The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale is used for QRIS systems; the evaluation of federal, state, and locally funded programs; setting up classrooms; and much more. ECERS-3 is the first major revision of the ECERS-R since 2005. The development of the ECERS-3 was based on the widespread usage of ECERS-R, feedback from the field, and extensive research and program improvement efforts. Below is some information about the key components of ECERS-3 and how it differs from the ECERS-R.
What Stays the Same?
If you've worked with ECERS-R, ECERS-3 will look very similar. Indicators are grouped into subscales and items, and it is scored in exactly the same manner. Just like ECERS-R, ECERS-3 covers children's broad range of developmental needs: language and cognitive, social and emotional, physical development, and health and safety. It also continues to focus on the productive use of time, but ECERS-3 does have simplified time calculations. With ECERS-3, you'll be using a familiar, improved tool to measure the global quality of learning environments for PreK and kindergarten students.
How ECERS-3 Is Different
- ECERS-3 assesses programs for ages three through five. ECERS-R assessed programs for children 2½ through 5 years of age.
- Teacher interviews are no longer a part of the process, but three hours of observation time is required.
- The Parents and Staff subscale has also been eliminated from ECERS-3.
- ECERS-3 has an increased emphasis on engaging language, literacy, and math experiences with many new items and indicators.
- There is a decreased emphasis on counting materials—how those materials are used will be much more important.
- Interactions and the teacher's role in the classroom are addressed in the ECERS-3, specifically the supervision of gross motor, individualized teaching and learning, self-child interaction, peer interaction, and discipline.
- Five new language and literacy items have also been added to the ECERS-3:
- Helping children to expand vocabulary
- Encouraging children to use language
- Staff use of books with children
- Encouraging children's use of books
- Becoming familiar with print
For more information about the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Third Edition, visit the ECERS-3 page on our website. You can also visit the Environment Rating Scales Institute (ERSI) website for more information about all of the rating scales and supplementary materials for the ECERS-3.