A Survey and Content Analysis of the Quality of Behavior Guidance Policies in Tennessee Early Childhood Programs

Developmentally and culturally appropriate program behavior policies that are clearly communicated and implemented successfully can prevent exclusion and positively impact teachers, children, and families. However, it is unclear if policies are high quality or designed to equitably support positive behavior. We examined behavior policies from 41 child care programs in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Using a rating tool, we found that policies were very low quality and lacked information on family engagement, staff training, and the use of data. Policies also exhibited several red flags, including using euphemisms for exclusion, using soft exclusion, and articulating three strikes or zero tolerance policies for certain child behaviors. Finally, leaders reported no formal staff training on the policy, though staff were expected to discuss policies with families. From these findings, it is clear that we need to provide more support and guidance to program leaders and other staff related to creating and implementing behavior policies.