Quality Support Infrastructure in Early Childhood: Still (Mostly) Missing

Autor/in	Azzi-Lessing, Lenette
Titel	Quality Support Infrastructure in Early Childhood: Still (Mostly) Missing
Quelle	In: Early Childhood Research & Practice, 11 (2009) 1, (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1524-5039
Schlagwörter	Preschool Education; Young Children; Early Childhood Education; Accountability; Child Care; Staff Development; Program Evaluation; Total Quality Management; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Frühe Kindheit; Early childhood; Education; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Verantwortung; Kinderfürsorge; Kinderbetreuung; Personnel development; Personalentwicklung; Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Quality management; Qualitätsmanagement; USA
Abstract	Support for early care and education among policy makers and the public is at an unprecedented high. As investments in early care and education programs in the United States continue to rise, the issue of quality becomes increasingly critical. This article addresses the need for adequate infrastructure to support high-quality early care and education--a need that was brought to the forefront by James Gallagher and Richard Clifford in their 2000 article in "Early Childhood Research & Practice" (http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v2n1/gallagher.html). The present article provides an update and emphasizes the critical roles of infrastructure in establishing and enforcing standards, supporting quality, and ensuring quality and accountability. Progress in developing the mechanisms and systems to support and ensure quality in several states is assessed, and the perils of expanding early childhood programs in the absence of such systems are examined. Also discussed are strategies for building capacity and strengthening the various functions of infrastructure in order to successfully support the expansion of universal prekindergarten and other early care and education initiatives. The article emphasizes the importance of being able to demonstrate that these initiatives truly benefit the children who participate in them. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 51 Gerty Drive, Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 877-275-3227; Tel: 217-333-1386; Fax: 217-244-7732; e-mail: ecrp@uiuc.edu; Web site: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10