Coaching as part of a pilot quality rating scale initiative: challenges to--and supports for--the change-making process.(early care and education)(Report)

Introduction

Research suggests that the quality of center-based early care and education (ECE) and family child care homes in this country is generally mediocre (Helburn, Culkin, Morris, Mocan, Howes, & Phillipsen, 1995; Kontos, Howes, Shinn, & Galinsky, 1994). In addition, parents often have little knowledge about how good a program actually is (Cryer & Burchinal, 1997). In an attempt to improve quality and help parents make informed choices about the most appropriate settings for their young children, at least 14 states give ECE programs the opportunity to participate in voluntary quality rating scale (QRS) initiatives (National Child Care Information Center, 2007). Also known as Quality Rating & Improvement Systems, these initiatives seek to provide an incentive for programs to improve their quality by paying higher subsidy rates upon attaining higher scores. Knowing where programs lie on a QRS can presumably also help parents judge the quality of their ECE options (Mitchell, 2005).

In 2004, several nonprofit agencies in a large Midwestern city began implementing a pilot QRS initiative. The initiative awards ECE programs 1 to 5 stars based on their Rating Scale (Harms & Clifford, 1989; Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 1998; Harms, Cryer, & Clifford, 2003) score(s), partnership with families, adult-to-child ratios, and the education and training received by staff (see Appendix A). To help programs successfully participate in the QRS initiative, these agencies also provide three main types of assistance. First, center-based programs and family child care providers may submit an application for mini-grants of up to $5,000 and $2,000, respectively, to purchase materials or fund facility improvements. Second, teachers and providers may apply for scholarships to attain their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or associate's degree. Finally, to help participants navigate the many programmatic and professional changes that often come with improving practice (Fullan, 2001), they are also provided with itinerant consultants, who are known as coaches.

Despite receiving coaching and financial aid, almost two-thirds of ECE programs participating in the first two years of the pilot did not improve their QRS score (personal communication with QRS stakeholder, November 22, 2006). Furthermore, while stakeholders knew the quantity of money and coaching time provided to programs, little was known about the consulting process itself and how it might be improved. In addition, stakeholders did not have concrete information about the site-related factors that may have impeded coaches' efforts. As a result, QRS stakeholders lacked a clear understanding of the assistance that coaches might need, as well as the additional programmatic interventions that could augment coaches' work. With the aim of shedding light on these issues, this article reports on a study focusing on the QRS consulting process, as well as some of the contextual factors that present challenges to that process. The article also outlines some recommendations for mitigating these issues and for future research. To begin, the theoretical framework guiding the study is discussed.

The Challenges of Bringing About Change in ECE Settings

Itinerant consultants are used in early childhood settings in a variety of change-focused ways. Consultants help teachers integrate new knowledge and curricula into their practice (Freidus, Grose, & McNamara, 2001; Ryan & Hornbeck, 2004; Ryan, Hornbeck, & Frede, 2004), serve children with special needs (Buysse, Schulte, Pierce, & Terry, 1994; Harris & Klein, 2004; Hendrickson, Gardner, Kaiser, & Riley, 1993), and improve program quality (Fiene, 2002; Palsha & Wesley, 1998; Sibley & Kelly, 2005; Wesley, 1994). They also link training initiatives with teachers' everyday classroom experiences (Divine & Fountain, 2005; Lizakowski, 2005). In addition, consultants share information about training opportunities, lessening behavior problems, and structuring the daily schedule (Ackerman & Thomas, 2007; Head Start Bureau, 2001).

While itinerant consulting would also seem to be an effective means for helping ECE settings increase their QRS scores, bringing about such change may not be an automatic process. As is the case in many change-focused situations, adopting new beliefs and practices often involves unlearning old ways, rethinking new approaches, and "taking risks" (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000, p. 183). Individuals involved in a change process must therefore perceive any modification as a significant priority, or the short-term personal costs of a new activity or approach might appear to outweigh the long-term benefits. They must have a sense of clarity regarding both the goal of the effort and what they need to do to achieve the goal in their daily practice. They must also sense that the change is complex enough to be worth the effort but not so demanding that success seems impossible. In addition, program quality must not suffer because adoption of a change is placed ahead of quality and practicality (Fullan, 2001).