DERS 2.3

The Developmental Environmental Rating Scale (DERS) serves as a comprehensive tool for evaluating the quality of learning environments in classrooms catering to children aged 2.5 to 12 years. Its framework aligns the design and implementation of educational environments with critical outcomes pertaining to executive functions, literacy, and social-emotional development.

Comprising 60 research-informed environmental attributes and observable behaviors—encompassing both children and adults—the DERS focuses on five key aspects of human development: initiation and concentration, inhibitory control, working memory, linguistic and cultural fluency, as well as social fluency and emotional flexibility. The assessment requires a systematic 60-minute classroom observation during which the evaluator notes the presence, magnitude, and frequency of each item.

Schools may employ the DERS for internal assessments to identify areas for continuous improvement or use it externally to gauge overall environmental quality. Developed by researchers at the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, the DERS provides valuable insights into enriching children's learning experiences.