26 and counting: Examining the Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI), New Jersey's effort towards creating a universal preschool system

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.