Stated Briefly: Examining changes to Michigan's early childhood quality rating and improvement system (QRIS)

Title:	Stated Briefly: Examining changes to Michigan's early childhood quality rating and improvement system (QRIS)
Description:	This "Stated Briefly" report is a companion piece that summarizes the results of another report of the same name. Documenting and improving early childhood program quality is a national priority, leading to a rapid expansion of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRISs). QRISs document and improve the quality of early childhood education programs and provide clear information to families about their child care choices. This study described how early childhood programs were rated in Michigan's QRIS and examined how alternative approaches to calculating ratings affected the number of programs rated at each quality level. Using extant data from 2,390 early childhood education programs that voluntarily participated in Michigan's QRIS, the study found that programs in Michigan self-rated at low quality (level 1) and high quality (level 5) more often than at moderate quality (levels 2 through 4). The study also found that programs with both a self-rating and an independent observation of quality generally had higher self-ratings than observational ratings. The study used simulated data to compare the distributions of ratings in the original QRIS, the newly revised QRIS with relaxed domain requirements, and an approach that only used programs' overall scores. Findings revealed that in the new relaxed system and the total score approach, programs were rated at higher levels of quality when compared to the original QRIS. Implications of changes to the calculation systems in QRIS are discussed in terms of program ratings and financial implications for states.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (193KB)
Cover Date:	June 2016
Web Release:	June 14, 2016
Print Release:	June 14, 2016
Publication #:	REL 2016159 General Ordering Information
Center/Program:	REL
Associated Centers:	NCEE
Authors:	Ann-Marie Faria, Laura Hawkinson, Ariela Greenberg, and Emily Loney: American Institutes for Research
Type of Product:	Stated Briefly
Keywords:	Early Childhood Education Educational Improvement States
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Stated Briefly, please contact: Amy Johnson.