| The Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI) Program represents the New Jersey Department of Education's most recent effort to provide high quality preschool to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds; however, an absence of empirical data on ELLI does not allow for a sound understanding of how the current structure of this state initiative is faring.;In this study, a concurrent mixed method strategy was employed in order to (1) explore the program quality of a stratified random sample of 13 ELLI preschool classrooms, among the 26 districts that received ELLI funding during the 2006-2007 school year, using the Early Childhood Environmental rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R); and (2) uncover the perceptions of a stratified random sample of eight administrators and eight teachers regarding the factors that influence their capability for implementing a high-quality preschool program through in-depth interviewing.;Findings from the ECERS-R observations indicated that on average, the sample fared well on most subscales. There is a serious need for growth and improvement in certain areas of quality, as defined by the ECERS-R, specifically in the Activities and Language and Reasoning subscales. In addition, the correlation between ECERS-R scores and multiple factors (e.g., teaching experience, class size, children's socioeconomic status, district factor groups, administrators' early childhood experience) was minimal to none.;Interview findings evidenced supports to implementing a high quality preschool environment include ongoing professional development, technical assistance, feedback and programmatic and fiscal guidance. Hindrances to implementing a high quality preschool environment, highlighted through the interviews, included lack of fiscal and programmatic accountability, non-early childhood administrators overseeing the preschool program, and class sizes above 15 children.;Such findings suggest that fiscal resources alone do not influence quality. Ongoing fiscal and programmatic guidance, as well as consistent accountability measures, both at the State and local level, play a critical part in the implementation of a high quality preschool environment. Overall, the findings from this study offer insight into one type of a non-Abbott, State-funded preschool program, intended to pave the way for expanding access to high quality preschool for all children statewide. |
