Introduction
Research Questions
- To what extent did centers engage with the BSC and participate in the activities offered?
- How successfully did centers begin developing a culture of continuous learning?
- Was there initial evidence that suggests participation in the Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) was associated with desired outcomes related to teaching practices and organizational culture?
Young children and their families benefit from early care and education (ECE) settings that implement high-quality practices that support children’s well-being, health, and safety. Quality improvement activities include a variety of delivery modes and content areas to address children’s developmental needs and to align with the knowledge and skills of the ECE workforce. The work of quality improvement in ECE is challenging using existing methods, and sustained changes in quality across ECE settings have not been widespread. ECE leaders and staff are seeking new approaches to quality improvement that can promote meaningful and sustained changes in practice. The Culture of Continuous Learning (CCL) project was a five-year project examining the feasibility of implementing an innovative continuous quality improvement methodology called the Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) in ECE centers.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to share findings from the feasibility study of implementing a BSC in ECE centers. The feasibility study examined how ECE centers (i.e., child care centers and Head Start) participated in BSC quality improvement activities and the extent to which the BSC promoted changes in individual practices and organizational dynamics. The feasibility study assessed 1) the process of implementing a BSC in ECE centers, 2) whether participating centers developed a culture of continuous improvement, and 3) how the BSC fostered sustained changes in workplace climate and individual practices to support children’s social and emotional learning.
Key Findings and Highlights
Findings from the feasibility study provide initial evidence that the BSC is feasible to implement in ECE settings. However, it is an intensive quality improvement methodology that requires significant investment of both time and resources. ECE centers in the CCL project varied in the degree to which they fully participated.
Characteristics that supported the feasibility of participating in and benefiting from a BSC included having a supportive and engaged Senior Leader, strong organizational structures, classroom infrastructure that facilitated collaboration between teachers, and an initially hospitable environment for change.
The CCL project documented initial changes across most outcomes of interest, including the adoption of continuous quality improvement methodologies, sharing information of practice change across teams, using knowledge gained about how to make and sustain improvements using BSC tools, feeling more confident in how to use data, appreciating seeing the demonstration of leadership across members of their center, and increased job satisfaction that aligned with levels of participation in BSC activities.
The CCL project also documented that some ECE centers faced challenges to fully participating in the BSC quality improvement activities. Challenges included staffing shortages, competing demands (e.g., meetings that conflicted with BSC activities such as day-long Learning Sessions or hour-long calls), and participation in other quality improvement initiatives or program requirements.
Methods
The CCL project used a case study design and mixed methods to assess the feasibility of implementing a BSC in ECE centers. The Feasibility Study Team collected data at two time points from staff in the participating ECE centers and from the team that implemented the BSC. Descriptive analyses examined changes over time in participation in BSC activities, perceptions of the BSC, quality improvement practices, organizational climate, and practices to support children’s social and emotional learning.
Recommendations
The BSC is a system change methodology that engages participants across roles and levels within an organization to support the implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practices and continuous quality improvement strategies. The data collected in the feasibility study can inform future implementation and evaluation of a BSC in ECE settings. Key considerations were developed based on the project findings and were tailored to the roles of various actors within a BSC, including BSC implementers (i.e., those who will be leading and facilitating a BSC), ECE practitioners and leaders, and ECE researchers.
Appendix
Appendix
- Appendix A: Glossary
- Appendix B: Alignment of CCL feasibility study research questions and selected data sources
- Appendix C: Feasibility study measures
- Appendix D: Collaborative Change Framework
Citation
Halle, T., Cleveland, J., Bamdad, T., Nagle, K., Tout, K., Douglass, A., Agosti, J., & Doyle, S. (2021). Promoting a Culture of Continuous Learning in Early Care and Education Settings. OPRE Report # 2021-208. Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Glossary
- Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) :
- A quality improvement methodology aimed at helping organizations build a shared knowledge of evidence-based best practices and an understanding of how to implement improvements within their unique contexts.
- Breakthrough Series Collaborative on Social and Emotional Learning (BSC-SEL) :
- The name of the BSC implemented in early care and education (ECE) centers focused on social and emotional learning (SEL). The SEL content for the BSC-SEL was based on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Pyramid Model.
- Culture of Continuous Learning (CCL) project :
- A project that included implementing the BSC methodology and studying its feasibility in ECE centers.
- Feasibility Study Team :
- Researchers who led the study assessing the feasibility of using the BSC methodology in ECE centers.
- Senior Leader :
- A high-level administrator or leader from the center (e.g., center director) participating in the BSC. This person is responsible for providing leadership, support, and advocacy on behalf of the BSC team. They also focus on how successful changes tested by the team can be scaled up, spread, and sustained.
- Team Leader or Manager :
- Center staff member who oversees team activities and actively guides the work of the BSC team. They serve as the liaison for all BSC-related assignments and activities, including data-related activities. Possible Team Leaders might include an associate director, education coordinator, or family engagement specialist.