Process Quality in Early Childhood Education: What the Research Says
How process quality shapes child development outcomes — and how it's measured in licensed daycares.
What is Process Quality?
[Definition: what process quality refers to. Contrast with related constructs.]
The Research Evidence
Language Development
[Synthesis of research linking caregiver verbal responsiveness and language-rich environments to vocabulary outcomes at age 5.]
Social-Emotional Development
[Research on secure attachment relationships and their long-term effects on self-regulation and school readiness.]
Cognitive Outcomes
[Evidence on stimulating learning environments, open-ended play, and executive function development.]
How Process Quality is Measured
[Overview of common assessment tools: CLASS, ECERS-R, ITERS. How states use these tools in their QRIS.]
What to Ask When Visiting a Daycare
- 1[Sample observation question 1 — related to caregiver responsiveness]
- 2[Sample observation question 2 — learning environment]
- 3[Sample observation question 3 — language interactions]