Table Of ContentWINTER 2013
Research Notes
accreditation as an alternative pathway to Quality in QRIs
Of the 24 statewide quality rating which requires programs to be approved accrediting body and met
and improvement systems (QRIS), nationally accredited and achieve a the other components of the rating
21 include linkages to national threshold score of 5.00 on the overall system (staff qualifications and
program accreditation and 15 ERS and on the PAS.2 The programs licensing status), it would receive
include accreditation status as an in the sample were accredited by the a Star Level 3 rating without ERS
alternative pathway to quality at a National Association for the Education or PAS assessments. Accreditation thus
specific level of a statewide QRIS.1 of Young Children (87%), the National served as a proxy at Star Level 3 for a
While there is general agreement Early Childhood Program Accreditation certain level of quality in the learning
that program accreditation status is (6%), and the National Association environment (overall ERS score of
a valid measure of overall quality, of Child Care Professionals (7%) and 4.25) and in program administration
little attention has been paid to the represented both for-profit (31%) and (overall PAS score of 4.25).
relationship between accreditation nonprofit (69%) organizations. The
status and the threshold scores on sample includes all accredited center-
avERagE ERs aNd pas
classroom assessment tools such based programs that applied for Star assEssmENT scoREs foR
as the Environment Rating Scales Level 4 between January 2008 and accREdITEd pRogRams
(ERS: ECERS-R, ITERS-R, SACERS) January 2013.
and administrative assessment tools Table 1 summarizes the means,
such as the Program Administration At the time of the study, Illinois’ standard deviations, and range
Scale (PAS), frequently used to Quality Counts QRS utilized a of scores for the ERS (combined
determine incremental levels of block system to determine the ECERS-R, ITERS-R, and/or SACERS)
program quality in QRIS. appropriate star level of program and PAS for accredited Star Level
quality. A program was required to 3 programs that applied for Star
The present study was designed to achieve a threshold score on the Level 4. Accredited programs had
focus attention on the relationship overall ERS at all four levels of the an average ERS score of 4.27 and
between accreditation status and the rating system and a threshold score an average PAS score of 4.44. As
program quality assessment scores on the PAS at Star Level 3 and Star reflected in this table, however, the
commonly used in statewide QRIS. Level 4. However, if a program was actual range of scores varied widely
The study also examined what star nationally accredited by a state- for each assessment.
level would have been achieved by
accredited programs if the quality
level was determined by assessment Table 1
scores instead of accreditation status.
Means, Standard Deviations, and Range of Scores for Accredited Star Level 3 Programs
that Applied for Star Level 4 (N = 55)
samplE aNd INs TRumENTaTIoN
The sample for this study was 55 assessment M SD possible actual
Range Range
center-based early childhood programs
that applied for the highest star ERS 4.27 .64 1 – 7 2.34 – 5.84
level in Illinois’ Quality Counts
PAS 4.44 .93 1 – 7 2.38 – 6.00
Quality Rating System (QRS),
sTaR lEvEl foR accREdITEd needs, enrolled in high-quality early programs to improve their quality
pRogRams learning programs. These statewide through self-study and on-site
quality enhancement initiatives need verification, and saves states the
Table 2 identifies what star level
to be cost effective and equitably expense of conducting reliable
the accredited programs would have
administered in a wide range of early assessments in accredited programs.
achieved if their accreditation status
childhood settings, including centers, In this study, across all programs,
did not automatically place them at Star
schools, and homes. the average ERS and PAS scores for
Level 3. At the individual program level,
the sample did achieve the 4.25
only 18 of the 55 programs (33%)
One cost-effective approach in the threshold established by Illinois for
would have achieved a Star Level 3 or
design of a QRIS framework has been Star Level 3.
Star Level 4 had their determination
to accept a program’s accredited
been based solely on their ERS and
status in lieu of meeting threshold There is a need for additional
PAS assessment scores rather than
scores determined by state-funded research relating to accreditation
accreditation status
assessors using valid and reliable status in QRIS, both as a proxy for
program quality assessment tools. As program quality assessment scores
Table 2 this study demonstrates, however, and as a proxy for continuous quality
Frequency of Star Level Ratings Based accreditation status was not an improvement. There is also a need
on Assessment Scores Instead of accurate proxy for the majority of for future research on validation
Accreditation (N = 55) accredited programs that applied of threshold scores as measures of
for a higher star level in Illinois’ incremental quality improvement
Number
QRs star level of programs QRS. Two-thirds of the programs in QRIS. Finally, various program
would have been placed at a lower assessment tools and national systems
No Star 2
star level (n = 35) or received no for program accreditation are not the
star level rating (n = 2) if their same. Understanding how differences
1 Star 3
quality level was determined by in the scope and application of quality
2 Stars 32 their combined ERS and PAS scores standards and verification rigor impact
instead of their accreditation status. program outcomes is an important
3 Stars 12
research agenda.
It is important to realize that incremental
4 Stars 6
threshold scores of assessment
tools and accreditation status
are different measures of quality
It is important to note that this study REfERENcEs
within QRIS frameworks. Programs
was limited in sample size and included
choose and then work to achieve 1. National Association for the Education of
only those accredited programs applying
Young Children. (July, 2010). Quality rating
the standards of quality set by these
prior to January 2013 for Star Level 4, and improvement systems (QRIS) and National
the highest star level in Illinois’ Quality particular tools or accreditation Association for the Education of Young Children
processes. Thus it may still be good (NAEYC) accreditation. [NAEYC Public Policy
Counts QRS.
policy to recognize accreditation Fact Sheet]. Retrieved January 23, 2013 from
www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/policy/state/
status in lieu of achieving threshold
ImplIcaTIoNs QRSFactSheet.pdf
scores on quality assessment tools.
In implementing state quality rating and This approach acknowledges there 2. Effective July 1, 2013, Illinois’ Quality Counts
improvement systems, policymakers are multiple pathways to improving QRS for center-based programs will be replaced
by a new QRIS framework consisting of 15
seek to increase the number of program quality, recognizes the
standard areas including learning environment
children, especially those with high substantial investments made by and program administration.
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Center for Early Childhood Leadership, call 800.443.5522, ext. 5060. foR EaRly chIldhood lEadERshIp
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