A Snapshot of Quality in Child Care Centers That Partner with Early Head Start Programs: Insights from Baby FACES 2018

This brief provides useful insights about both the structural and process quality of partner classrooms and teachers in child care centers partnering with EHS programs.

• Most teachers in classrooms from child care centers partnering with EHS programs (“teachers in partner classrooms”) had at least an associate’s degree, a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, or a teaching certificate or license and were specialized in early childhood education or infant and toddler development.
• Teachers in partner classrooms received a variety of professional development across a range of topics. Seventy-eight percent of teachers had a coach, and about one-third of those met with their coach at least weekly.
• Almost all teachers in partner classrooms used at least one curriculum and child assessment. Creative Curriculum was the most commonly used curriculum. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Creative Curriculum’s Teaching Strategies Gold were the most commonly used child assessments.
• The average group sizes and child-to-adult ratios met the requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS).
• Teacher—child relationship quality was in the midrange (indicating moderate levels of quality) in partner classrooms, as measured by two classroom observation tools. Classrooms were stronger in providing social and emotional support than they were in supporting language and learning.

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