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Scoring your
ERS Self Assessment
Objectives:
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Identify which of the four Environment Rating Scales (ERS) tools your program will utilize
Recognize what the ERS measure
Introduce and practice scoring
for self-assessment
WHEN should I use the ERS?Maryland EXCELS Level 3
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Centers: One assessment from each age group as defined by the
Environment Rating Scales:
Infant or Toddler Pre-school School Age (in a separate room with staff)
Family Child Care Homes: Family Child Care ERS
School Age Only programs: School Age Care ERS
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Scoring procedure is the same
for all four Scales
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Updated
Family Child Care ERS infants through 12 years FCCERS-R
Infant Toddler ERS infants and more than half of the toddlers/twos under 30 months (2.5 years)
ITERS-REarly Childhood ERS 2.5 years to 5 years
more than half over 30 monthsECERS-R
School Age Care ERS 5 to 12 years SACERS-u
How to conduct your
Self-Assessments
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� Read over the entire scale carefully including
the Notes for Clarification and Questions.
� Consult the scale frequently during the
3 hour observation
� Observe and score current situations as
seen during the first 3 hours
� To score each item always start reading from 1
(inadequate) and progress upward
� Look at www.ersi.info
Look at the Book� Subscales
� Items
� Indicators
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3
SCORING
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1.1 3.1 5.1 7.1
1.2 3.2 5.2 7.25.3 7.3
1 Inadequate
3Minimal
5 Good
7 Excellent
Item Quality Score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A rating of 1 must be given if any
indicator under 1 is scored Yes.
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2 3 4 5 6 71INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 X 7.2 X
1.3 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5 X
X
A rating of 2 is given when all indicators
under 1 are scored No and at least half of the
indicators under 3 are scored Yes.
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1 3 4 5 6 72INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 5.2 X 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5
X
X
X
4
However, a rating of 1 must be given
when all indicators under 1 are scored No but
less than half of the indicators under 3 were
scored Yes.
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2 3 4 5 6 71INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1
X5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 5.2 X 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 5.3 X 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5
X
X
X
A rating of 3 is given when all indicators
under 1 are scored No and all indicators under 3 are scored Yes.
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1 2 4 5 6 73INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 5.2 X 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 5.3 X 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 5.4 X
3.5
X
X
X
X
X
A rating of 4 is given when all
requirements of 3 are met and at least half of the indicators under 5 are scored Yes.
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1 2 3 5 6 74INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 X 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4
3.5 X
X
X
5
However, a rating of 3 must be given when all requirements of 3 are met but less than half of the indicators under 5 were scored Yes.
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1 2 4 5 6 73INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4
3.5 X
X
X
X
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A rating of 5 is given when all
requirements of 3 are met and all indicators
under 5 are scored Yes.1 2 3 4 6 75
INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 7.2 X
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 7.3 X
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4
3.5 X
X
X
X
X
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A rating of 6 is given when all
requirements of 5 are met and at least half of
the indicators under 7 are scored Yes.1 2 3 4 5 76
INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 X 7.2
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5 X
X
X
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However, a rating of 5 must be given when all requirements of 3 and 5 are met but less than
half of the indicators under 7 are scored Yes.
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1 2 3 4 6 75INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 X 7.1 X
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 X 7.2
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5 X
X
X
A rating of 7 is given when all
requirements of 5 are met and all indicators
under 7 are scored Yes.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
INADEQUATE
1
MINIMAL
2 3
GOOD
4 5
EXCELLENT
6 7
Y N Y N Y N Y N
1.1 X 3.1 X 5.1 X 7.1
1.2 X 3.2 X 5.2 X 7.2
1.3 X 3.3 X 5.3 X 7.3
1.4 X 3.4 X 5.4 X
3.5 X
X
X
X
When to Score “Not Applicable”
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� If “NA permitted” is shown on the scale.
� There is an NA on the Score Sheet.
� The NA indicator is not counted when determining the rating for that item.
� An Item scored NA is not counted when calculating average subscale and overall
assessment scores.
NA
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� The ERS use hundreds of indicators of
quality.
� A perfect score on the entire ERS is not a
realistic goal. An average score of 5.00 is considered the benchmark for high quality.
� The ERS scores DO NOT impact your EXCELS Quality Rating!
Practice Scoring Sample
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Sample Item 20 Dramatic play
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5.15.15.15.1 - not many for SAnot many for SAnot many for SAnot many for SA5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 ---- toddler kept at table (23 mins. total); toddler kept at table (23 mins. total); toddler kept at table (23 mins. total); toddler kept at table (23 mins. total); infant kept in bouncer (over 20 mins. Total) MOD!!!infant kept in bouncer (over 20 mins. Total) MOD!!!infant kept in bouncer (over 20 mins. Total) MOD!!!infant kept in bouncer (over 20 mins. Total) MOD!!!
Y N
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Sample Item #21 Math/number
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Y N
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.1 - Less than 5 materials for School age Less than 5 materials for School age Less than 5 materials for School age Less than 5 materials for School age 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 –––– Not met because 5.1 was not met; Not met because 5.1 was not met; Not met because 5.1 was not met; Not met because 5.1 was not met;
Also MOD not met (see item 20 etc.)Also MOD not met (see item 20 etc.)Also MOD not met (see item 20 etc.)Also MOD not met (see item 20 etc.)5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 –––– No number talk during playNo number talk during playNo number talk during playNo number talk during play
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Sample Item #22 Nature/science
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3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 –––– very few materials for PS or SA very few materials for PS or SA very few materials for PS or SA very few materials for PS or SA
Y N
3.1
3.2
3.3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Sample Item #23
Sand and water play
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7.1 – “every other day ” or rainy days “every other day ” or rainy days “every other day ” or rainy days “every other day ” or rainy days
Y N
7.1
7.2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Average Subscale Scores
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Supplementary Materials
for use with ERS (found on www.ersi.info)
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� Expanded Score sheet (12 pages)
� Playground Guidelines (2 pages)
� USDA Meal Guidelines (1 page)
� Substantial portion of the day chart (1 page)
� Diapering and Handwashing Procedure (1 page)
� Table Washing Procedure (1 page)
� Caring for Our Children 3rd Edition
� All About ITERS/ECERS (from Kaplan, Barnes & Noble, Amazon etc.)
Next Steps…
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Develop and implement
Program Improvement Plan (PIP)
Self Assess
Develop Level 3
PIP
Utilize PIP
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The Gift of Feedback
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For More Information…
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� Quality Assurance Specialists
� Program Coordinators
� Child Care Resource and Referral Centers
� www.ersi.info
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