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Smart Start Evaluation Measurement Tools
 

Thank you for your interest in our FPG-UNC-CH Smart Start Evaluation Measurement Tools.  If you would like to use any of these tools to collect information, we would be very interested in talking with you to share "lessons learned" from our use of these tools and to learn more about your project or plan for using the tools.  To obtain copies of the available tools, please complete the information below, check the tools you would like, and click the submit button below. The tools you requested will be either be sent as attachment in an email to the email address you give on this form, or you will be provided a link for downloading the tool(s).

-- Evaluation Measurement Tools

Tool #1

Smart Start Family Questionnaire (and Instruction Guide) This 50-question interview covers issues related to child care and child health, as well as service use and satisfaction, and takes approximately 1 hour to administer. We used this questionnaire in 1994. We learned that several items on this tool did not produce the intended information and that we had omitted some important questions. A report of the information collected is available: Families & the North Carolina Smart Start Initiative (1997).
Tool #2

Kindergarten Teacher Checklist
This 40-item rating scale is based on the Maryland Systematic Teacher Observation Instrument and covers children's motor, language, social, and cognitive skills. We used this checklist in 1995, 1997, and 1998. A report of the information collected in 43 Smart Start partnerships in 1995 is available: Kindergartners' Skills in Smart Start Counties in 1995 (1997). 
    Tool #3

Kindergarten Health Assessment (KHA) Form and Data Sheet
The Kindergarten Health Assessment (KHA) form is a form that all kindergarteners are required to have in their school records, with some of the information completed by a physician and some by a parent.
Tool #4

Child Care Center Director Interview (and Instruction Guide)
This 41-question interview covers several topics related to child care center, director, teacher, and child characteristics and takes approximately 45 minutes to administer. We have revised this tool over the course of its use in 1994, 1996, and 1997. We are sending you the most recent version used. We have several reports available describing results of this data collection -- (noted below, following ECERS).
Tool #5

Child Care Center Provider Forms
These forms include: a 27 item Pre-School Classroom Practices Scale that asks teachers to describe the kinds of activities that commonly occur in their classes; and a 15 item Demographic Form that includes basic information for individual child care providers, such as level of education, years of experience, and types of training experiences during the past year. These forms take approximately 20 minutes to complete. We have revised this survey over the course of its use in 1994, 1996, and 1997. We are sending you the most recent version used. We have several reports available describing results of this data collection -- (noted below, following ECERS).
Tool #6

Caregiver Interaction Scale (Arnett, 1989)
This 26-item rating scale evaluates the behavior of child care providers in their interactions with children.  The scale includes items that measure sensitivity, harshness, detachment and permissiveness.  We used this scale in the 1997 child care center study and in the 1998 family child care study.  Many other child care quality studies at FPG have utilized this scale, also, including the Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes Study.
Tool #7

Family Child Care Provider Interview
This 30-question interview covers several topics related to family child care home, provider and child characteristics and takes approximately 30 minutes to administer. We used this interview in 1998.
Tool #8

Survey of Families with Children in NC Family Child Care Homes
This survey contains 12 questions for parents or families of children in family child care homes to collect demographic, education and work information. We used this survey in 1998. 

Please provide us with the following helpful information:

Your first name:

Your last name:

Organization:

Phone:

Email:

For what purpose have you requested these tools/reports? 

-- The Smart Start Evaluation Notebook

What is the Smart Start Evaluation Notebook?

A core group of Smart Start Evaluators and members of the Frank Porter Graham Smart Start Team worked together to build a collection of ideas and materials that have been developed about Smart Start Evaluation. The Notebook is designed to orient new staff, serve as a resource for all staff, and serve as a central collection point for Smart Start evaluation.

How do I get a Smart Start Evaluation Notebook?

The Smart Start Evaluation Notebook is now available for download from this web site!

Evaluation Notebook Download Request Form

 

 

-- Other Evaluation Tools

Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) (Harms & Clifford, 1980)
This 37-item observational rating scale provides a global measure of child care quality in the center-based child care setting. It is available through Teachers College Press (1-800-575-6566). We used this rating scale in 1994, 1996, and 1997. We have several reports available describing results of this data collection -- for example, The Effects of Smart Start on the Quality of Preschool Child Care (1997) and Child Care in the Pioneer Partnerships 1994 and 1996 (1997).

Family Day Care Rating Scale (FDCRS) (Harms & Clifford, 1989)
This 40-item observational rating scale provides a global measure of child care quality in the family child care setting. It is available through Teachers College Press (1-800-575-6566). We used this rating scale in 1998. 

Network Analysis Survey and Interview
This survey and interview are designed to collect information about inter-agency coordination and collaboration. If you are interested in learning more about the content and use of this instrument, please email Dr. George Cole at the Jordan Institute for Families, UNC-CH, or call him at (919) 962-6515. 

Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) (Gresham & Elliott, 1990)
This rating scale is designed to assess the social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence of students from ages 3 through 18 years and takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. Students are rated on a three-point, Likert-type scale in two areas: how often behaviors occur and how important each behavior is to the respondent. Separate forms are available to be completed by the teacher, student or parent. To order, go to the American Guidance Service's website and type in "Social Skills Rating System" in the search box or click here.  You may also call AGS at 1-800-328-2560.  We used the teacher rating portion of this questionnaire in 1998. Many other child care quality studies at FPG have utilized this scale, also, including the Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes Study. 

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III) (Dunn & Dunn, 1997)
This nationally standardized, individually administered measure of hearing vocabulary is designed to measure verbal ability or scholastic aptitude in children as young as 2.5 years through adults and takes approximately 15 minutes to administer. To order, go to the American Guidance Service's website and type "PPVT" in the search box, or click here.  You may also call AGS at 1-800-328-2560.  We used this assessment for kindergartners in 1998. Many other child care quality studies at FPG have utilized this assessment, also, including the Cost, Quality and Child Outcomes Study.