Call for Papers: Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly is planning to publish a special issue dedicated to Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS).Over the past ten years, QRIS has evolved from a seldom-used approach to informing parents about child care quality to a ubiquitous tool for standardizing all early care and education programs, and systems building across sectors and funding streams. The Race to the Top - Early Learning challenge positioned QRIS as the centerpiece of its awards, catapulting QRIs as a linchpin in ECE system building. QRIS also is promoted as a professional development system and an accountability tool.

Research has not kept up with practice, and relatively few empirical and theoretical studies have been published that support the development and implementation of QRIS. This special issue seeks to add to the available research by fostering a deliberate and systematic examination of the strengths and weaknesses, and advantages and limitations of QRIS as a vehicle for improving children’s early education experiences. Submissions on the following topic are encouraged: Evidence of the effectiveness of QRIS in improving quality and children’s learning and development; Effectiveness of QRIS for systems building; Theoretical papers on issues associated with QRIS; Comparison of QRIS to alternative policy approaches; Impact of QRIS on the ECE workforce; Examination of measures appropriate for use by QRIS; Strengths and weaknesses of measures of teaching and learning environments; Description, comparison, and analysis of the design and implementation of QRIS across states; Case studies on the implementation statewide QRIS; Research on the market penetration of QRIS; Research or case studies o the cost, financing, and sustainability of QRIS; Studies of the efficacy of QRIS with different ECE sectors; and other QRIS policy-related topics.

Submissions must mention in the cover letter and in the comments field on the site that the submission is specifically for the special issue on QRIS. Submissions will follow the journal’s regular blind review process. The guest editors and journal editor will make final acceptance decisions. Please submit papers through the regular ECRQ online submission process.

Deadline: November 1, 2012