How to conduct an objective, authentic classroom assessment

The Keystone STARS Standards expect programs to conduct internal assessments annually and, once every three years, engage their internal assessment team in discussion of their internal assessment results with an Assessor from the PA Key.

The internal assessment should be an observation; therefore, someone who has knowledge of the selected Program Observation Instrument (POI) and its expectations should plan to observe for the recommended amount of time (for the specific POI), in the classroom.
Keep in mind, the internal assessment is not something to be given to the classroom teacher to complete as a checklist of things that the teacher feels occurs in the classroom. Teachers cannot observe themselves in action and may not provide an objective picture of their classroom. The observer should be able to commit to observing and taking notes and should not have any classroom responsibilities during the observation.
Family child care providers, working alone, should discuss observation options with the Assessor or Quality Coach.
The observation should occur when most of the children are present and actively engaged in the classroom so interactions with peers, teachers, and materials can be observed; therefore, no part of the observation should occur during naptime unless naptime is a required component of the POI.
The internal assessment should be viewed as an integral part of a program’s commitment to continuous quality improvement rather than just another piece of paperwork to be completed to meet an expectation. Information from an objective internal assessment can yield much information about the program’s practices, providing a foundation for the program to celebrate their successes and build upon existing practices.

Program Observation Instrument (POI) at-a-glance

The Environment Rating Scales are a suite of instruments appropriate for use in varied program settings. Effective July 1, 2024, the third editions and SACERS-U are the approved options:
ITERS-3 for observing infant and toddler classrooms in a child care center (birth – 36 months)
ECERS-3 for observing preschool, pre-K, and Kindergarten classrooms in a child care setting (36 months – Kindergarten)
FCCERS-3 for observing family child care and residence-based group child care homes. (All ages, including mixed age groups)
SACERS-U for observing out of school time programs in a school, community-based facility, or child care center.
ITERS-3, ECERS-3, and FCCERS-3 do not collect information through a post-observation interview and decisions about met or unmet expectations are based solely on a three-hour observation. The SACERS-U utilizes both observation and a teacher interview to collect information.

Required Materials

ITERS-3 (ISBN 978-0807758670)
ECERS-3 (ISBN 978-0807755709)
FCCERS-3 (ISBN 978-0807763018)
SACERS-U (ISBN 978-0807755099)

Supplemental resources and materials

Updated Notes for Clarification
Playground Guidelines
Revised USDA Meal Guidelines for the ERS
Expanded scoresheet
Table washing procedure
Diapering and Handwashing procedure
Let’s Talk Quality: Program Quality Assessment in PA Blog
All About the ITERS-3TM (ISBN 978-0876599488)
All About the ECERS-3™ (ISBN 978-0876597279)
Reflective CQI Tool for the ERS (pakeys.org > Program Quality > Program Quality Assessment > Resources)

Purchase or access the POI and supplemental materials.

There are multiple sources for purchasing ERS materials and some supplemental materials may be available for free download. An online search by resource name or ISBN may result in several options.
One copy of the scale book is provided to registered paid participants in ERS scale-specific professional development offered by The Pennsylvania Key Program Quality Assessment team.
Be sure to allow adequate time for ordering and delivery of your materials.
Although only one copy of the age-specific scale book is needed to conduct the observation, you may want a copy for each classroom. The scoresheet provided in the scale book may be photocopied or additional copies can be downloaded from

Conducting Internal Assessment with the ERS (ITERS-3, ECERS-3, FCCERS-3, SACERS-U)

1. Learn about the scale or scales you will use.

The more you learn about the quality practices described in the Environment Rating Scales, the more accurate and useful your internal assessment will be to your CQI planning.
Determine which scale or scales to use. Is your program in a residence or in a commercial facility? What ages are enrolled?
Your Quality Coach can support your selection process and connect you to an Assessor for a detailed conversation about the options.
It is recommended the teaching team from each classroom being assessed and the internal assessment team become familiar with the expectations of the scale or scales being used and the relevant supplemental materials.
Consider watching the recorded webinar, “ERS, Third Edition Overview”
Include a discussion about the ERS, Third Edition lens at an upcoming staff meeting. The one-page “ERS Third Edition transition” information sheet can enhance your discussion.
Consider registering for ERS professional development events through the Professional Development (PD) Registry (papdregistry.org).
Request a Facilitated Program Observation Instrument Orientation (FPO). This one-hour session with an Assessor provides time to learn basic information about the ERS and an opportunity to ask specific questions. The FPO is structured to meet each individual’s or program’s specific needs, and each person attending receives one hour of PQAS credit. Please note the FPO is not a substitute for the online self-paced BAS course, but rather provides a very basic overview.
Read the scale book, including the instructions for using the scale. Review how decisions about met and unmet expectations are guided by any Notes for Clarification (found in the published scale book) and any updated Notes for Clarification from the ERS authors (ersi.info)
Review the supplemental resources and materials that support your use of the Environment Rating Scales for CQI and professional development planning.

2. Prepare to conduct the internal assessment.

If time has elapsed since your purchase and initial review of the scale, re-familiarize yourself with the organization of the instrument and its quality expectations.
Gather your materials. You will want something to capture your notes. You can open a blank document in your laptop or handwrite your notes; keep in mind that you will be standing, sitting on the floor, moving around the classroom, and might go outside. You will need the appropriate scale book and a clean copy of the score sheet.
Set aside at least three hours of time for the observation.
It is not mandatory that your internal assessment is completed in a single time block; however, you should avoid piecing together multiple short observations. Try to complete at least a full sub-scale and do not rescore an item completed during an earlier block of time.
- It may be helpful to let the children know that you will be visiting their classroom for a special project. You are going to watch them play and do their work and you will not be able to play with them while you are doing your work.

3. Schedule the internal assessment

The ERS observation takes place while children are present.
The ITERS-3, ECERS-3, and FCCERS-3 consider practices and interactions observed during a three-hour time sample while children are present, you will not begin observing until most children have arrived and the group is in their primary space – not an arrival room where they are combined with other groups. The SACERS-U observation can begin before children arrive, the time can be used to take notes about space, furnishings, and materials. For the SACERS-U you will also need to schedule time for the post-observation interview.
Planning internal assessment for family child care and group child care programs
- Home-based providers often find internal assessment during the program day to be challenging because they work alone or with a limited number of co-teachers. Alternatives for home-based providers include a variety of approaches to gathering meaningful information:
  - Ask a colleague to observe during a typical program day.
  - Videotape portions of your program day and use the recordings to complete your assessment. With this approach, you may need to focus on different aspects of the program and collect multiple recordings over several days.

4. Conduct the internal assessment.

Your role is to be an objective observer of the typical program day. Be ready to take a lot of notes, your notes will be the most meaningful feedback for your CQI planning. Through your ERS Assessor lens you will be looking at the environment, routines, schedule, activities, equipment, and interactions and how those elements of the program interact to create the children’s experience.
Make scoring decisions for the ITERS-3, ECERS-3, or FCCERS-3 based only on what you observe. For the SACERS-U, you would make your decisions on what is observed, and the information reported during the follow-up interview, when applicable. Scoring decisions cannot be based on planned changes or what might have been done in the past.

5. Rating items and indicators

One of the final steps in completing your ERS internal assessment is to assign a rating for each item and indicator. Rating each indicator and item will allow you to create an overall score for each sub-scale and an overall total score for the entire observation.
- It’s understandable that assigning a lower rating can feel uncomfortable and sharing feedback about unmet expectations can be stressful. While feelings of distress are normal, honest, and vulnerable feedback is the most powerful planning tool for growth.
Assigning a rating to an ERS item always begins with Indicator 1.1. During your observation focus your attention on taking notes and not making decisions about rating. It’s okay to skip the rating step until you can review your notes or review supplemental materials. Be sure to highlight or circle any indicator you want to revisit.
To determine the item, sub-scale, and total score every indicator in each item will need a rating of YES or NO (or N/A when available). Decide if the information you have collected through observation and, for the SACERS-U only, follow-up questions fully meet the expectations of the indicator (YES) or does not fully meet those expectations (NO). It can be helpful to read the indicator and then ask, “Is this true about what I’m observing?”
- Remember that the indicators in the 1s column are worded negatively. Rating the 1 level indicators with YES means the observed practices/provisions are not meeting the needs of children. Rate each indicator in the 1s column, or flag it for follow-up, before moving to the 3, 5, and 7 level indicators.
The item score corresponds to the first instance of indicator expectations not being met. It’s possible to rate an indicator as not met while also rating a higher-level indicator as being met, but the item score is not affected. It is recommended to score every indicator in each item to identify areas of strength and areas to improve quality.
The scoring tips on Page 5 of this How to Guide and the Administering the Scale section of the scale books provide more details on determining your ERS assessment score.

6. Review your findings.

Conducting your internal assessment is the first step in the CQI process.
Review your assessment findings with your Internal Assessment (IA) Team. Be sure to reach out to your ELRC quality coach and Pennsylvania Key Program Quality Assessor with any questions. Together celebrate the observed strengths and identify how they can inform your improvement planning.
Discuss areas where your team feels growth could occur and decide which areas are a priority for your initial cycle. Be sure to create opportunities for everyone to contribute ideas and ensure everyone knows the next steps toward improvement.

Next steps

Define your goals for growth and include them in your Continuous Quality Improvement Plan (CQI).
When planning your CQI goals, start small and make sure the planned change can be measured.
Plan the timeline for your next internal assessment cycle. Reassessing is a key piece of the CQI process and allows you to see if the action steps in your CQI plan are supporting your goals.
Be patient. Growth takes time and some things might be outside of your program’s ability to improve.
Share your CQI plan with all staff members on your program’s IA team and share your plan for ongoing communication with the IA Team. Your CQI plan is a working document, not a final publication. It should feel flexible, changeable, and evolving.
Remember, you can continue to consult with your Assessor even after your internal assessment is completed. The Assessor has a wealth of knowledge about using program observation instruments to support your program’s CQI journey.

Environment Rating Scale Scoring Calculation Tips

ERS items are rated using a seven-point scale – 1 (Inadequate), 3 (Minimal), 5 (Good). 7 (Excellent). Almost all programs will have a 1 or 2 and almost all programs will have a 7. We all do some things well, there are always some things we are working to improve, and there are always going to be things out of our control to change. Remember that it is the overall score that best reflects the experience of the children, and the score is a starting point for growth.

When scoring an ERS item, always start with indicator 1.1 and progress down the column before moving on to the next columns. Circle or flag an indicator you want to revisit. Rate all the indicators in the item before moving on to the scoring calculation.

If you check “Yes” for any indicator in the 1s column, the score for that item is “1” even if higher level indicators are met.

If you have a NO rating for all indicators in column 1 (Inadequate), move on to the indicators under 3 (Minimal).

If you have a YES rating for all indicators under 3 (Minimal), move on to the indicators under 5 (Good). If you have a YES rating for all indicators, under 5 (Good), move on to the indicators under 7 (Excellent.)

All indicators in the 1s column must be rated NO to continue with your score calculation, if any indicators in the 1s column are rated YES, the item score is 1. When you have a NO for any indicator in columns 3, 5, or 7 the scoring process ends in that column.

If HALF or MORE are YES (True), go back one point (example: If half or more, but not all, of the indicators in the 5 columns are scored “Yes,” the score is a 4)

If LESS than HALF are YES (True), go back two points to last quality level met (example: If less than half of the indicators in the 5 columns are scored “Yes,” the score is a 3)

Calculating the sub-scale score: Add up the item scores and divide by the total number of items in the sub-scale. If an entire item was rated N/A, do not include it in the total number of items for the sub-scale.

Calculating the overall observation score: Add up all the item scores and divide by the total number of items in the scale. If an entire item was rated N/A, do not include it in the total number of items for the scale.