School districts are central players in the child care delivery system: they operate a mix of child care centers and programs, serve a range of children of different ages, and fund their programs from a variety of federal, state, and local sources. This report provides a range of programmatic and fiscal information about the federal and state…

Attendance in preschool centers can yield short-term benefits for children from poor or middle-class families. Yet debate persists in Europe and the United States over whether centers yield gains of sufficient magnitude to sustain children's cognitive or social advantages as they move through primary school. We report on child care and home…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a 2-day in-service education program for (a) promoting the use of two emergent literacy strategies by early childhood educators and (b) increasing children's responses to these strategies. Method: Sixteen early childhood educators were randomly assigned to an experimental and a…

The historical process of the institutionalisation of childhood is in a period of intensification, as children enter institutions at ever earlier ages and remain in them for longer periods. This intensification presents great opportunities but also involves many risks since everything is dangerous. A particular set of risks are produced from the…

The study has focused on the transition from day-care centre to school. Questionnaires were completed by staff at several day-care centres, at three schools recruiting pupils from these and by the parents of these children. Schools were asked what kind of information they thought it was important to receive from the other parties about children…

One characteristic of long day childcare settings in New Zealand is the opportunity for teachers to continuously observe each other at work. Ngaire's story is an account of one teacher's problematic negotiation of her subjectivity (self-as-teacher) in the context of a wider institutional story drawn from Ngaire's colleagues' observations of her…

The aim of this paper is to produce an understanding of directors' work; perceptions of their role as managers in the centre; their experiences; and the nature of management within the context of the child care field in a complex social, legislative and economic climate. In the current context of the delivery of child care services in a…

This paper reports on the design, methodology, and results of a study of quality in 326 classrooms in 239 Canadian child care centers. This study, the largest and most extensive ever undertaken in Canada, used the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS) to rate the adult-child interactions in the classrooms and the Infant-Toddler Environment Rating…

This book investigates the innovative ways being used to ensure and finance high quality care for children. Chapter 1, "Introduction," discusses the government's role in helping to structure, build, and finance the system, as well as financing strategies. Chapter 2, "Financing Child Care Supply," addresses center-based child…

The number of very young children entering center-based child care programs is growing. Now, more than ever, it is important for caregivers to understand the impact they have on the healthy development of the children in their care. "Emotional Connections" translates new research on cognitive, social, and emotional development in the early years…

This report is a yearly update of information initially compiled in 1991 through a survey of the child care regulatory offices of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The report begins with an introduction, definition of terms, and a question and answer summary. The bulk of the report is organized in…

The Kindergarten Readiness Survey (KRS), using data collected by kindergarten teachers across the state, was determined to be an effective way to measure the effect of preschools and childcare settings preparing students to enter the K-12 education system. This approach allows for a more valid evaluation of programs and accurate assessment of…

Contends that child care facility owners, boards of directors, staff, and parents need to focus on financial management, as poor financial health compromises the quality of care for children. Specifically addresses the issues of: (1) concern for providing high quality child care; (2) the connection between quality and money; and (3) strengthening…

Delineates three levels of participation for classroom employees in educational research and presents issues that must be considered at each level. Specific roles examined include: (1) subjects in research studies; (2) facilitators for others conducting studies; and (3) researchers. (SD)

Discusses a program for improving parent-teacher communication by means of advocate teachers who observe a small group of children and conduct conferences with their parents. Describes the implementation of this program in one nursery school, including program evaluations and parent satisfaction. (JPB)