Relationship Between
Curricula and Family, Program
and Classroom
Characteristics
Presentation at the Society for Research in
Child Development Biennial Conference
April 24, 2003
Ruth Hubbell McKey, Xtria
Shefali Pai-Samant, Xtria and
Alberto Sorongon, Westat
The Majority of Teachers Used Either Creative
Curriculum or High/Scope
100
80
Percent Of Teachers
60
39.1 40.9
40
20
20
0
Creative Curriculum High/Scope Other
Teachers Liked Their Respective Curricula for a
Variety of Reasons
99.1 98.3 96.6 96.4
100 92.1
80
Percent of Teachers
60
40
20
0
Multiple domains Easy to use/adapt Involves parents Room for teacher Adequate learning
addressed creativity materials
Most Teachers From Northeast, Midwest, and West
Used Creative Curriculum or High/Scope While
Majority of Teachers From the South Used Other
Curricula
100
80
Percent of Teachers
61.4
60
54.4
42.7 44.5
40.6
40
30.5
21.3 24.5 24.9
17.3 21.1
20 16.7
0
Northeast Midwest South West
Program Region
Creative Curriculum High/Scope Other
The Majority of Urban Teachers Used Either
Creative Curriculum or High/Scope While the
Majority of Rural Teachers Used Creative
Curriculum
100
80
Percent of Teachers
57.5
60 48.6
40 31.4
20
22.4
20
20
0
Urban Rural
Program Region
Creative Curriculum High/Scope Other
The Classrooms of Teachers Who Used Creative
Curriculum or High/Scope Had Significantly Higher
Average ECERS-R Total Scores & ECERS-R Language
Scores Than Classrooms of Teachers Who Used Other
Curricula
6
Average ECERS-R Total & Language Scores
5.02 5.03 5.04 5.12
4.55 4.58
4
2
0
Creative Curriculum High/Scope Other Curricula
Average ECERS-R Total Score
Average ECERS-R Language Score
The Classrooms of Teachers who Used Creative
Curriculum and High/Scope Had Significantly Higher
Quality Composite Scores Than Classrooms Using
Other Curricula
0.3 0.27 0.26
0.25
Average Quality Composite Score
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
-0.05 Creative Curriculum High/Scope Other
-0.1
-0.15
-0.2 -0.18
-0.25
Classrooms That Used Creative Curriculum and
High/Scope Had Significantly Higher Average
ECERS-R Total Scores & ECERS-R Language Scores
Than Classrooms That Used All Other Curricula.
6 5.03 5.12 5.15
5.02 5.04 4.82
Average ECERS-R Total & Language
4.47 4.4
4
2
Scores
0
Creative High/Scope Widely Available All Other
Curriculum Curricula Curricula
Average ECERS-R Total Score
Average ECERS-R Language Score
Classrooms That Used Creative Curriculum and
High/Scope Had Significantly Higher Average Quality
Factor Scores Than Classrooms That Used All Other
Curricula.
0.3
0.27 0.26
Average Quality Composite Score
0.2
0.1 0.07
0
Creative High/Scope Widely Available All Other Curricula
Curriculum Curricula
-0.1
-0.2
-0.27
-0.3
Implications
• The Head Start Performance Standards mandate
that programs use a curriculum although
curricula are not prescribed. Findings indicate
that the great majority of the Head Start programs
comply with this standard consistent with the
goal of providing a planned, developmentally
appropriate early childhood program for children.
• There is a relationship between program
characteristics (region, urban-rural) and
characteristics of children/families and the type
of curriculum used.
Implications
• The relationship between curricula and
classroom quality may reflect the influences
of other factors (such as the resources
available to programs for purchasing and
training in specific curricula), or may
demonstrate the effect of certain curricula on
quality. Programs may want to consider
whether using curricula related to higher
levels of classroom quality would enhance
their programs.