The articles contained in this three-article dissertation carefully document characteristics of early childhood (EC) classrooms that could be beneficial to early learning and success. These articles use multiple regression, descriptive statistics, and multi-level modeling in their methodology and make recommendations for policy in the field of early childhood education. Where has all the Time Gone? Describing Time Use in Full- vs. Half-day Pre-Kindergarten: High-quality, early childhood education (ECE) experiences can improve children's learning trajectories and produce long-term social returns. Yet, there is also evidence that ECE effects are variable and do not typically persist. There is therefore a need to deepen the research base on what constitutes a 'high quality' ECE experience. This need exists on at least two levels--first, to identify which structural features reliably deliver effects, and second to capture the in-classroom processes those structures make possible. This paper provides a case study using an intensive in classroom data collection effort--a total of 114 all-day class observations with every minute coded for content area(s) and activity type, and up to 14 repeated observations per teacher over a two-year period. In this instance, the data allow us to gain important insights into how teachers leverage time differently when one structural feature of preschool programming--length of the preschool day--changes. We determine that time-use surveys could be used to collect data about classroom processes, but they need to be designed to allow for the complexity of the ECE learning environment. We also observed that half-day and full-day classrooms differed proportionately mainly by the need to accommodate a nap in full-day; however, there were absolute differences in time allocation that could make a difference in learning opportunities across a school year. Finally, we find that variability both within and between teachers, which should encourage other ECE researchers to observe teachers for more than one day when feasible. (Mis)Measuring Pre-Kindergarten Classroom Characteristics: Although public interest and investment in early childhood education is high, there is not consistent evidence regarding the associations between pre-K time allocation and student outcomes. We extend previous work that has studied these relationships by quantifying the extent that attenuation due to measurement error may play in masking the extent to which time-use is associated with student outcomes. Additionally, we use a uniquely rich set of time-use data that covers entire instructional days, with multiple days observed for each teacher in our sample. The completeness of our data allows us to estimate associations between time-use and student outcomes as a replication of previous work. Finally, we use measures of classroom quality to test whether the relationships between time-use and student outcomes is moderated by the quality of teacher-child interactions. Once again, we use these analyses to determine whether we replicate previous findings using our richer set of data. We find that observing more than one day reduces some amount of measurement error relative to observing only one day. We also find some evidence that after controlling child covariates, additional time on ELA is positively related to several student outcomes (0.06-0.09 SDs). These results also suggest that it is important to measure all time, even when it is mixed with other subjects, to understand how time allocation influences students' learning. Finally, we find some evidence that students in high quality classrooms positively benefit from more time devoted to ELA relative to peers in low-quality classrooms. These results show time allocation matters more in classrooms where students are more likely to experience high-quality instruction. A Degree of Change: The Association between New State Degree Requirements for Pre-Kindergarten Teachers' Wages & Employment: This study presents an analysis of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree requirement in state-funded preschool programs across the United States. Using data from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) Yearbooks, I examine the prevalence of state-funded pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) programs and the variability of BA degree requirements across states, in addition to estimating the relationship between requiring BA degrees for pre-K teachers and subsequent labor market outcomes. While some studies have suggested that there is a positive association between pre-K teachers holding a BA degree and child outcomes, there has been less research on the implications of this requirement on pre-K teachers' wages and employment. The current study uses a difference-in-differences analytic approach and compares outcomes for states that roll-out a BA degree policy for pre-K teachers relative to states that do not. I find that, on average, the BA degree requirement is associated with higher wages and fewer preschool teachers. This study also provides information on the specific benchmarks that are bundled with the BA requirement in each state. The results suggest that states vary in how they bundle policies with the BA degree requirement, and the bundled nature of the policies should be carefully considered when interpreting associations with labor market outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]