Is Teacher Qualification Associated With the Quality of the Early Childhood Education and Care Environment? A Meta-Analytic Review. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manning, Matthew; Wong, Gabriel T. W.; Fleming, Christopher M.; Garvis, Susanne
• Is Part Of: Review of educational research. Volume 89:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 370
• Page End: 415
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: teacher qualification -- early child care learning environment -- process quality -- early childhood environment rating scales -- infant/toddler environment rating scales; Education -- Periodicals; Education -- United States -- Periodicals; Education -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 370.7
• DOI: 10.3102/0034654319837540
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-6543

Abstract

Poor-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can be detrimental to the development of children, as it may lead to poor social, emotional, educational, health, economic, and behavioral outcomes. A lack of consensus, however, regarding the strength of the relationship between teacher qualification and the quality of the ECEC environment makes it difficult to identify strategies that could enhance developmental and educational outcomes. This meta-analytic review examines evidence on the correlation between teacher qualifications and the quality of ECEC environments. Results show that higher teacher qualifications are significantly correlated with higher quality ECEC environments. Specifically, the education level of teachers or caregivers is positively correlated to overall ECEC qualities, as well as subscale ratings including program structure, language, and reasoning.