Examining the validity of the ECERS–R: Results from the German National Study of Child Care in Early Childhood

• We examined the psychometric properties of the German version of the ECERS–R.
• Factor analyses did not identify a single factor, but three factors.
• The Partial Credit Model identified rating category disorder.
• Regression analyses revealed small effect sizes for predicting child outcomes.
• Regression analyses revealed small to moderate effect sizes for predicting alternative measures of quality.

The psychometric properties of the revised Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS–R) were examined using data from the German National Study of Child Care in Early Childhood (NUBBEK). Our findings on the validity of the ECERS–R replicate prior research on the scale’s response process validity, structural validity, and criterion validity. The Partial Credit Model (PCM) identified disorder of rating categories. Factor analyses did not identify a single global factor of quality of child care, but three factors. Regression analyses revealed small effect sizes for predicting child outcomes and small to moderate effect sizes for predicting alternative measures of quality. Implications for the use and revision of the scale and the development of other measures of child care quality are discussed.