1. HighScope Program Quality Assessment (PQA)
Shannon Lockhart
Sue Gainsley

2. Preschool Program Quality Assessment (PQA)
What is the PQA?
An instrument that evaluates the quality of early childhood programs.
It is research-based, field-tested, and based on what the field of early childhood states is “best practices.”
It measures the overall quality of what is happening in the classroom and is not a tool for determining content covered by teachers.
It is an objective tool not based on personal preferences or requirements of the program.
The PQA is designed to look at teachers’ strengths on this continuum of quality and guide them to higher levels of quality. 12

3. History of the HighScope PQA
Created from the HighScope Program Implementation Profile (PIP). Originally a tool used to look at teacher and trainer certification.
First version was used by MSRP in the late s. The content was then expanded to the 2003 version to assess overall quality of programs.
Is currently undergoing revisions to be updated with newer research from the field of early childhood on high quality experiences.

4. The PQA is Divided into Two Booklets
Form A assesses quality in the classroom.
A separate Form A assessment should be completed for each classroom in a program or agency.
Form B assesses quality in the agency or program.
One Form B should be completed for the program or agency (housed in one building). Agencies with several sites completes a Form B for each location. 4

5. Questions from Section 1: Learning Environment

6. I-A Classroom provides a safe and healthy environment.
What are non program materials?
Non-program materials are anything that is stored in the classroom that does not belong there for children to use (e.g., broken chairs, extra tables, pews, bathroom supplies, old materials no longer used, old teaching materials, boxes of items that need to be stored away, clutter).

7. I-C Location of Interest Areas…
How much space is considered adequate space in each area?
To allow several children to work in one area at a time. Or a couple children can spread out their materials without children stumbling over each other.

8. I-D An outdoor play area…
How do you score the outdoor play area when there is bad weather and the classroom goes to the gym?
If teachers and children do not go outside due to bad weather, observers can still complete I-D but will need to check Not Observed or Reported for II-L.
I-D cannot be completed for a gym or gross motor room.

9. I-E Classroom areas and materials are systematically…
Row 1--Give examples of classroom materials grouped by function or type.
The point about this row is for children to be able to find materials that go together or have similar properties such as trains and train tracks, doll house and people.

13. I-F Classroom materials I-G Materials are plentiful
What is the difference between I-F many manipulatives and I-G plentiful materials?
I-F
I-G
I-F is about manipulatives that children can use in each area. I-G is about the quantity of materials that children can choose from.

14. Many manipulatives

15. Many manipulatives

16. I-G Plentiful quantity of materials

17. More than 1 item

18. More than 1 item

19. I-H Materials reflect human diversity…
What are materials that reflect home and community cultures and special needs?
Look at the make up of the children in the classroom and the community. Children’s dress up clothing can be of community helpers but more importantly should be of mom’s and dad’s jobs, and both genders.
Food containers, dishes or cooking utensils representing children’s culture.
Community items such as restaurant menus from diverse places. Pictures of major interests in the area which can be put on cardboard blocks.
Photos of children and families.
Foods at meal times and different cultural music.

20. I-I Child Initiated Displays
Are there any commercial products acceptable for display?
When commercial displays are overwhelming and distract from children’s work then it is no longer a child centered classroom but an adult centered classroom. Most adult made displays are for adults and are up high not understandable to children.

26. Questions from Section II: Daily Routine

27. II-D Planning time II-E Work time II-F Review/Recall Time
Does Plan-Do-Review need to occur in sequence?
According to the GSRP Implementation Manual planning, choice, and review need to occur in sequence.
Children participate in a three-part sequence of child planning, choice and child recall. In child planning, children indicate their choice time plans to adults, in a variety of ways, and in ways that are consistent with individual developmental levels. During one hour of uninterrupted choice time, children carry out their plans, making many choices about where and how to use materials (adults support children’s efforts by listening, encouraging children’s language, imitating children’s ideas and words, and commenting on specific attributes of children’s work). Children complete the sequence after clean-up time, by discussing their choice time activities in small groups.

28. II-D Planning time II-E Work time II-F Review/Recall Time
Can planning and recall take place in combination with SGT, snack/meal?
The PQA states that there is a time set aside for …Planning/recall. As long as children know that they are participating in planning or recall and that it is not a part of SGT or snacks/meals then they can get a 5.
For example, once SGT is done or as children complete SGT, the teacher uses a strategy to plan with each child. This strategy cannot be verbal planning everyday with children after SGT.
For snacks/meals, recall will need to take place first then move into snacks/meals. Or each child plans as they finish breakfast but teacher uses different strategies each day to help children plan.

29. II-D Planning time II-E Work time II-F Review/Recall Time
What if programs do PDR in the morning and only choice in the afternoon?
PQA does not require programs to do PDR more than one time, however, programs can do a quick planning with children before afternoon choice and have parents recall with children on their way home or as they get ready to leave. But not required.
ECSs would need to observe in the morning to get evidence for PDR.
If observers have observed the PDR and gathered all evidence based on what happens for PDR but in the afternoon teachers put out materials (table toys) before children go home, then it is not considered choice time. Continue to document evidence of adult-child interactions.

30. II-G Small group activities
What if adults change groups less than 2 months?
PQA says children and adults stay in the same group for at least 2 months or more. It’s both!
If teachers change then it would be scored a level 3 if they are together for 1-2 months. Anything less than 1 month would be scored a level 1.

31. Questions from Section III: Adult-Child Interactions

32. III-A Children’s basic needs
Is it an automatic level 3 if no bathroom in the classroom?
If a teacher takes the children to the bathroom when they ask, they should get a level 5. However, if there is not an available teacher to take the child(ren) and children have to wait until they make arrangements to take children then that would be a level 3.

33. III-A Children’s basic needs
Do classrooms get a level 5 for USDA approved food regardless of what it is?
If food is prepared and USDA has approved the meals, then they get a level 5, even though we may not agree with what has been approved.
If the program supplements snacks that are not nutritious then that would not be a level 5.

34. III-B Children’s separation…
What does it mean to encourage parents to stay?
It’s an open policy to stay 5, 10, 20 minutes to allow children to emotionally adjust with the help of the teachers.
Teachers do not have to verbally encourage parents to stay every day.

35. III-E Strategies for Non-English speaking children…
Give examples of supporting non-English children in the classroom.

36. This is about supporting the child in the classroom only.
Children who are bilingual or who speak English fairly well, then there is no need for strategies to communicate with them since they can communicate already.
Teachers have no control over the home environment and therefore cannot be marked down for parents speaking their native language at home. Only can rate what happens with how the teacher communicates with children in the classroom.
Besides what is written in the PQA, strategies can include sign language, learning certain words to help during the day, having the child show them what they need or want, pointing to things in the environment, asking another child who speaks the language to communicate for them, getting a teacher who speaks the child’s language.

37. III-F Adults participate as partners in play III-G Adults encourage children’s learning…
Is there a difference in the strategy of “imitating” in these two items?
III-F
III-G

38. No. One may be imitating what children are doing during pretend play and the other may be imitating what the child is doing with materials.
It is still imitating what children are doing which is a strategy that allows us as teachers to enter children’s play and support them at their developmental levels.

39. III-L Children solve problems with materials …
What if we don’t observe children having problems with materials?
Just need to be aware of how children solve problems.
Some children may have a problem but quickly solve it.
Some children may be more vocal and ask for help.
Some children may struggle and give up quickly.
Some children may stick with it until they work it out.
Children need to be given the opportunity to solve problems but if teachers step in too quickly or always do things for children then this will not happen.

40. III-M. Resolving conflicts
How do you score this item if no conflicts occur during the observation?
Row 3
Row 4
Mark this item as not observed if you truly do not see any conflict situations.
Keep in mind levels 1 and 3 as possible reasons you do not observe children engaging in conflict resolution.

41. IV-A. Comprehensive and documented curriculum
Row 4
A curriculum statement should be available in the family handbook and/or within curriculum resources. The statement includes a philosophy about how children learn, the adults role in the learning process, and the specific curriculum content the program promotes.

42. IV-B. Team Teaching
What if there is only one teacher in the classroom?
The goal is not to penalize teachers. If there is only one teacher, mark not observed or reported

43. IV-D. Staff uses anecdotal notes for planning
Provide scoring examples for row 4
Teachers review anecdotal notes together and use the information to plan activities that support specific child interests and/or emerging curriculum.

44. Example: Planning Ideas: Add worms and dirt to the sand table 5-1-17
Explore worms at small- group time
Add books about worms and bugs
Find the bug catchers
5-1-17
At outside time, Philip said, “Look, I found a worm. The rain made it come out of the ground!”

46. V-D. Staff and parents exchange information...
How much is “regularly” to score a level 5?
Teachers exchange information two or three times a week.

47. V-E. Staff form partnerships with parents
How do I score an agency with lots of locations?
Evaluators complete a Form B for each location.

48. V-F. Exchange information to promote and extend children’s learning...
How much input is required for level 5?
Staff can share information in newsletters, during parent workshops or family nights, and suggest activities that families can do at home to support learning.

49. V-J. Facilitate smooth transitions at each level
How much involvement is necessary for level 5?
Ask programs to describe their yearly transition process. Does this happen consistently from year to year? How do they help families connect with kindergartens?

50. VII-C. Program assessment and improvement
Define “Staff”
The purpose of this item is to ensure programs are using assessment data to guide professional learning and program goals. In GSRP programs, it is the ECS who administers the PQA .

51. VII-G. Program funding
Does daily paid planning time mean additional paid time beyond the teams paid working hours?
Teachers should have time allocated during their regular work schedule to reflect on children’s learning and create lesson plans.

52. Sand and Water Area
Support materials for the sand and water table should be rotated according to the materials that are in the table.
For example, take out water play materials (boats, sponges, funnels) when using shredded paper.
The support materials should complement what is in the table and facilitate exploration and learning.

53. Any Additional Questions or concerns?