McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY McCormick Center | February 22, 2022

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

International comparative education studies contribute to improvements in education systems by highlighting strengths and identifying challenges found in the different cultural contexts of different countries. Comparative early childhood education (ECE) studies provide new ideas and insights into how local and national systems can be improved. There are, however, few comparative international ECE studies that report data collected at the individual program level (Li, 2015; Sheridan et al., 2009). Further, there is scant research that examines the relationship between administrative practices and classroom practices in ECE programs (Lower and Cassidy, 2007; McCormick, 2010a; McCormick, 2010b).


Quality improvement systems in ECE exist in many countries (OECD, 2015). In the United States, 49 states have or are developing a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). Dilara Yaya-Bryson, Catherine Scott-Little, and Deborah Cassidy, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Berrin Akman, a researcher at Hacettepe University, in Ankara, Turkey, examined the quality of programs in two ECE quality improvement systems, one in Turkey and one in North Carolina, USA (Yaya-Bryson et al., 2020). In this study, the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 2005) was used to evaluate the quality of the early childhood classrooms, and the Program Administration Scale (Talan and Bloom, 2004) was used to evaluate the quality of administrative practices.


Cultural Context of Study


The two ECE quality improvement systems included in this research differed in several key areas, including the auspice of the system, the length of time the system had been in place, and the degree to which standards for program quality were developed.


Turkey


The centralized early childhood system in Turkey is administered by the Ministry of National Education. The regulation of ECE programs began in the 1960s, with new standards published in 2015. At the time the research was conducted, these standards had not been empirically tested.


North Carolina


The United States utilizes a state-based early childhood system of quality monitoring and improvement. The QRIS in North Carolina, the Star Rated License System, has been operating since 1999. It includes ongoing quality assessments using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) and other instruments to award a Star Rated License rating of 1 to 5 stars for all regulated early care and education programs in the state.


The purpose of the study was to compare the quality of programs in two different early childhood systems—Turkey, a developing country with emerging standards for quality early childhood education, and North Carolina, a state with a well-established quality improvement system for early care and education programs.


Methods


The sample for the study included 40 ECE programs, 20 located in Turkey and 20 located in North Carolina. In each program, one classroom serving preschool-aged children was selected using convenience sampling for observation using the ECERS-R. The director of each program was interviewed based on the 25 items of the Program Administration Scale (PAS). Documentation from the program was reviewed immediately following the interview to verify the director’s responses to interview questions.


Overall, the auspice of the program and the qualifications of the staff differed between the Turkey and North Carolina sample programs. There were more public programs in the Turkish sample (70%) than in the North Carolina sample (5%). In Turkey, the vast majority (95%) of directors had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while in North Carolina, a majority (60%) had a bachelor’s degree or higher. A similar pattern was seen with teacher qualifications. In Turkey, 85% of observed teachers had at least a bachelor’s degree; in North Carolina, 40% of observed teachers had at least a bachelor’s degree.


Pilot studies were conducted prior to collecting data with the PAS. Co-raters selected to collect data with the ECERS-R in Turkey were trained to administer the PAS using the translated version (Kalkan and Akman, 2009). The primary researcher and three other trained raters administered the PAS for the pilot in Turkey. Inter-rater reliability for the Turkish co-raters was calculated as .98. In North Carolina, the primary researcher and a reliable PAS assessor conducted assessments in a pilot study. Inter-rater reliability for the PAS was computed as .92.


The ECERS-R and the PAS were administered by a primary researcher on the same day, with the classroom observation occurring in the morning and the director interview and documentation review occurring in the afternoon. Independent t-tests were used to compare ECERS-R and PAS scores from the programs in Turkey with scores from programs in North Carolina. Pearson correlations between ECERS-R and PAS total scores were determined and used for comparison to see if there were significant differences between correlations for the scores from programs in each of the cultural contexts.


Findings


Table 1 provides descriptive data on ECERS-R scores for classroom quality in which the t-test comparisons are reported as well as effect sizes using Cohen’s d. The overall mean score on ECERS-R in Turkey (M = 4.7, SD = 1.09) was significantly lower than the overall mean score for North Carolina (M = 5.7, SD = .83), t = -3.41. p = .002. The mean score for North Carolina is in the good range on the rating scale (1 = inadequate to 7 = excellent). The mean score for Turkey was in the medium range, falling between minimal and good on the rating scale.


For the total PAS scores on the quality of administrative practices, the t-test comparison between Turkey (M = 3.5, SD = .94) and North Carolina (M = 3.3, SD = .95) was not significant, t = .467, p = .643. Mean scores for Turkey and North Carolina on each PAS subscale fell within a low to medium range (1 is inadequate to 7 is excellent). There were no significant differences between national contexts on any of the PAS subscales.


An additional purpose of the study was to explore the associations in the overall ratings of classroom environment quality and administrative quality in each quality improvement system. Pearson correlations were used to evaluate the strength of the relationship between the overall ECERS-R score and overall PAS score in each system. In Turkey, there was a significant correlation between ECERS-R and PAS overall scores of .73, p = .000. In North Carolina, there was also a significant correlation between ECERS-R and PAS overall scores of .69, p = .001. These correlations indicated that ratings of classroom environment quality were strongly associated with the quality of administrative practices in each system.


Discussion


The ECERS-R scores were significantly higher in programs from North Carolina than in programs from a mid-size city in Turkey. The high scores in North Carolina are consistent with previous studies conducted in the state and support the value of a well-developed QRIS based on clear standards, reliable monitoring, and intentional supports. In addition, the ECERS-R is used as an official assessment tool in the QRIS, providing early educators in these programs with access and training on the expectations of the tool prior to its administration.


The results of the study did not indicate significant differences between the PAS scores measuring the quality of administrative practices across the two systems. It was notable that, in both systems, the subscale scores were in the low to medium level. Overall, results from the study suggested that administrative practices play a critical role in supporting high-quality ECE programs, as indicated by the significant, positive correlation between the quality ratings of classroom environments and ratings of administrative quality in both Turkey and North Carolina.


Implications


In emerging quality improvement systems, such as in Turkey, there needs to be an emphasis on helping programs understand the standards for quality and ensuring that measurement systems are validated.


Results from this study suggest that it may be important for quality improvement systems in different cultural contexts to assess administrative practices as well as classroom quality.


Standards for administrative practices in different global contexts need to be established, and then measures such as the PAS should be included in the program quality evaluation system. The PAS was first developed, and most recently revised in 2022, to help program leaders in the United States incrementally improve program administrative quality by establishing clear benchmarks of quality associated with child care licensing standards (at the minimal level of quality), national program accreditation standards (at the good level of quality) and universal prekindergarten standards (at the excellent level of quality). Further research is needed to determine whether the PAS can reliably measure administrative quality in different cultural contexts.


Table 1

ECERS-R scores for Turkish and North Carolina Classrooms

Table showing BGEQA scores for Turkey and North Carolina classrooms, with statistical analysis.

References

  • Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2005). Early Childhood Environment Scale–Revised. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Hujala, E., Eskelinen, M., Keskinen, S., Chen, C., Inoue, C., Matsumoto, M., & Kawase, M. (2016). Leadership tasks in early childhood education in Finland, Japan, and Singapore. Journal of Research in Childhood Education 30(3), 406-421.
  • Kalkan, E., & Akman, B. (2010). The Turkish adaptation of the program administration scale. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 2060-2063.
  • Li, J. (2015). What do we know about the implementation of the quality rating and improvement system? A cross-cultural comparison in three countries. Doctoral Dissertation. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
  • Lower, J. K., & Cassidy, D. J. (2007). Child care work environments: The relationship with learning environments. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 22(2), 180-204.
  • McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. (2010a, Winter). Head Start administrative practices, director qualifications, and links to classroom quality. Research Notes. Wheeling, IL: National Louis University.
  • McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership. (2010b, Summer). Connecting the dots: Director qualifications, instructional leadership practices, and learning environments in early childhood programs. Research Notes. Wheeling, IL: National Louis University.
  • OECD. (2015). Strong start—IV: Improving monitoring policies and practice in early childhood education and care. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264233515-en.
  • Sheridan, S., Giota, J., Han, Y. M., & Kwon, J. Y. (2009). A cross-cultural study of preschool quality in South Korea and Sweden: ECERS evaluations. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24(2), 142-156.
  • Talan, T. N., Bella, J. M., & Bloom, P. J. (2022 in press). Program Administration Scale: Measuring whole leadership in early childhood centers. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Talan, T. N., & Bloom, P. J. (2004). Program Administration Scale: Measuring early childhood leadership and management. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Yaya-Bryson, D., Scott-Little, C., Akman, B., & Cassidy, D. (2020). A comparison of early childhood classroom environments and program administrative quality in Turkey and North Carolina. International Journal of Early Childhood, 52, 233-248.

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Downloading Calm: Supporting Co-Regulation in Early Childhood Leaders

By Lindsay Miner • January 14, 2026
BY LINDSAY MINER In recent years, social-emotional learning and development have emerged as a key focus of research and discourse in early childhood education. A key component of social-emotional development is emotional regulation. Although emotional regulation is often referred to as “self-regulation,” early relationships with trusted caregivers are an important factor in developing the “self” piece of “self-regulation.” In their earliest years, children rely on trusted caregivers to help them manage and soothe distressing emotions and sensations. This process is called “ co-regulation .” However, for co-regulation to be successful, the adult caregiver must first be able to manage their own distressing emotions in a healthy manner. So, what happens when co-regulation depends on adults who are consistently overworked and overstimulated? This article will explore ways in which early childhood leaders and administrators can use co-regulation to support early childhood educators, ultimately leading to enhanced self-regulation skills in educators. STRESS BEGETS STRESS Early childhood educators are living and working in unprecedented times. According to the 2024 RAND American Pre-K Teacher Survey , public pre-K teachers nationwide reported experiencing workplace stress at nearly twice the rate of similar working adults in other occupations. Top stressors include: Low levels of compensation. Lack of support and resources in addressing children’s challenging behaviors and mental health needs. Navigating teaching and learning during, and after, a global pandemic. Increased workload that requires working outside of contracted hours. Staffing shortages and high rates of teacher turnover. Compassion fatigue and burnout from the emotional labor of the job. The Child Mind Institute explains that in the same way that an adult’s calm can help a child feel calm, an adult’s stress can cause a child to feel stressed. Therefore, the first step in successful co-regulation requires that trusted caregivers are able to handle their own stress in a healthy way. However, feedback from early childhood educators, such as the stressors listed above, demonstrates that handling stress in a healthy way is easier said than done. Downloading Calm With the high levels of workplace stress being reported by early childhood professionals in recent years, it is more important than ever that leaders and administrators within early childhood become a source of co-regulation for their staff. Dr. Becky Bailey refers to the process of co-regulation between a trusted caregiver and a child as “ downloading calm .” However, downloading calm is not exclusive to adult-child relationships. Below are some ways that early childhood leaders and administrators can download calm to their staff. Mindfulness Exercises According to Zero to Three , research has shown the benefits of mindfulness in managing stress for early childhood educators. These benefits include, reducing anxiety and depression, increasing levels of empathy and compassion, and enhancing emotional regulation, self-compassion, attentional awareness, and perspective taking. Some mindfulness exercises leaders and administrators can initiate with staff include: 1. The STOP Strategy : Stop. In times of stress and overwhelm, encourage staff members to: Stop, pause, and focus. Take a deep breath in and out alongside staff members. Encourage them to notice how it feels to breathe. Observe. Encourage staff members to acknowledge the emotions and physical responses that they are feeling, positive or negative, without judgment. Recognize that these feelings are valid, momentary, and manageable. Proceed. Give staff members space to think about how they want to respond. Process alongside them if they need to talk, and provide assistance in the classroom if they need a moment to themselves. 2. Rhythmic Breathing : Teach and practice rhythmic breathing alongside staff members as a tool to use when they are feeling stressed: Breathe in as you count to four. Hold that breath as you count to four. Breathe out as you count to four. Hold as you count to four. Repeat this for a few rounds and notice how your mind and body feel afterwards. 3. Five Senses Exercise : Teach this exercise to staff members and practice alongside them as a tool to use to ground themselves when they are feeling overwhelmed: See: Look around you and name five things you can see. Feel: Notice and describe the texture of four things you can feel/touch. Listen: Notice and name three things you can hear. Smell: Notice and name two things you can smell. Taste: Notice one thing you can taste. Focus on the sensations in your mouth, such as your teeth and tongue. Consider posting Zero to Three’s Guided Reflective Practice Checklist in classrooms, break rooms, and offices. Encourage staff members to set aside time for reflection each day. It may be helpful if administrators step into the classroom to allow each staff member a few minutes for reflective practice. Leaders and administrators should also set aside time for their own reflections each day. Reflective Supervision Reflective supervision provides consistent, ongoing support to increase the reflective capacity of early childhood educators through a collaborative and trusting relationship with a leader/administrator. Practicing reflective supervision with early childhood educators can reduce stress and provide opportunities for leaders and administrators to gain insight into the challenges and stressors their staff members face, and find moments to recharge and remain (or download) calm. Research indicates that consistent reflective supervision can lead to positive changes in early childhood caregivers, including improved reflective functioning, increased job satisfaction, and reduced rates of burnout. When leaders provide a regular, collaborative, and trusting space for reflection with their staff members, their staff members are better equipped to offer reflective support to the children and families they engage with. Some tips for effective reflective supervision: 1. Maintain a consistent (ideally weekly) day and time for reflective supervision with each staff member. 2. Operate from a strengths-based approach Provide staff members with the respect and support that you want to see them provide to children and families. Consider staff members your partners in creating positive and trusting environments for children and families. Reflect on staff members’ input based on their own, unique expertise and experience. Reflect that staff members’ contributions are valuable and important. 3. Consider reflective questions, such as: Tell me more about…? How did it feel when…? What are you noticing about…? What do you think the child was trying to communicate? What are your strengths in this situation? What are you finding the most challenging right now? What would you like to learn or develop next? How might your own experiences be influencing your reaction? How can I best support you in this? 4. Make time for your own reflection: What are your strengths in the supervisory relationship? What are you finding most challenging about reflective supervision? What common stressors are coming up in reflective supervision and how can you best start to address them? Early childhood leaders and administrators can act as co-regulation partners for their staff members by taking the time to weave practices such as mindfulness and reflective supervision into the daily fabric of their learning environments. This has the potential to create a beautiful trickle-down effect. By helping staff members co-regulate, staff members enhance their own self-regulation skills. As staff members enhance their own self-regulation skills, they become a more consistent and stable co-regulation partner for the children and families they serve.
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