Research Based Indicators of Quality Early Childhood Education Programs: an Improved

Environmental Rating System

SWOT ANALYSIS

Description: This will be an analysis of the current indicators of quality in an early childhood
education setting in the state of Washington and a proposed set of recommended changes to these
indicators based on current global research. To narrow the focus, this project will concentrate on
the physical setting of an early childhood classroom and not child/teacher interactions.

Goal: To educate policymakers, school leaders, parents and educators about the importance of
and implementation of quality early childhood educational settings.

Audience: State and national policymakers, school administrators, parents, and early childhood
educators.

Acronyms: ECE (Early Childhood Education), ECRS (Early Childhood Rating System), ECERS
(Early Childhood Education Rating Systems), PNMA (Pacific Northwest Montessori
Association), WFIS (Washington Federation of Independent Schools), DCYF (Department of
Children, Youth and Families), EA (Early Achievers), SOU (Southern Oregon University).

Positives Negatives
Internal Strengths Weaknesses
● Human resources
● Physical resources ● PNMA and WFIS have ● ECERS and EA are
● Financial resources current and ongoing already well established
● Activities and relationships with DCYF, and in place in
processes I am a part of both Washington (DCYF,
● Past experiences organizations. n.d.)

What are your own ● Being an ECE educator ● EA/ECERS determines

advantages, in terms of
people, physical resources,
finances?
What do you do well? What
activities or processes have
met with success?
What could be improved in
terms of staffing, physical
resources, funding?
What activities and processes
lack effectiveness or are
poorly done?
for 15 years has given me
vast experience with high
and low quality
environments.
● Access provided to me
by SOU’s Hannon
Library to resources on
this topic.
● I am personally
passionate about ECE
environments and their
ECE program’s
eligibility to receive
grants, state funds, and
subsidies for families in
need (ERS, n.d.)
● EA and ECERS are not
based on current
evidence, lacks a holistic
view of the child, and
values academic
achievement over child
well-being (Merrill et
al., 2020)

External
● Future trends - in your
field or the culture
● The economy
● Funding sources
(foundations, donors,
legislatures)
● Demographics
● The physical
environment
● Legislation
● Local, national, or
international events
● Technology
What possibilities exist to
support or help your effort - in
the environment, the people
you serve, or the people who
conduct your work?
What local, national, or
international trends draw
interest to your project?
Is a social change or
demographic pattern
favorable to your goal?
Is a new funding source
available?
Have changes in policies
made something easier?
Do changes in technology
hold new promise?
improvement as a means
to teach young children.
Opportunities Threats
● Current grants and
funding on the horizon
for ECE programs/
development of universal
pre-k
● International research
prominent in holistic
approach to
environmental design
● New focus on early
childhood years in US
● Existing measures of
quality should be
simplified and thus,
less-expensive to
programs than before
creating more funding
available for teacher pay
and retention
● Lack of consistency of
“quality” measures
across states means more
wiggle room in
Washington
● Implementation could
include tiered process
with teacher/admin
● The current staffing
crisis in ECE could be a
barrier to
implementation
● Constantly changing
licensing requirements
cause frustration among
ECE programs which
could mean a lack of
teacher/program buy-in
● Academic achievement
valued over all else in
ECE which impacts both
community support and
legislative support as
well as teacher/program
buy-in
● ECERS systems already
in place in many states
including Washington
● Technology and
availability of
information strengthens
false craving for
academic
achievement/competition
● Incoming grants/funding
most likely will be
funneled through
existing measures of
quality such as ECERS
and EA
● School choice factor:
parents should be able to
choose what type of
ECE environment they
would like their child to
attend; measures of
What obstacles do you face
that hinder the effort - in the
environment, the people you
serve, or the people who
conduct your work?
What local, national, or
international trends favor
interest in other or competing
projects?
Is a social change or
demographic pattern a
challenge to your goals?
Is the financial situation of a
funder changing?
Have changes in policies
made something more
difficult?
Is changing technology
threatening your
effectiveness?
feedback included which quality should be able to
would increase buy-in fit any pedagogy, they
(Sollars, 2022) currently do not
(Materials Checklist,
● Promotion/publication of 2016)
this research will be
critical in combating
buy-in from all parties;
PNMA and WFIS have
large educator and parent
populations, easing the
problem of buy-in

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