Early care and education can prepare children for school, but while some preschool and child care programs do an excellent job, others are inadequate and some may even harm healthy development. This study focuses on child care center directors to better understand why there is so much variation, and how public initiatives can better help poor-quality programs improve. Using data from in-depth interviews and classroom observations, the research considers how various factors--including director and program characteristics, market forces, and federal state and local policies--are associated with each other, director decision making, and program quality. Appended are: (1) Director Interview Guide; (2) Obtaining Nominations for High-Quality Centers to Include in Sample; (3) Sampling Steps; and (4) Additional Details on CLASS Dimensions and ECERS-R Items Used in the Research. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables, 4 boxes and 10 notes.) ["Understanding Quality in Context: Child Care Centers, Communities, Markets, and Public Policy" was written with Anna Danziger, Teresa Derrick-Mills and Heidi Johnson.]