Project Activities
Research plan
- How were TQRIS structured and implemented in the nine Round 1 RTT-ELC states?
- How were TQRIS ratings defined, collected, and generated in the nine Round 1 RTT-ELC states?
- What were the patterns in TQRIS participation, the distribution of programs and children across the rating levels and the movement of programs and children across the rating levels since 2011?
- How do TQRIS characteristics (including structure, policies, and practices) relate to program movement up the rating levels and achievement of the highest rating level?
- What have completed RTT-ELC state validation studies found about the relationship between TQRIS tiers and program quality and the relationship between children's development and TQRIS ratings?
Structured Abstract
Research design and methods
The descriptive study collected and analyzed various data from the nine Round 1 RTT-ELC grantee states. In fall 2014, the study collected and conducted a targeted review of documents describing the structure of TQRIS, including component measures and the quality indicators used to evaluate preschool programs, and how these were combined to generate overall ratings. In fall 2014 through winter 2015, the study also conducted interviews with state administrators to confirm and clarify the information obtained from documents and gather information that could not be obtained from the document reviews.
To address the third and fourth research questions above, the study collected administrative data from the Round 1 RTT-ELC grantee states through mid-2017. The study addressed the last question by conducting a systematic review of TQRIS validation studies completed by seven Round 1 states and two Round 2 states.
Key outcomes
Overall, the study found that:
- There were substantial differences in the ways that states structured and implemented, promoted participation in, and rated and monitored early learning programs in their rating systems (Progress and Challenges in Developing Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in the Round 1 Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge States).
- While most states increased the percentage of programs rated at top TQRIS levels, a goal of RTT-ELC, 68 percent of programs remained at the same rating level during the study period. None of the states in the study could provide data needed to assess whether the number of high-needs children enrolled in top-rated TQRIS programs increased, another RTT-ELC goal (Moving on Up? Program Quality Ratings Under Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge).
- States that implemented TQRIS longer and whose rating structures allowed more flexibility for early learning programs to demonstrate quality had a higher percentage of programs at the top rating levels (Quality Ratings and System Characteristics: Patterns in the Round 1 Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge States).
- State reports found that programs with higher TQRIS ratings also had higher scores on independent measures of quality. However, children attending programs with higher TQRIS ratings generally did not have better developmental outcomes than those attending programs with lower TQRIS ratings (Are Ratings from Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Valid Measures of Program Quality?).
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Three publications addressing the third, fourth, and fifth research questions were released in April 2019:
Moving on Up? Program Quality Ratings Under Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge
Are Ratings from Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Valid Measures of Program Quality?
Other publications from this study are listed below.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
