General Information
The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 requires that the Office of Head Start (OHS) include in the monitoring reviews of Head Start agencies a valid and reliable research-based observational instrument that assesses classroom quality, including the assessment of multiple dimensions of teacher-child interactions that are linked to positive child outcomes and later achievement. The conference report accompanying the Act suggests that OHS consider using existing research-based methods such as the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) for this purpose.
The CLASS is an observational instrument developed at the University of Virginia to assess quality in pre-school classrooms. It has been validated in over 2,000 pre-school classrooms and can be used to reliably assess classroom quality in Head Start.
The CLASS assesses interactions between children and teachers in three broad domains of classroom quality: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. The Office of Head Start believes that the domains of quality measured by the CLASS remain central to its approach to child development and education and serve as important indicators of the future school readiness of all Head Start children. We are eager to explore the use of CLASS in monitoring and quality improvement efforts. However, grantees are in no way required to use the CLASS in their programs or to purchase CLASS materials.
Monitoring Pilot
In addition, the Office of Head Start will pilot the CLASS as part of monitoring in a sample of grantees undergoing their triennial review in 2009, consistent with reauthorization. The results of the CLASS will not be part of the official reports but will be shared with grantees after the review. The purpose of the pilot is to help OHS determine if the CLASS is an appropriate instrument to satisfy the requirements of reauthorization and if so, to understand how best to implement it fully.
The CLASS is an observational instrument developed at the University of Virginia to assess quality in pre-school classrooms. It has been validated in over 2,000 pre-school classrooms and can be used to reliably assess classroom quality in Head Start.
The CLASS assesses interactions between children and teachers in three broad domains of classroom quality: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. The Office of Head Start believes that the domains of quality measured by the CLASS remain central to its approach to child development and education and serve as important indicators of the future school readiness of all Head Start children. We are eager to explore the use of CLASS in monitoring and quality improvement efforts. However, grantees are in no way required to use the CLASS in their programs or to purchase CLASS materials.
Monitoring Pilot
In addition, the Office of Head Start will pilot the CLASS as part of monitoring in a sample of grantees undergoing their triennial review in 2009, consistent with reauthorization. The results of the CLASS will not be part of the official reports but will be shared with grantees after the review. The purpose of the pilot is to help OHS determine if the CLASS is an appropriate instrument to satisfy the requirements of reauthorization and if so, to understand how best to implement it fully.