Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High Quality Early Care and Education: Comparative Multi-Case Study, Phase 1

Pre-visit implementation phone call MATHEMATICA POLICY RESEARCH

I. questions on staff qualifications, training, Coaching, INSTRUCTIONAL planning, and other Services provided

We’d like to ask some questions about staffing, training and coaching opportunities for staff, instructional planning, other services provided for children, and center planning. The answers to these questions will help us better prepare for our in-person visit with you.

A. Staffing structure and turnover

I’d first like to understand the staffing structure of your center. [Interviewer: Complete the table below using the questions that follow to guide the collection of information on staffing structure. Respondent may not use the same terms as we have in the table.]

1. How many total staff work within your center at this location?

2. We are interested in knowing the number of staff in each position that work full-time and those that work part-time. Before we get into the detail, could you tell me how many hours your center considers to be a full-time position?

3. I will now list some categories of staff that you might have at your center. For each category, I’d like to know whether you have those types of staff in your center, how many, and whether they work full- or part-time.

STAFF CATEGORIES	How many of each staff category work in your center?	How many of each staff category are full-time?
a. What is the total number of teachers or caregivers for children ages 0-5 at your center?	| | |	| | |
b. How many are Lead teachers who work with children ages 0-5? What do you call these staff? If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |
c. How many are assistant teachers who work with children ages 0-5? What do you call these staff? If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |
d. How many are aides who work with children ages 0-5? What do you call these staff? If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |
e. Do you have any floaters or consistent substitute teachers? If yes, what do you call these staff? If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week	| | |	| | |
f. Does your center have a program director that is a separate position than the center director? (Clarify if needed that we mean a director focused on the educational program or curriculum) If yes, what do you call this position? Is this a full or part-time position? [If part-time, ask how many hours per week]	| | |	| | |
g. Does your center have an education specialist or someone filling a similar role? (Clarify if needed that we mean staff who focus on development or support of the educational program or curriculum) If yes, what do you call this position? Is this position separate from the program director? Is this a full or part-time position? [If part-time, ask how many hours per week]	| | |	| | |
h. Does your center have a finance manager or a person in charge of maintaining the financial records? If yes, what do you call this position? Is this a full or part-time position? [If part-time, ask how many hours per week] IF NO, who is the person who would be most knowledgeable about center finances?	| | |	| | |
i. Are there other staff who focus on administration or management of operations or finances List all positions. If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |
j. Does your center have any specialists who provide or connect children and their families with services outside of the classroom (such as to assist with nutrition, health, mental health, or support services) List all positions. If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |
k. Does your center have staff who do not work directly with children (Include, support staff, clerical staff, drivers, cooks, and anyone else on your center’s payroll) List all positions. If any are part-time, ask how many hours per week.	| | |	| | |

4. How many staff support the operations or services of your center but are not within this location?

• Please describe each role and number of staff.

• About how much of their time would you say is devoted to operations or services of your center?

• Does this person ever come to this location? If so, how often?

5. How long has the center had the same director (by this we mean the CEO or site administrator)?

[Interviewer: Please enter a number indicating the length of tenure and then select the time period. For example for 18 months, enter the number 18 and select option 2 indicating months]

| | | enter number for tenure of current center director or site administrator

select time period

1 □ Days

2 □ Months

3 □ Years IF MORE THAN 2 YEARS, SKIP TO QUESTION F4.
IF LESS THAN 2 YEARS, GO TO NEXT QUESTION F3.

6. How many center directors have there been within the past two years?

| | | number of site or center directors

7. [Interviewer: Ask when applicable. If respondent indicates in staffing structure that there is a program director, ask about that person. If there is no program director but there is an education manager, ask about that person.] How long has the center had the same program director or education manager (by this we mean the person who oversees the educational program)?

enter number for tenure of program director or education manager:

select time period

1 □ Days

2 □ Months

3 □ Years IF MORE THAN 2 YEARS, SKIP TO QUESTION F6.
IF LESS THAN 2 YEARS, GO TO NEXT QUESTION F5.

8. How many program directors (or education managers) have there been within the past two years?

| | | number of program directors or education managers

9. How many individuals who work directly with children ages 0-5 have left the center by their own decision in the past 12 months? Do not include staff who have been terminated.

| | | enter number of lead teachers

| | | enter number of assistants and aides

10. How many individuals who work directly with children ages 0-5 have been terminated during the past 12 months?

| | | enter number of lead teachers

| | | enter number of assistants and aides

11. How long has it typically taken to fill an open position? [Ask for each of the staff categories listed below and complete the table]

	ENTER NUMBER	DAYS OR MONTHS?	NOT APPLICABLE
a. Lead teachers who work with children ages 0-5	| | |	1 □ Days 2 □ Months	n □
b. Assistants/aides who work with children ages 0-5	| | |	1 □ Days 2 □ Months	n □
c. Education specialist	| | |	1 □ Days 2 □ Months	n □
d. Center director or site administrator	| | |	1 □ Days 2 □ Months	n □

12. [If there has not been much turnover] What factors do you think have enabled or encouraged staff to stay? [Probe on:]

• Characteristics of individual staff (qualifications or skills, staff commitment)

• Features of the center (such as culture, leadership)

• Features of the environment (high unemployment, lack of available jobs)

• Features of the staff positions (curriculum, flexibility)

13. [If there has been a lot of turnover] What are the main reasons staff have left? What factors do you think may have encouraged staff to leave?

14. [If there have been terminations] What are the reasons for termination?

15. When turnover occurs, how does it affect daily operations/work load?

1. How are these operational challenges addressed?

16. Are there particular positions or levels of staff that are more difficult to retain than others?

1. Are you able to retain people whom you think of as highly qualified?

2. Do you have difficulty retaining teaching staff once they have obtained a higher degree or credential?

17. What steps or strategies have you taken in the past 12 months to retain current staff and prevent future turnover?

B. Staff qualifications

We are interested in learning about the minimum requirements for education, credentials, and experience you have in place for staff who hold specific positions in your center. We are also interested in learning about preferred requirements that may go beyond these minimums. We want to ask a couple general questions now and then get more details during our visit.

1. First, is there consistency in the education or certification requirements for staff holding the same position, or do the requirements vary? [Probe on each category listed below.]

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	REQUIREMENTS DO NOT DIFFER	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER BY AGE OF CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER BY TYPE OF CLASSROOM (SUCH AS HEAD START, PRE-K)	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER IN SOME OTHER WAY, EXPLAIN IN SPACE PROVIDED
a. Lead teachers who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
b. Assistant teachers who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
c. Aides who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
d. Education specialist	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □

2. Is there consistency in the level of experience required for staff holding the same position, or do the requirements vary? [Probe on each category listed below.]

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	REQUIREMENTS DO NOT DIFFER	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER BY AGE OF CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER BY TYPE OF CLASSROOM (SUCH AS HEAD START, PRE-K)	REQUIREMENTS DIFFER IN SOME OTHER WAY, EXPLAIN IN SPACE PROVIDED
a. Lead teachers who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
b. Assistant teachers who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
c. Aides who work with children ages 0-5	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □
d. Education specialist	1 □	2 □	3 □	4 □

3. What is the best way to learn about the specific requirements—both the minimum and preferred requirements—for each type of staff? Do you have job descriptions that lay these out for each position or can we plan to talk through this during our visit?

C. Training

1. How much training and professional development do your staff receive, including both in-person and online opportunities?

1. Would you say your staff have a great deal of access, sufficient access, limited access, or no access to training and professional development opportunities?

2. [If limited or none, then ask] What restricts access to training and professional development?

3. [If no access, confirm that no training and professional development is provided, and then skip to next section]

2. How do you determine the training and professional development needs of staff who work directly with children ages 0-5? [Lead with this general question, then ask specific questions below as needed.]

1. Do you develop a training plan for each staff member or for categories of staff?

2. Who develops training plans or makes decisions about training?

3. What information is used to identify training needs and make decisions about training?

4. What criteria are used to make decisions about who will receive training and when they will receive it?

Probe on the following, and check all that apply

• Program standards or regulations

• Time

• Resources

• Staff performance

• Other, specify

5. How often are training plans reviewed and updated?

6. What are the current priorities for training and professional development of staff who work directly with children ages 0-5 at your site?

3. Please describe the structure of your center’s ongoing staff training in terms of frequency and how it is conducted.

1. Does the training occur on a regular or as-needed basis? How often over the past 12 months?

2. How is the training conducted (for example, online, in person, on site, etc.)?

3. Who participates in the training? Who conducts it and who receives it? Are staff members able to pick and choose which training opportunities they attend?

4. What are the main topics of the training?

D. Coaching/Mentoring

1. How much coaching or mentoring is provided to you or your staff?

Probe on how, in addition to training, staff are supported in improving skills or gaining new skills in working with children?

2. Please describe the structure of coaching or mentoring that is provided for you or your staff in terms of frequency and how it is conducted.

1. Does the coaching/mentoring occur on a regular or as-needed basis? How often over the past 12 months?

2. How is the coaching/mentoring conducted (for example, in person, by email, etc.)?

3. Who participates in the coaching/mentoring? Who conducts it and who receives it?

4. How are staff chosen to receive coaching/mentoring? How is this different for different types of staff?

5. On what topics is/was this assistance focused? (for example, improving instructional practice, child assessment, or the use of learning materials)?

E. Other Services

Children and their families sometimes need other services in addition to early care and education. We are interested in learning about the types of services that children and their families can access through your center.

Service Category	E1. Does your program help provide this service?	E2. If YES in D1, do you primarily provide this service on-site or by providing referrals?
a. Health screening, such as medical, dental, vision, hearing or speech screening?	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals
b. Developmental assessments?	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals
c. Therapeutic services, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, or services for children with special needs?	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals
d. Counseling services for children or parents?	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals
e. Social services to parents, such as housing or food assistance, access to medical care, or help getting assistance from government or private programs?	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals
f. Other (Specify)	1 □ Yes 0 □ No d □ Don’t know	1 □ Provide on-site 2 □ Provide referrals

F. Instructional planning

1. What information or resources, if any, are provided to staff who work directly with preschool children (ages 3-5) to help them decide what activities to do with the children?

1. Do you use a curriculum with preschool children?

2. [ask only for centers that also serve infants and/or toddlers] What information or resources, if any, are provided to staff who work directly with infants and toddlers (less than 36 months) to help them decide what activities to do with the children?

2. Do you use a curriculum with infants and toddlers?

G. Strategic planning and quality improvement

1. How do you make planning decisions for the center, some people refer to this as strategic planning? Would you say you use an informal or formal approach to planning?

2. What types of things do you plan for?

• Enrollment targets

• Staff professional development goals

• Leadership activities

• Quality improvement plans or goals, specify

• Other, please specify

1. [If Center has a quality improvement plan] How do you make decisions about changes you need to make to policies and procedures to improve the quality of the services delivered at your center (some use the term quality improvement)?

• Probe to distinguish whether there is a quality improvement plan and a strategic plan, or one or the other

II. discussion of worksheets and other documents to collect on site

• We have a few worksheets that we would like to send you in advance of our site visit. They cover some details about tools you may use at the center for planning and guiding activities in the classroom and staff qualifications. If you have a chance to complete the worksheets before our visit, it would help with our discussion.

• There are also some documents that may be helpful for us to review, if you have them. If you could have them on hand during our visit, we could use them to help fill in some details and take less of your time. These include things like strategic plans, quality improvement plans, organizational charts or staffing plans, and classroom schedules. We have a list of the types of documents that would be useful for us to see, and we will send it along with the worksheets. It would be great if you have a chance to gather any of them in advance of our visit.

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