Author(s): Thelma Harms; Richard M. Clifford; Debby Cryer

General References

Featuring a spiral binding, the updated Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, ® ECERS-R, offers more practical assistance in the form of an Expanded Score Sheet (which contains a worksheet) and additional notes for clarification to improve accuracy in scoring. However, the items and indicators remain the same as in the original ECERS-R.

Designed for preschool, kindergarten, and child care classrooms serving children 2½ through 5 years of age, this widely used program quality assessment instrument can be used by program directors for supervision and program improvement, by teaching staff for self-assessment, by agency staff for monitoring, and in teacher training programs. The established reliability and validity of the ECERS-R make it particularly useful for research and program evaluation.

Convenient Organization in seven subscales

• Space and Furnishings
• Personal Care Routines
• Language-Reasoning
• Activities
• Interaction
• Program Structure
• Parents and Staff

Each of the 43 items is expressed as a 7-point scale with indicators for 1 (inadequate), 3 (minimal), 5 (good), and 7 (excellent). Notes for clarification and sample questions are included to improve accuracy in scoring.

An introductory section gives detailed information about the rationale for the ECERS-R, the process of revision, and the reliability and validity of the scale. Full instructions for administration and scoring, as well as an Expanded Scoresheet and Profile that may be photocopied, are included with the scale.