Program Assessments

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The Early Childhood Framework for Quality (EFQ) describes key practices and structures that are essential in high-quality early childhood programs to prepare children for success, many of which are related to early learning environments at a program and the interactions between teaching staff and children. The NYCDOE uses the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and the Early Childhood Environmental Ratings Scale – Revised (ECERS-R) tools to understand the extent to which 3-K for All and Pre-K for All programs are successful at reaching those high-quality standards that support student development and learning across all five domains of the New York State Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core (PKFCC). Both tools are grounded in research about the essential supports for promoting children’s achievement.

Program Assessment Results by Year

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

The CLASS is an observation tool that assesses the quality of teacher-child interactions in preschool classrooms. CLASS includes three domains or categories of teacher-child interactions that support children's learning and development: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. Within each domain are dimensions that capture more specific details about teachers' interactions with children.

Additional resources and information about the CLASS tool are available from the purveyor of the tool, Teachstone, Inc.

CLASS Resources from the NYCDOE

  • CLASS FAQs: This document explains the process and protocols that the NYCDOE uses when conducting pre-K CLASS assessments.
  • Reading your CLASS report: This document offers tips on how to read CLASS reports, focusing on Frequency, Depth, and Duration.
  • CLASS Planning Template
  • EFQ-CLASS crosswalk: This chart outlines how the practices listed in the EFQ align with the CLASS. You may use them when reviewing your CLASS scores, and using the EFQ to engage in goal-setting with your team.
  • CLASS and ECERS-R with 3-year-olds: This document reviews how CLASS and ECERS-R measure safety and adequate supervision of children in 3-year-old classrooms.

In-Person CLASS trainings offered by the NYCDOE:

DECE Program Assessment Team organizes free full-day CLASS trainings that provide an overview of the CLASS tool. These trainings are not part of the Inspire, Thrive, Explore, or the Create professional learning tracks and are optional workshops that take place outside of the PL tracks. 

We are continuing to partner with ProTraxx.com to manage professional learning enrollment and certificates. If you do not have a Protraxx account or would like more information, please visit DECE’s Professional Learning page on InfoHub. Enrollment for CLASS trainings will open on Protraxx one month before each training date and close one week before the event, or sooner if we have reached maximum capacity. You can find more information about CLASS and ECERS-R ProTraxx enrollment process and our waitlist process in the CLASS and ECERS-R Protraxx Process One-Pager.

We have listed enrollment open dates below. These are the dates when the activity will be open for enrollment on ProTraxx. All trainings are full-day sessions from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Space is limited and fills up fast!

Winter Sessions:

  • Tuesday, January 14, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: December 13
  • Thursday, January 23, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: December 13
  • Thursday, February 6, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: January 6

Spring Sessions:

  • Tuesday, March 17, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: February 18
  • Tuesday, April 21, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: March 20
  • Thursday, April 23, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: March 23
Summer Sessions:
  • Wednesday, May 27, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: April 27
  • Thursday, June 11, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: May 11

More dates to be announced!

CLASS Webinars

This recorded webinar series provides an overview of the way that the NYCDOE uses the CLASS tool and all components of the tool.

  • CLASS 101 Webinar - 34min
    • CLASS 101 Presentation PDF - coming soon!
    • Content Description: Why the Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE) uses the CLASS tool; what the CLASS tool measures; and what to expect before, during, and after a CLASS assessment
  • CLASS 102 Webinar - 37min
    • CLASS 102 Presentation PDF - coming soon!
    • Content Description: Emotional Support domain (and the Regard for Student Perspectives dimension); Classroom Organization domain (and the Instructional Learning Formats dimension)
  • CLASS 103 Webinar - 45min
    • CLASS 103 Presentation PDF - coming soon!
    • Content Description: Instructional Support domain (and the Concept Development, Quality of Feedback, and Language Modeling dimensions)
  • CLASS 104 A Webinar - 34min
    • CLASS 104 A Presentation PDF - coming soon!
    • Content Description: How to read and interpret your CLASS report from FY 2019 and earlier; and using your CLASS report to inform your early childhood program goals
  • CLASS 104 B Webinar - 36min
    • CLASS 104 B Presentation PDF - coming soon!
    • Content Description: How to read and interpret your CLASS report from FY 2020; and using your CLASS report to inform your early childhood program goals

The Early Childhood Environmental Rating System - Revised (ECERS-R)

The ECERS-R is an observation tool that assesses the quality of the overall learning environment. ECERS-R includes 6 subscales: Space and Furnishings, Personal Care Routines, Language-Reasoning, Activities, Interaction, and Program Structure. Within each subscale are rubrics that look at specific aspects of the learning environment.

Additional resources and information about the ECERS-R tool are available from the purveyor of the tool, the Environment Rating Scales Institute.

ECERS-R Resources from the NYCDOE

In-Person ECERS-R trainings offered by the NYCDOE:

DECE Program Assessment Team organizes free full-day ECERS-R trainings that provide an overview of the ECERS-R tool. These trainings are not part of the Inspire, Thrive, Explore, or the Create professional learning tracks and are optional workshops that take place outside of the PL tracks. 

We are continuing to partner with ProTraxx.com to manage professional learning enrollment and certificates. If you do not have a Protraxx account or would like more information, please visit DECE’s Professional Learning page on InfoHub. Enrollment for ECERS-R trainings will open on Protraxx one month before each training date and close one week before the event, or sooner if we have reached maximum capacity. You can find more information about CLASS and ECERS-R ProTraxx enrollment process and our waitlist process in the CLASS ECERS-R Protraxx Process One-Pager.

We have listed enrollment open dates below. These are the dates when the activity will be open for enrollment on Protraxx. All trainings are full-day sessions from 8:30am to 3:30pm. Space is limited and fills up fast!

Winter Sessions:

  • Wednesday, January 15, 2020
    • Enrollment Opens on Protraxx: December 13
  • Friday, January 24, 2020
    • Enrollment Opens on Protraxx: December 13
  • Thursday, February 13, 2020
    • Enrollment Opens on Protraxx: January 10
Spring Sessions:
  • Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: February 5
Summer Sessions:
  • Thursday, May 14, 2020
    • Enrollment opens on Protraxx: April 15

ECERS-R Webinars

This recorded webinar series provides an overview of the way that the NYCDOE uses the ECERS-R tool and some of the key requirements of the ECERS-R.