Preschool Federations as a Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Early Childhood Education in China

Junjun Fang, Jun Zhang, Yingxin Bai, Hui Li and Sha Xie ()
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Junjun Fang: Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Jun Zhang: School of Arts and Education, Chizhou University, Chizhou 247100, China
Yingxin Bai: Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Hui Li: Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Sha Xie: Faculty of Education and The GBA Institute of Educational Research, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-24

Abstract: Teaming a strong preschool with less-developed, rural, or newly established preschools is an effective strategy to promote quality. Since 2015, Shanghai has sought to improve preschool education quality through collaboration. Guided by the “3A2S” theoretical framework, this study evaluated the development and effectiveness of preschool federations in the city using a mixed-methods approach. First, document analysis was conducted to depict features of preschool federations in Shanghai, which identified three main features. Next, a survey study including 702 stakeholders was conducted to assess the evaluations of preschool administrators, teachers, and parents of the effectiveness of preschool federations. Finally, an interview study including 15 stakeholders was conducted to triangulate the findings of the survey study. Results revealed that the stakeholders highly approbated the preschool federations, but parents’ evaluation was significantly lower than that of other stakeholders. Finally, the sustainability and affordability of the preschool federation policy are discussed herein. Implications for policy development and preschool management are also presented.

Keywords: preschool federation; policy development; evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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