ERIC Number: ED618743
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Mar
Pages: 56
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Evidence Regarding the Domains of the CLASS PreK in Head Start Classrooms
Gordon, Rachel A.; Peng, Fang
Grantee Submission
The standard scoring of the CLASS PreK produces three domain scores that are widely used in research, practice and policy. Despite these domains being based on developmental theory and research, limited empirical evidence exists for the three-domain structure as operationalized in the CLASS PreK. Using the 2009 and 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Surveys (FACES), we estimated a series of exploratory and confirmatory bifactor and traditional factor analyses to produce evidence regarding this structure and possible alternatives in nationally representative samples of Head Start classrooms. Replicating and extending the small set of prior factor analytic studies, we found alternative factor structures fit equally well or better than the standard structure in both FACES 2009 and 2014 as well as problems with estimation and fit of a bifactor structure of general and specific factors proposed by the CLASS PreK developers. Across all domain structures, associations with children's academic and social-emotional gains during the Head Start year were uniformly small and generally non-significant. Our findings encourage future refinements of the CLASS PreK and continued development of new measures to better operationalize its conceptually-motivated domains. [The paper was published in "Early Childhood Research Quarterly" v53 p23-39 Mar 2020.]
Descriptors: Preschool Education, Low Income Groups, Federal Programs, Factor Structure, Classroom Environment, Early Intervention, Family (Sociological Unit), Children, Experience, Surveys, Achievement Gains, Social Emotional Learning, Scoring, Evaluation Methods, Intelligence Tests, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Achievement Tests, Classroom Communication, Receptive Language, English, Spanish, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Language Proficiency, Factor Analysis
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Classroom Assessment Scoring System; Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement; Woodcock Munoz Language Survey
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A130118
Author Affiliations: N/A