creative drama to understand math concepts	1	2	3	4	5	6
   g. Work with rulers, measuring cups, spoons, or other measuring instruments	1	2	3	4	5	6
   h. Engage in calendar-related activities	1	2	3	4	5	6

References and Source Documents

The staff questionnaires are available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

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

 

 

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