Time to turn: Evaluation of Local Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Based on the PMC Index Model

Time to turn: Evaluation of Local Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Based on the PMC Index Model | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Time to turn: Evaluation of Local Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Based on the PMC Index Model Shaoyuan Zhou, Wenwen Tang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514412/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The full realization of the value of integrated childcare and early childhood education depends on high-quality policy guidance and support. In the development logic, which shifts from the expansion of “quantity” to the improvement of “quality”, it has become crucial to assess policies systematically. Therefore, based on the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model, a policy evaluation index system is constructed from three dimensions: policy instruments, policy attributes, and policy themes. It assesses 333 local policies issued between 2018 and October 2025 through individual and Two-Dimensional Cross-Analysis, and calculates the PMC Index for 28 tailored policies to conduct three-dimensional comprehensive evaluation. The findings indicate that: (1) The PMC Index scores of specialized policies exhibit a spindle-shaped distribution: 11 policies are highly consistent, 16 are acceptable, and 1 shows low consistency; (2) This pattern reflects the challenge for local policies to balance “specialization” and “balance.” The current policy emphasizes management and implementation to support orderly expansion and applies to the early development of integrated childcare and early childhood education. However, this does not attach sufficient importance to cultivating meaningful connections that meet children’s developmental needs. As national, societal, and family expectations shift from expanding scale to promoting children’s continuous development, existing policies are gradually becoming difficult to accurately meet. Based on the assessment of policies during the transformation period, transformation suggestions were put forward. Social science/Education Social science/Politics and international relations Social science/Social policy PMC Index the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy Evaluation Policy Instrument Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 1. Introduction The integration of early childhood education and care (ECEC) serves as a pivotal mechanism linking care and education for children aged 0–5. It is widely acknowledged that by integrating childcare services and preschool education resources, core issues such as resource inequality, service discontinuity, and low-quality standards—persistent challenges in many countries, including China—can be effectively addressed, leading to a comprehensive optimization of the child-rearing support system (Kaga, Bennett, & Moss, 2010). Its value extends beyond enhancing family fertility intentions and child development quality to driving the efficient allocation of social resources and balanced demographic development (OECD, 2018). Scholars have interpreted its value primarily from three perspectives: child welfare (Kamerman & Waldfogel, 2005), family policy (Esping-Andersen, 2009), and social care (Mahon, 2010). Together, these perspectives reveal the multifaceted value of integrated ECEC, forming the theoretical foundation for its gradual elevation as a vital instrument of national governance. Although significant research has explored the value and implementation pathways of ECEC integration, a critical question remains underexamined: the realization of these values is not automatic upon policy adoption but is contingent on the design and execution of the policies themselves. This concernthat caution against equating policy presence or formal coherence with effective value realization in complex governance environments (Bammer et al., 2020). To understand whether the integrated childcare and kindergarten policy can achieve its value, it is necessary to conduct a systematic analysis of its internal consistency in design, thereby analyzing the structure of the integrated ECEC policy and what this structure means for the realization of value. China presents a typical field for investigating these questions. On one hand, the central government places high expectations on ECEC integration to promote child development, optimize societal resource allocation, and support high-quality population development. Consequently, it has successively introduced multiple supportive policies (State Council, 2019; Central Committee of the Communist Party of China & State Council, 2021; Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 2023; National Health Commission et al., 2023), promoting integration rapidly and on a vast scale. On the other hand, China has long maintained separate systems for the 0–3 and 3–6 age groups. Unlike some countries with a long history of integration, China is undergoing a challenging transition from scale expansion to quality enhancement. Declining fertility rates, uneven distribution of childcare resources, and the predicament of achieving high-quality population development are intertwined, intensifying collective anxiety during this transition. This has created an urgent and heightened demand for realizing multiple values—child development, optimized resource allocation, etc.—propelling ECEC integration swiftly to the forefront as a pressing governance issue. Against the backdrop of “urgent demands for multiple values” intersecting with “rapid policy rollout,” local governments in China have produced a multitude of diverse and heterogeneous policy texts. This makes China an exemplary case for exploring “how ECEC integration policies are designed” and “whether such designs can effectively lead to value realization.” However, most existing research focuses on implementation pathways, international comparisons, or idealized models, lacking a systematic evaluation of how local Chinese policies respond to practical needs. Current evaluations also tend to examine only one or two dimensions, limiting insights into the overall function and design logic of policies. Therefore, a comprehensive model is urgently needed to systematically assess local integration policies. The Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) Index Model, as a multidimensional quantitative tool, enables the objective assessment of policy comprehensiveness and systematicity through consistency analysis (Ruiz Estrada, 2010). However, the pursuit of perfect policy coherence is not advisable, as it may suppress local innovation, overlook diverse interests and contextual variations, and ultimately undermine policy adaptability (Cairney, 2025). This study conceptualizes the PMC index as an indicator of the structural alignment between policy design and the evolving governance demands within integrated ECEC systems, moving beyond a fragmented and isolated analysis of consistency scores to thereby interpret policy quality. Following a “data collection—model construction—quantitative evaluation” approach, this study collects local ECEC integration policy texts, extracts their core dimensions, constructs a PMC index evaluation system, and employs this framework to analyze relevant local policies—particularly those specifically tailored for integration. The aim is to identify their internal structures, quantitatively evaluate their responsiveness to demands, and formulate recommendations based on the findings. 2. Theoretical Foundations Integrated early childhood education and care (ECEC) constitutes a public policy arrangement grounded in children’s rights and early childhood development as its core value base (Kamerman & Waldfogel, 2005). Its intrinsic value should therefore be defined as a policy goal in its own right, rather than as a subsidiary outcome of fertility support or governance efficiency. From this perspective, child welfare provides a central lens for evaluating the quality of integrated ECEC policies. However, child welfare as a public value does not materialize automatically; it must be realized through institutional design and governmental intervention, formalized in ECEC policies. The effectiveness of such policies depends on how governments select, configure, and combine different types of policy instruments across various themes. Cairney (2025) notes that “perfect policy coherence” is an ideal type that is not attainable in practice and may not even be desirable. The complexity of policy systems, bureaucratic divisions, and the necessary specialization among different policy subsystems inevitably result in a certain degree of incoherence, which in turn allows for attention to contextual differences, encourages local innovation, and accommodates diverse interests. Therefore, instead of pursuing “perfect coherence” in integrated ECEC policies, this study uses the PMC index to assess the structural characteristics of policies and analyze whether they can respond to the complex demands of the current governance stage. Accordingly, this study adopts child welfare theory and policy instrument theory as its core analytical perspectives: the former is used to conceptualize the normative value orientation of integrated ECEC policies, while the latter is employed to examine the administrative means through which these values are pursued in practice. This approach allows for an assessment of whether policy instruments genuinely operationalize normative goals—namely, whether governmental actions effectively respond to children’s developmental needs—and thus enables a systematic evaluation of the quality of local integrated ECEC policies against their normative benchmarks. 2.1 Policy Instrument Theory Policy instrument theory posits that the realization of policy objectives depends on governments’ choices regarding, and combinations of, different policy instruments (Howlett & Ramesh, 2003). Policy instruments function not only as tools of governmental intervention but also as manifestations of underlying governance philosophies, problem framings, and assumptions about relevant actors (Linder & Peters, 1989). This theoretical approach commonly classifies policy instruments into supply-side, environmental, and demand-side categories, a typology that is well suited to evaluating integrated ECEC policies in terms of whether their design is capable of translating policy values into responses to emerging social needs. Within this framework, the evaluation of integrated ECEC policies is grounded in an analysis of how policy instruments are deployed and combined, with particular attention to the driving strategies they embody and the extent to which these strategies align with evolving policy demands. 2.2 Child Welfare Theory Child welfare theory conceptualizes children as rights-bearing and developing subjects, and holds that both the state and society bear responsibility for safeguarding children’s rights to survival, development, protection, and participation through institutional design and resource allocation, with the ultimate aim of maximizing children’s best interests. From this perspective, integrated ECEC is understood as a child-centered approach that prioritizes children’s developmental needs through the systematic integration of care and education via institutional restructuring and resource coordination. At its core, integrated ECEC seeks to transcend the traditional separation between care and education by means of institutional reform, resource integration, and inter-actor coordination, thereby constructing a continuous support system covering the full developmental cycle from birth to age six. The ultimate objective is to create a seamless early learning and care environment that supports children’s holistic development (OECD, 2017; Bennett, 2003). Accordingly, this study employs child welfare theory to guide the problem definition, value assessment, and content analysis of integrated ECEC policies. First, while administrative or organizational integration constitutes a necessary foundation, the fundamental value of integrated ECEC—and the ultimate goal of related policies—lies in supporting the continuity and coherence of early childhood development. Therefore, policy evaluation must focus on the extent to which policies explicitly and substantively promote children’s development. Second, in constructing the policy evaluation index system, it is essential to move beyond an exclusive focus on “hard” indicators such as management arrangements and implementation mechanisms, and to incorporate “soft” dimensions that directly shape children’s daily experiences and developmental quality, including curriculum continuity, care–education quality, and staff integration (Liu et al., 2022). 3. Construction of the Evaluation Index System for Local Integration of ECEC Policies Policy instrument theory emphasizes that the selection, combination, and coordination of policy instruments reflect a government’s underlying governance logic and institutional capacity (Howlett, 2019; Peters, 2018). Accordingly, when examining governance logic and institutional capacity, policy consistency constitutes one of the core criteria for evaluation (Rayner & Howlett, 2009; OECD, 2013). On this basis, this study adopts the PMC index model to analyze policy design. Proposed by Ruiz Estrada, the PMC Index Model is a relatively objective quantitative evaluation method internationally that is exclusively used for policy text analysis and has been widely applied. Based on the “Omnia Mobilis” hypothesis, the model holds that when constructing an evaluation index system, any variables related to the research object should be considered. All variables are assigned equal weights through binary (0/1) coding, and the internal structure of the policy is taken into account as extensively as possible (Ruiz Estrada, Yap, & Nagaraj, 2008). The entire evaluation process mainly includes the following four steps: identifying variables and setting parameters, establishing a multi-input-output table, calculating the PMC Index, and drawing the PMC surface. 3.1 Identification of Variables and Parameter Setting 3.1.1 Data Collection and Sample Selection Following the principles of relevance, validity, and timeliness, policy texts related to keywords such as ECEC integration, ECEC, and childcare were collected from 2018 to October 1, 2025. A total of 355 policy documents were obtained, including 333 local-level policies. Among these, 28 policies explicitly focusing on the integration of ECEC were selected for in-depth analysis. 3.1.2 Text Preprocessing Non-relevant content was first removed from the policy texts. Then, the ROST CM6 software was employed for tokenization based on a customized lexicon of terms related to ECEC integration. Mainstream stopword lists were cross-referenced and adjusted according to the thematic scope to ensure precision. Finally, synonymous keywords and institutional labels were standardized to avoid ambiguity in text representation. 3.1.3 Extraction of Key Policy Content Using ROST CM6, high-frequency words were extracted to conduct co-word analysis, generating a co-occurrence matrix. The top 50 high-frequency words were then imported into Gephi for clustering at standard resolution, resulting in a social network map of ECEC policy keywords. Distinct colors represent clusters, node sizes indicate degree centrality, and the intensity of edge color denotes the frequency of co-occurrence, reflecting the closeness of interconnections. (Fig. 1 Social Network Knowledge Graph of the Integration of ECEC) As shown in Fig. 1 , the graph comprises four modules. The first module includes nodes such as “Kindergarten,” “Nursery Class,” and “Guidance,” covering target planning, safeguard measures, and quality expansion, and mainly represents enabling policy instruments. It is closely linked to the second module, which contains nodes like “the Integration of ECEC,” “Child,” and “Resource,” relating to resource, service, and financial supply, and reflects supply-based policy instruments. The third module, with nodes such as “Infant and Toddler,” “Service,” and “Care,” addresses infant development and care system enrichment, and is closely connected to the first two modules, representing demand-based policy instruments. The fourth module includes “People’s Government,” “Department,” “Sub-district,” etc., and are closely linked to the first three modules. This indicates organizational coordination, such as departmental division of labor and vertical coordination. Subsequently, combining the social network knowledge graph, the policy texts involved in this study were conceptualized and categorized, coding them into secondary variables and primary variables. Among these, the connotation of “Safeguard Measures” was particularly rich, so tertiary variables were added to explore its internal structure. Finally, based on the coding results, and supplemented by the integration of early childhood education and care policy texts and existing literature, the PMC index system for the integration of early childhood education and care policies was constructed, comprising 3 dimensions, 9 primary variables, 34 secondary variables, and 5 tertiary variables (Table 1 PMC Index Model Variable Settings of Local the Integration of ECEC Policy ) Table 1 PMC Index Model Variable Settings of Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy Dimension First-order variable Code Second-order variable Code Tertiary variables/identification basis/high frequency words Reference source Policy Instruments Supply-Based X 1 Financial Supply X 1−1 Involves financial supply Primary variables derived from policy instrument theory(Howlett, M. 2011).; secondary variables derived from the knowledge graph. Service Supply X 1−2 Involves service supply Resource Supply X 1−3 Involves resource supply Enabling X 2 Target Planning X 2−1 Involves target planning Derived from policy instrument theory and social network mapping; tertiary variables adapted from Penn (2011) Safeguard Measures X 2−2 X 2−2−1 Institutional Management Safeguards X 2−2−2 Establishing Service Systems X 2−2−3 Improving Kindergarten-Nursery Mechanisms X 2−2−4 Guaranteeing Teacher Qualification Levels X 2−2−5 Conforming to Standards/Norms Quality Improvement & Capacity Expansion X 2−3 Provides a favorable environment for quality improvement and scale expansion Resource Agglomeration X 2−4 Utilizes resource agglomeration advantages or coordinates resources Demand-Based X 3 Demand Response X 3−1 Involves response to demand Primary variables derived from policy instrument theory; secondary variables derived from the knowledge graph. Cost Burden Control X 3−2 Releases demand by controlling costs/burdens Trust Building X 3−3 Releases demand by gaining public trust Accessibility Improvement X 3−4 Releases demand by improving accessibility Publicity and Guidance X 3−5 Releases demand through publicity and guidance Policy Attributes Organizational Coordination X 4 Inter-departmental Coordination X 4−1 Inter-departmental Coordination Derived from the knowledge graph. Upward Coordination X 4−2 Involves coordination with superior levels Downward Coordination X 4−3 Involves coordination with subordinate levels Coverage Scope X 5 Children X 5−1 Covers children Based on Zhao & Tang (2018) on inclusiveness in ECEC policies Families X 5−2 Covers families Government X 5−3 Covers government Institutions X 5−4 Covers institutions Legal Force X 6 Local Regulations X 6−1 Is a local regulation Adapted from Li, Rao&Shen (2023) on local policy hierarchy and governance Local Normative Documents X 6−2 Is a local normative document Local Working Documents X 6−3 Is a local working document Policy Themes Policy Nature X 7 Encouragement X 7−1 Involves encouraging and promoting kindergarten-nursery integration Adapted from Lloyd & Penn (2012), consistent with policy typology under PMC index analysis Prediction X 7−2 Involves predicting the development of kindergarten-nursery integration Regulation X 7−3 Involves regulating kindergarten-nursery integration Requirement X 7−4 Involves mandatory requirements for kindergarten-nursery integration Description X 7−5 Involves describing the current state of kindergarten-nursery integration Policy Content X 8 Integrated Management X 8−1 Involves integrated management Derived from Liu, Zhan, &Ma(2022), Kaga, Bennett, & Moss (2010) on integrated ECEC systems, and Urban et al. (2012) on multi-level governance in early childhood education. Integrated Curriculum X 8−2 Involves an integrated curriculum Integrated Cooperation X 8−3 Involves integrated cooperation among families, communities, institutions, etc. Integrated Training X 8−4 Involves training integrated kindergarten-nursery teaching staff Involved Sectors X 9 Preschool Education X 9−1 Involves kindergartens, educational care, and measures taken for them Based on Urban et al. (2012) on early childhood systems; modified according to the ECEC integration context in China Public Services X 9−2 Involves services provided for kindergarten-nursery integration Public Management X 9−3 Involves measures for managing kindergarten nursery classes Health X 9−4 Involves child health and measures taken for it In the dimension of Policy Instruments, there are three types of policy instruments, reflecting the three methods and means for promoting the integration of early childhood education and care. Supply-based policy instruments refer to the government directly acting on factors of production to expand effective supply. Enabling policy instruments refer to the government creating a favorable environment for the development of the integration of early childhood education and care, providing various environmental safeguards, thus forming an indirect influence. Demand-based policy instruments are used to stimulate and release public demand for the integration of early childhood education and care. In the dimension of Policy Attributes, including organizational coordination, coverage scope, and policy legal force, reflecting structural differences in inter-governmental relationships, key target populations, and policy implementation effectiveness and influence, respectively. In the dimension of Policy Themes, including policy nature, policy content, and involved sectors, reflecting the key content and focus of the policies. 3.2 Establishing the Multi-Input-Output Table and Calculating the PMC Index Following the four core steps of the PMC index model and combining existing indicator parameter models, a multi-input-output table was established for each of the 28 policy files, and the PMC index was calculated. 3.2.1 Establishing the Multi-Input-Output Table Based on Eq. (1), values were assigned to secondary indicators following the approach proposed by Ruiz Estrada (2011) in the Journal of Policy Modeling. Eq. (2) was applied to tertiary indicators. Based on this, the value of each secondary indicator is calculated according to Formula (3). \(\:X～N=\left[\text{0,1}\right]\) Formula(1) \(\:X=\{XR:[\text{0,1}\left]\right\}\) Formula(2) \(\:{X}_{ij}=\sum\:_{k=1}{X}_{ijk\:}\times\:\frac{1}{S}\) Formula(3) Substitute each secondary variable indicator into Formula (4) to calculate the value of the primary indicators, thereby establishing the multi-input-output table for the Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Care and Education. \(\:{X}_{i}=\sum\:_{j=1}^{n}{X}_{ij}\times\:\frac{1}{n}\) Formula (4) 3.2.2 Calculating the PMC Index The PMC index is calculated by summation. \(\:PMC=\sum\:{X}_{i}\) Formula (5) Where: i represents the primary indicator; j represents the secondary indicator; k represents the tertiary indicator; ij = 1,2,3, ..., s ; s represents the number of tertiary indicators under the secondary indicator; X i is the value of the primary indicator; X ij is the value of the secondary indicator; X ijk is the value of the tertiary indicator. To further examine the three dimensions of policy instruments, attributes, and themes to explore the structural preferences within the policies, the Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T) are calculated. \(\:\text{I}={\text{X}}_{1}+{\text{X}}_{2}+{\text{X}}_{3}\) Formula (6) \(\:\text{A}={\text{X}}_{4}+{\text{X}}_{5}+{\text{X}}_{6}\) Formula (7) \(\:\text{T}={\text{X}}_{7}+{\text{X}}_{8}+{\text{X}}_{9}\) Formula (8) 3.3 Drawing the PMC Surface To visually display the PMC index calculation results, the scores of the nine primary indicators are transformed into a third-level matrix to construct a surface, intuitively showing the internal structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the policy. \(\:\text{P}\text{M}\text{C}-\text{s}\text{u}\text{r}\text{f}\text{a}\text{c}\text{e}=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}{\text{X}}_{1}&\:{\text{X}}_{2}&\:{\text{X}}_{3}\\\:{\text{X}}_{4}&\:{\text{X}}_{5}&\:{\text{X}}_{6}\\\:{\text{X}}_{7}&\:{\text{X}}_{8}&\:{\text{X}}_{9}\end{array}\right]\) Formula (9) 3.4 Grade Assessment Based on the calculations using the above formulas, and according to the PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T), the policy consistency level is classified. The PMC index model in this study contains 9 primary variables, so the PMC index value should range between 0–9, and I, A, and T should range between 0–3, respectively. All are divided into four grades (Table 2 Policy evaluation grade classification criteria). Table 2 Policy evaluation grade classification criteria Evaluation index Evaluation scores and grades PMC Index Score Range 0.00-3.99 4.00-5.99 6.00-7.99 8.00–9.00 Evaluation Grade Evaluation Grade Low Consistency Acceptable Perfect I Score Range 0.00-0.75 0.76–1.50 1.51–2.25 2.26-3.00 Evaluation Grade Evaluation Grade Low Consistency Acceptable Perfect A Score Range 0.00-0.75 0.76–1.50 1.51–2.25 2.26-3.00 Evaluation Grade Evaluation Grade Low Consistency Acceptable Perfect T Score Range 0.00-0.75 0.76–1.50 1.51–2.25 2.26-3.00 Evaluation Grade Evaluation Grade Low Consistency Acceptable Perfect 4. Empirical Analysis of the Policies on the Integration of ECEC Evaluation An empirical analysis was conducted on 333 local the integration of ECEC-related policies using one-dimensional and two-dimensional cross-analysis. A three-dimensional evaluation was performed on 28 tailored policies, which involved calculating the PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T), and drawing PMC surface to quantify the local integration of ECEC policies from a multi-dimensional perspective. 4.1 Individual Analysis The frequency of policy instrument use and the design of policy attributes were counted based on coding reference points, while the proportion of text dedicated to policy instruments and the breadth of policy themes were measured using coverage rates (Fig. 2 Three Policy Dimensions: Coverage Rates and Reference Points). The results revealed that within the policy instrument dimension, enabling instruments had the highest coverage rate, indicating they received the most textual emphasis, with a particular preference for “Safeguard Measures.” Supply-type instruments ranked next, while demand-type instruments were relatively low. In the policy attribute dimension, most policies involved not only “top-down” directives but also “bottom-up” implementation, achieved through inter-departmental coordination, primarily covering the government and kindergartens. The legal force/hierarchy was predominantly composed of local normative documents and working documents. In the policy theme dimension, the focus was primarily on management, often implemented with mandatory characteristics. 4.2 Two-Dimensional Cross-Analysis By querying the matrix coding, overlapping coding reference points and their coverage rates between two dimensions were obtained to analyze the policy structure at the two-dimensional cross-level. The “Legal Force/Hierarchy” indicator was not explicitly reflected in the tailored policy texts and therefore did not appear in cross-analyses. The interaction between policy instruments and themes indicates that enabling instruments are embedded in the public management sector (e.g., institutional standardization, target planning), and their influence is significantly higher than that of supply-based and demand-type instruments, strengthening indirect environmental shaping (Fig. 3 Two-Dimensional Cross Overlapping Coding Coverage Statistics Chart). This preference further acts on the policy attribute dimension: the overlapping coverage rates of enabling instruments and coverage scope show that administrative entities (government, kindergartens) receive stronger environmental safeguards, whereas demand-based instruments have lower coverage of families and children, resulting in insufficient stimulation of demand. 4.3 Three-Dimensional Analysis 4.3.1 Data Sources Policies specifically issued for the integration of ECEC were selected from the valid integration of ECEC policy text database, totaling 28 policies, for three-dimensional analysis (Table 3 Sample Database for Evaluating Typical Local Integration of ECEC Policies). Table 3 Sample Database for Evaluating Typical Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies No. Issue Date Issuing Agency Policy title Legal Force P1 2021.4 Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education Notice on Issuing the "Zhejiang Province Kindergarten Nursery Class Management Guide (Trial)" Local Normative Document P2 2024.9 Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau Notice on Issuing the "Shenzhen Municipality Kindergarten Nursery Class Establishment and Management Measures" P3 2022.1 Foshan Municipal Education Bureau, Foshan Municipal Health Bureau Notice on Issuing the "Interim Measures for the Establishment and Management of Kindergarten Nursery Classes in Foshan City" P4 2022.11 General Office of Ningbo Jiangbei District People's Government Notice on Issuing the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Construction of the Jiangbei District Kindergarten-Nursery Integrated Service System (Trial)" P5 2023.12 Hangzhou Municipal Education Bureau, etc. Implementation Opinions on Promoting the "Kindergarten-Nursery Integration" Work in Hangzhou Kindergartens P6 2023.9 Ningbo Jiangbei District People's Congress Standing Committee Decision on Accelerating the Construction of Kindergarten-Nursery Integrated Service Infrastructure in Our District P7 2023.12 Chongqing Municipal Health Commission, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission Chongqing Kindergarten-Nursery Integration Management Measures (Trial) P8 2024.1 Hainan Provincial Health Commission, Hainan Provincial Department of Education Notice on Issuing the "Hainan Province Kindergarten Nursery Class Establishment and Registration Management Measures (Trial)" P9 2024.8 Huizhou Municipal Health Bureau, Huizhou Municipal Education Bureau Notice on Issuing the "Interim Measures for the Establishment and Management of Kindergarten Nursery Classes by the Huizhou Municipal Health Bureau and Huizhou Municipal Education Bureau" P10 2025.1 General Office of Shandong Provincial People's Government Notice on Issuing the "Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Trial)" P11 July 14, 2025 Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education and Seven Other Departments "Implementation Opinions on Shaanxi Province Kindergartens Carrying Out Childcare Services" by the Department of Education and Seven Other Departments P12 August 28, 2025 Xiamen Municipal Health Commission and Seven Other Departments Notice on Issuing the "Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Xiamen in Carrying Out Childcare Services (Trial)" P13 2018.7 Jinan Municipal Health Commission Response to Proposal No. 1510623 of the First Session of the 15th Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on "Promoting Kindergarten-Nursery Integration to Realize 'Kindergarten within Kindergarten'" Local Working Document P14 2020.9 Chengdu Municipal Education Bureau Response Letter Regarding the "Proposal on Advancing Citywide 0–6 Year Old Kindergarten-Nursery Integration Based on Local Conditions" P15 2021.1 Anshan Municipal Health Commission, etc. Notice on Issuing Specific Measures to Encourage and Support the Integrated Development of the "Kindergarten-Nursery Integration" Model and Promote the Quality Improvement of Childcare Services P16 2021.9 Dalian Municipal Health Commission, etc. Notice on Issuing Specific Measures to Encourage and Support the "Kindergarten-Nursery Integration" Model to Promote the Development of Childcare Services P17 2021.12 General Office of Yancheng Tinghu District People's Government Notice on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Integrated Development of Early Childhood Education and Childcare in the Whole District P18 2022.1 Shantou Municipal Health Bureau, Shantou Municipal Education Bureau Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Registration of Kindergartens Opening Nursery Classes P19 2022.9 Anhui Provincial Department of Education, etc. Notice on Doing a Good Job in Kindergartens Opening 2–3 Year Old Nursery Classes P20 2022.12 Chuzhou Municipal Education and Sports Bureau, etc. Notice on Issuing the "Work Plan for Chuzhou City Kindergartens Opening 2–3 Year Old Nursery Classes" P21 2022.2 Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education Office, etc. Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Registration of Kindergartens Offering Nursery Classes in Zhejiang Province P22 2023.3 Chuzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission, etc. Notice on the Tuition Fee Standards for 2–3 Year Old Nursery Classes in Public and Non-Profit Private Kindergartens in Chuzhou City P23 2025.3 Linyi Municipal People's Government Office Notice of the Linyi Municipal People's Government Office on Issuing the "Implementation Plan for Supporting Kindergartens to Open Nursery Classes" P24 2025.4 Wenzhou Municipal Education Bureau and Six Other Departments Notice of Wenzhou Municipal Education Bureau and Six Other Departments on Issuing the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting the 'Kindergarten-Nursery Integration' Work in Wenzhou Kindergartens" P25 2025.6 Nanchang Municipal Health Commission, Nanchang Municipal Education Bureau, Nanchang Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Nanchang Municipal Finance Bureau Notice of Nanchang Municipal Health Commission, Nanchang Municipal Education Bureau, Nanchang Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Nanchang Municipal Finance Bureau on Issuing the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting the 'Kindergarten-Nursery Integration' Work in Nanchang Kindergartens" P26 2025.6 Office of the Jinan Municipal Committee Institutional Organization Commission, Jinan Municipal Education Bureau, Jinan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and 8 Other Departments Notice of the Office of the Jinan Municipal Committee Institutional Organization Commission, Jinan Municipal Education Bureau, Jinan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and 8 Other Departments on Supporting Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Ji Jiao Fa [2025] No. 4) P27 2025.7 Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau and 12 Other Departments Notice of Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau and 12 Other Departments on Implementing Issues Related to the "Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Trial)" P28 2025.8 Zhoushan Municipal People's Government Office Notice of the Zhoushan Municipal People's Government Office on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Integration of Childcare and Education in Zhoushan City 4.3.2 Calculation Results of Quantitative Evaluation Indicators Based on the four core steps of the PMC index model and incorporating existing indicator parameter models, multiple input-output tables were established for each of the 28 policies. The PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T) were calculated, along with their mean values, and rated. The means of indicators for highly consistent policies and acceptable policies were calculated and designated as “P High ” and “P Acceptable ,” respectively, and the difference between these two values was then computed. The results indicate that 11 policies, including P2, P3, and P5, exhibit high consistency levels, while 16 policies, such as P1, P4, and P6, demonstrate acceptable levels. P22 shows a low consistency level (Table 4 , The results of PMC Index for 28 Local Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies ) . It forms a spindle-shaped structure with a thicker middle and thinner ends. The mean PMC index was at an acceptable level, while the mean values for the policy instrument index (I), policy attribute index (A), and policy theme index (T) all reached high consistency levels. Among these, there were certain differences in the PMC index, I, A, and T between policies with higher and lower consistency levels. Table 4 The results of PMC Index for 28 Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies Encoding X 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 X 8 X 9 PMC Score Grade I A T P1 0.67 0.40 0.20 0.67 0.75 0.67 0.60 0.75 0.50 5.20 Acceptable 1.27 2.08 1.85 P2 1.00 0.70 0.40 1.00 1.00 0.67 0.60 0.75 0.75 6.87 High Consistency 2.10 2.67 2.10 P3 0.67 0.70 0.80 1.00 1.00 0.67 0.40 0.75 1.00 6.98 High Consistency 2.17 2.67 2.15 P4 1.00 1.00 0.60 1.00 1.00 0.67 0.60 1.00 1.00 7.87 High Consistency 2.60 2.67 2.60 P5 1.00 0.80 0.80 1.00 0.75 0.67 0.80 0.50 0.50 6.82 High Consistency 2.60 2.42 1.80 P6 1.00 0.60 0.40 0.67 0.50 0.67 0.60 0.25 0.50 5.18 Acceptable 2.00 1.83 1.35 P7 0.67 0.70 0.60 0.67 0.50 0.67 0.60 0.25 0.50 5.15 Acceptable 1.97 1.83 1.35 P8 0.33 0.15 0.60 1.00 0.50 0.67 0.60 0.25 0.25 4.35 Acceptable 1.08 2.17 1.10 P9 0.33 0.40 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.67 0.60 0.75 0.75 5.50 Acceptable 0.73 2.67 2.10 P10 0.67 0.95 0.80 0.67 1.00 0.67 0.60 0.75 1.00 7.10 High Consistency 2.42 2.33 2.35 P11 1.00 0.45 0.60 1.00 1.00 0.67 0.60 0.75 0.75 6.82 High Consistency 2.05 2.67 2.10 P12 0.67 0.65 0.40 1.00 0.75 0.67 0.60 0.50 0.50 5.73 Acceptable 1.72 2.42 1.60 P13 1.00 0.60 0.60 0.33 0.75 0.33 0.60 0.50 0.50 5.22 Acceptable 2.20 1.42 1.60 P14 1.00 1.00 0.60 1.00 0.75 0.33 1.00 1.00 0.75 7.43 High Consistency 2.60 2.08 2.75 P15 1.00 0.40 0.00 1.00 0.50 0.33 0.60 0.25 0.75 4.83 Acceptable 1.40 1.83 1.60 P16 0.67 0.70 0.00 0.67 0.50 0.33 0.40 0.25 0.75 4.27 Acceptable 1.37 1.50 1.40 P17 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.67 1.00 0.33 0.80 1.00 1.00 7.80 High Consistency 3.00 2.00 2.80 P18 0.00 0.65 0.00 1.00 0.75 0.33 0.60 0.25 0.50 4.08 Acceptable 0.65 2.08 1.35 P19 0.67 0.50 0.60 1.00 0.75 0.33 0.80 0.50 0.50 5.65 Acceptable 1.77 2.08 1.80 P20 1.00 0.50 0.80 0.67 0.75 0.33 0.60 0.50 0.50 5.65 Acceptable 2.30 1.75 1.60 P21 0.67 0.35 0.60 1.00 0.50 0.33 0.40 0.50 0.50 4.85 Acceptable 1.62 1.83 1.40 P22 0.33 0.10 0.40 0.67 0.50 0.33 0.20 0.25 0.25 3.03 Low Consistency 0.83 1.50 0.70 P23 0.67 0.65 0.80 1.00 1.00 0.33 0.20 0.50 1.00 6.15 High Consistency 2.12 2.33 1.70 P24 1.00 0.75 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.33 0.40 1.00 1.00 7.48 High Consistency 2.75 2.33 2.40 P25 1.00 1.00 0.80 1.00 0.75 0.33 0.80 0.75 0.75 7.18 High Consistency 2.80 2.08 2.30 P26 0.67 0.65 1.00 0.67 1.00 0.33 0.40 0.25 0.50 5.47 Acceptable 2.32 2.00 1.15 P27 0.33 0.10 0.60 1.00 0.50 0.33 0.40 0.25 0.50 4.01 Acceptable 1.03 1.83 1.15 P28 1.00 0.90 0.60 0.67 0.75 0.33 0.40 0.75 0.50 5.90 Acceptable 2.50 1.75 1.65 Mean 0.75 0.62 0.56 0.86 0.77 0.48 0.56 0.56 0.65 5.81 Acceptable 1.93 2.10 1.78 P High 0.91 0.82 0.75 0.94 0.93 0.52 0.62 0.80 0.86 7.14 - 2.47 2.39 2.28 P Acceptable 0.67 0.52 0.44 0.81 0.67 0.46 0.55 0.42 0.53 5.07 - 1.62 1.94 1.50 Difference 0.24 0.30 0.31 0.13 0.26 0.06 0.07 0.37 0.33 2.07 0.85 0.44 0.77 4.3.3 Visualization analysis of representative results Representative policies at three consistency levels were selected, and the surfaces were plotted and analyzed with reference to the PMC index. The solid colored surface indicates the performance level of each policy, while the dashed gray surface denotes the average value of each indicator across the 28 policies. Extracting exemplars from high consistency level policies reveals that their indicators show “individual strengths and no weaknesses across the three dimensions,” meaning they have high-scoring items and perform well across policy instruments, attributes, and themes. This causes the surface to exhibit a “balanced bulge” morphology, floating entirely above the average level. For example, P4 has multiple indicators reaching the full score, with I, A, and T dimensions all close to perfect and a PMC index exceeding 7. This indicates that this policy employs a relatively rich set of policy instruments, has strong policy effectiveness, covers themes comprehensively, and demonstrates strong comprehensiveness (Fig. 4 PMC Surface of P4). Diagnosis of low-consistency policy reveals a pattern of “no standout strengths in any single dimension, and significant but not comprehensive across all three dimensions.” In other words, these policies show no high scores in their primary indicators—some even score quite low—and exhibit clear deficiencies across the three dimensions. The surface for Policy P22(Fig. 5 PMC Surface of P22), for instance, lies entirely below the average level. As a policy specifically addressing childcare fee standards for kindergarten nursery classes, it has a relatively narrow focus within the policy theme dimension, making this a distinct “weakness.” In terms of policy instruments and attributes, it mainly involves government-provided services aimed at stimulating household demand. Although rated as “acceptable” or even “highly consistent” in these aspects, they are not sufficient to constitute “strengths.” As a result, the overall consistency of this policy remains low. Its score does not inherently imply poor quality in its intended, narrow function. Rather, it exemplifies a policy with a highly specialized focus. Characteristic analysis of acceptable-level policies reveals deficiencies in their policy instruments index, attribute index, or theme index. Based on the three-dimensional index, these policies fall into two categories: one exhibits “balanced but mediocre” performance, meaning balanced across all dimensions without notably high scores; the other shows “strengths and weaknesses coexisting”, with significant disparities among indicators but an acceptable PMC index. For the former category, P21 is a typical example (Fig. 6 PMC Surface of P13). All three-dimensional indices demonstrate high consistency, and no primary indicators fall significantly below average levels, though they remain balanced at a low level. For the latter, P8 is a representative example (Fig. 7 PMC Surface of P9). While some indicators exceed the average—such as A at an excellent level (2.67) and T at a high consistency level (2.10)—I exhibits low consistency (0.73), significantly below average. Thus, despite strengths in attribute and thematic dimensions, the overall PMC index remains acceptable due to the scarcity of policy instruments. Through empirical refinement of high-consistency policies, problem diagnosis of low-consistency policies, and identification of acceptable-level policy characteristics, it is evident that local integrated childcare policies exhibit a tension between “specialization” and “balance” under the PMC index evaluation: Highly consistent policies typically achieve high scores across all three dimensions, while acceptable-level and low-consistency policies are constrained by collapses in key dimensions or indicators, or become trapped in low-level equilibrium. This occurs because the PMC Index assigns equal weight to each indicator, making policy consistency a result of “multidimensional co-construction” and placing higher demands on policy comprehensiveness. Therefore, regarding policy consistency, a balance must be sought between “specialization” and “balance”: policies must guard against both obvious weaknesses and low-level equilibrium, focusing not only on developing strengths but also on the overall picture to pursue high-level equilibrium, where scores across all three dimensions are relatively high. For the policies themselves, this translates to pursuing greater comprehensiveness. Further comparison of differences between policy tiers reveals that the core gaps between acceptable-level policies and high-consistency policies, as well as between high-consistency policies and perfect-consistency policies, primarily manifest in the breadth of policy tool application and the depth of policy theme coverage. Focusing on first-level indicators, differences concentrate on the relative weakening of demand-based policy tools and childcare themes. In summary, one-dimensional analysis reveals imbalances within specific dimensions, two-dimensional analysis demonstrates the interplay mechanisms between these imbalances, while the three-dimensional PMC index model holistically reveals the spindle-shaped distribution structure of policy consistency levels. This structure reflects that local childcare integration policies have yet to achieve a widespread “high-level equilibrium” between “specialization” and “balance.” Ultimately, this stems from variations in policy comprehensiveness, which is generally low. However, whether policy coherence reaches a “high-level equilibrium” or policies are comprehensive is not the endpoint of evaluation. Rather, the focus should be on determining whether the functions embedded within the policy structure can effectively address current practical needs. 5. Conclusions and Discussions Before delving into the structural findings, a crucial clarification is warranted: the “low consistency” identified by the PMC index is primarily a measure of a policy’s structural comprehensiveness, not an absolute verdict on its quality or effectiveness (Estrada, 2011). A highly specialized policy might score low on consistency while being effective within its limited scope (Lloyd & Penn, 2012). A policy with multiple tools and a comprehensive structure is not necessarily better, but rather related to the adaptability of the instruments (Linder &Peters, 1989; Howlett &Ramesh, 2021). The central argument of this discussion, however, is that with the shift in the primary social contradiction, the development logic of the new era has transitioned from “quantity” to “quality” to better meet the needs of the people (Zhang, Hou, & Liu, 2019). What functions does the three-dimensional structure of local integrated childcare policies serve, and what are the specific manifestations of these demands? Can the former adapt to the latter? Or does the imperfect consistency of policies lead to the difficulty in meeting demands? 5.1 Structural Imbalances in the Three Dimensions 5.1.1 Policy instruments Exhibiting “Enabling-Dominant, Supply-relatively comprehensive, Demand-Absent” Characteristics The policy instrument dimension reflects which instruments governments employ to advance integrated childcare and early education development, revealing a pattern of “Enabling instruments as dominant, supply-based instruments as relatively comprehensive, and demand-based instruments as absent”: policies extensively utilize enabling instruments, apply multiple supply-based instruments in a relatively comprehensive manner, but lack demand-based instruments. The application of policy instruments is the fundamental pathway to achieving policy objectives and the core of policy implementation (Linder & Peters, 1989). Therefore, selecting effective policy instruments is particularly crucial. Both the nature of the problem (Kingdon, 1984) and the characteristics of the instruments themselves constrain their effectiveness. Dominant enabling instruments can effectively regulate the orderly expansion of the industry, aligning with China's tradition of “strong-state” and being suitable for promoting the orderly expansion of early childhood care and education integration in its nascent stage. Supply-based instruments directly promote policy objectives. However, supply must match demand, and the lack of demand-based instruments can easily lead to a mismatch between supply and demand. This instrument type stimulates policy objectives by directly encouraging service utilization. Currently, a demand-supply mismatch exists where “families struggle to find care while institutions offer limited slots,” partly because household demand remains unrealized (Zhou, 2023). Therefore, such “coherence” reflects more of a vertical consistency within the administrative system, rather than a horizontal alignment between policies and the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders. In summary, supply-based and enabling policy instruments have positively contributed to the early, orderly expansion of integrated early education and care. However, without demand-based policy instruments to regulate, supply has failed to precisely match demand. 5.1.2 Policy Attributes Exhibiting “Strong Enforcement - Narrow Coverage - Low Rigidity” The policy attributes of integrated childcare and early education display characteristics of “strong enforcement, narrow coverage, and low rigidity.” Specifically, organizational coordination yields high enforcement efficacy, yet coverage remains relatively limited. Furthermore, the overall policy effectiveness is not highly prioritized, thereby constraining its impact breadth and institutional binding force. Policy attributes refer to the essential characteristics and nature of policies. The policy attribute dimension reflects the fundamental properties of government policies enacted to promote childcare integration, which influence policy effectiveness. Organizational coordination is a critical component of institutional operations, categorized into vertical and horizontal coordination (Kauerz et al., 2018). Governments rely on bureaucratic authority to ensure policy transmission efficiency (Weber, 1978), yet issues like overlapping institutions and unclear responsibilities within bureaucracies manifest in early childhood education integration policy implementation. Moreover, the diverse stakeholders involved in early childhood education integration create a situation often described as “multiple dragons governing the same river.” Horizontal coordination can address this challenge by facilitating inter-agency communication and reducing resistance. Coverage scope determines which groups are affected by the policy, reflecting the breadth of its impact. Local integrated childcare policies generally exhibit administrative characteristics, primarily operating at the government and kindergarten levels. They influence individuals through an indirect chain of “government-institution-family,” causing policy effects to diminish progressively during transmission. Policy effectiveness correlates with institutional rigidity. Local integrated childcare policies mainly consist of normative documents and working papers at the prefectural or county level, exhibiting relatively weak rigidity. On one hand, this results in relatively weaker overall policy authority and stability, making it difficult to establish long-term, stable institutional expectations. On the other hand, it also allows for greater policy flexibility and efficiency, enabling more localized targeting. These policies supplement and refine higher-level directives, ensuring their smooth implementation down to the “last mile.” Overall, while strong organizational coordination leads to better implementation effectiveness, the weaker rigidity and narrower scope limit the policies’ long-term impact on the system. From a governance perspective, successful ECEC integration depends on coherent multi-level policy instruments and adequate institutional capacity (Howlett & Ramesh, 2021). This kind of "fragmented coherence" from a sectoral perspective may benefit departmental execution, yet it struggles to support the continuity of child development, which is the core value of ECEC integration. 5.1.3 The “Emphasis on Management - Neglect of Care and Education.” Characteristic of Policy Themes Local integrated childcare and education policies exhibit an “external-focused, content-light” characteristic, meaning they prioritize external management over substantive themes like health, education, and teacher training. Policy themes concretely express and directly reflect policy functions, with thematic dimensions revealing variations in policy focus. The core value of ECEC integration lies in realizing the holistic development of children. This requires policy not only to focus on administrative integration but also on the integration of educational attributes like curriculum and teacher training (OECD, 2019; OECD, 2020). The former serves as the foundation, while the latter represents a crucial breakthrough for successful integration (Peeters & Vandenbroeck, 2020; Bennett, J, 2022). In terms of policy nature, current regulations predominantly consist of oversight documents, reflecting the emphasis on management across relevant domains and policy content. Standardized management frameworks (e.g., institutional access standards, facility construction specifications) ensure the supply of integrated childcare services, rapidly filling service gaps and providing a safety net for the sector’s development. However, institutional designs for measures promoting continuous development from ages 0–6—such as curriculum continuity and teacher integration—remain lacking. This ultimately manifests as a thematic emphasis on “external structures over substantive content.” While this approach ensures orderly expansion, it hinders quality improvement, reflecting a dissonance in policy design between the effectiveness of “governance efficiency” and the suitability for “child well-being.” 5.2 Systematic Misalignment in the Overall Policy Framework There is a quality-oriented transformation in the international education system (OECD, 2020). China is currently at a critical stage of high-quality transformation. The demand side of the primary social contradiction has shifted from “the people’s ever-growing material and cultural needs” to “the people's ever-growing needs for a better life.” This marks a fundamental shift in the core mission and focus of national governance—from “quantitative expansion” to “qualitative enhancement” (Tang, 2018). The 2025 Government Work Report further emphasizes that “we must advance education reform and development closely aligned with national needs and public concerns, accelerating our progress from a major education nation to an education powerhouse,” shifting the education development model from scale-driven to quality-driven. Article 1 of the Preschool Education Law explicitly requires promoting high-quality development in preschool education. From a family perspective, in China, parents generally expect access to low-cost, high-quality childcare services and prefer a public-led, inclusive supply system centered on public kindergartens, placing higher demands on educational functions and childcare quality (Li, Ma, & Wang, 2019; Yang, 2019; Hong, Zhu & Tao, 2019; Yuan, Zhang & Yu, 2024). This strong preference for inclusive and high-quality services is related to the “sense of gain” of young Chinese families in parenting, which requires urgent policy responses (Hong et al, 2019). From a societal perspective, fully unleashing family-end demand, integrated childcare and preschool services can effectively optimize resource allocation from 2024 to 2050 in China by connecting resources for ages 0–6(Ru, 2024), resolving the dilemma of “shortage of childcare spots with high demand” and “surplus of school seats with low demand.” At the national level, balanced population development requires a policy system that strengthens childcare support functions. Research indicates that selective familyism is the most effective family welfare policy for boosting fertility intentions in China (Jiang, Song, & Wan, 2025). As a key component, integrated ECEC—incorporated into the national fertility support system—can mitigate fertility constraints through socialized childcare services, thereby achieving comprehensive goals of regulating total population, optimizing demographic structure, and enhancing population quality (the State Council, 2016). Evidently, under high-quality transformation, the new demand for integrated childcare and early education points not only to total volume regulation but also emphasizes quality enhancement. It focuses not merely on administrative system integration but on the alignment of educational elements such as curriculum objectives, content, teacher qualifications, educational philosophies, and evaluation methods. The latter aspect particularly supports children’s continuous development (OECD, 2019). However, the three-dimensional analysis reveals that local childcare-preschool integration policies exhibit a certain degree of neglect toward early childhood development, with policies of lower consistency demonstrating more severe shortcomings than those of higher consistency. Consequently, the structural imbalances within the current policy framework are gradually evolving into systemic misalignment under the backdrop of high-quality development: it struggles to fully address emerging needs. Thus, in the transition toward “high-quality early childhood education,” deficiencies in precision are becoming increasingly apparent. 5.3 Time to Turn: Beyond Ordered Expansion The structural imbalances identified across the three dimensions in this study should not be interpreted as policy failures. Rather, they reflect a deliberate and, in many contexts, typical developmental trajectory adopted by governments—namely, prioritizing scale expansion in the initial stage. This approach enables the rapid establishment of a service framework and the administrative infrastructure necessary for large-scale rollout, thereby responding to urgent service shortages. In the early stages of policy development, high uncertainty, limited institutional capacity, and a high reliance on operability and controllability are common (Hogwood & Peters, 1983; Howlett & Ramesh, 2003). At this stage, many governments prioritize “scale expansion” to quickly establish a basic service supply framework and the administrative infrastructure required for large-scale implementation, thereby addressing prominent availability gaps. This represents a stage-appropriate policy choice (Hemerijck, 2017; Morel, Palier, & Palme, 2012). This is because the outcomes of scale expansion possess higher political visibility and quantifiability, making them more readily rewarded within performance evaluation and accountability systems (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2017). In such an environment, governments tend to prioritize regulatory tools and standardized procedures that facilitate rapid progress and hierarchical accountability. This consolidates a problem definition dominated by administrative management and population targets, reduces the uncertainty and institutional costs associated with undertaking quality reforms, and temporarily postpones complex reforms involving educational quality, professional integration, and service substance (Peters, 2015; Howlett, 2019). Therefore, enabling and supply-based instruments are often prioritized; in this context, even if the internal consistency of the policy instrument mix is relatively limited, it can still effectively support the orderly expansion of the service system in practice (Rayner & Howlett, 2009). Within this context dominated by a social investment orientation and an expansion logic, the formation of policy mixes is continuously shaped by the dominant problem framing, existing institutional capacity, and historical institutional legacies, leading to distinct characteristics of path dependence (Peters, 2018; Howlett, Mukherjee, & Rayner, 2015), which in turn reduces the institutional costs of policy design and implementation. However, as service coverage expands and societal demands shift from "expanding supply" to "improving quality," the limitations of this governance logic oriented towards regulated expansion become apparent. Its path dependence instead weakens the policy system's adaptive capacity to new demands (Hemerijck, 2017; OECD, 2019). The research results indicate that the existing system has successfully constructed a foundational policy framework supporting scale expansion. Yet, when faced with stage-specific transformation needs, only a limited number of local governments have truly begun to systematically rebalance their policy mixes to stimulate demand, deepen educational substance, and strengthen service quality guarantees. These elements are precisely the key conditions for propelling ECEC integration from the expansion phase towards a sustainable, child-centered development stage (Bennett, 2003; OECD, 2017). 6. Recommendations The distribution of the PMC index for policies in this study challenges an implicit assumption found in some policy literature, particularly in analyses employing the PMC index model—that greater policy coherence inevitably implies superior policy quality. The Chinese case demonstrates that the value of internal coherence depends on the governance objectives and institutional capacities at specific stages of development. During policy transitions, this implicit assumption faces even greater scrutiny. Therefore, the findings emphasize that the evaluation and theoretical construction of policy consistency must be contextualized within governance stages in further research to allow for meaningful value assessment. This study acknowledges the contemporary governance characteristic of high-quality development, adopts child welfare theory as the “ultimate goal” or “destination,” and employs policy instrument theory to evaluate whether policies can effectively bridge the gap from the “starting point” to this destination, thereby deriving policy insights. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee emphasized that “further comprehensive deepening of reforms must adhere to institutional development as the main thread” (The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, 2024). The structure of the integrated ECEC policy PMC index reflects both transitional characteristics in the process of institutional system construction and future optimization targets. Optimizing integrated ECEC policies requires a shift from scale-oriented expansion to quality-oriented, demand-responsive governance. Policy optimization should align with the governance objectives and institutional capacities at specific stages of development. First, policy design should increasingly adopt a child-centered approach. This implies a gradual rebalancing of policy priorities, shifting from external regulation to substantive quality dimensions such as curriculum development. Second, greater emphasis should be placed on the configuration of policy instrument mixes. Strengthening the role of demand-based instruments can help activate latent demand and guide more effective resource allocation, while supply-based instruments should prioritize investment in human capital, including teacher training and curriculum development, thereby supporting quality assurance and service innovation. Finally, the effective implementation of integrated ECEC policies is constrained by institutionalized coordination across sectors and governance levels. As the policy framework matures, effective practices should be gradually incorporated into higher-level institutional arrangements to enhance long-term governance capacity and policy stability. Overall, these insights indicate that the high-quality development of ECEC integration requires a balance of instruments, coordination of institutions, and a thematic focus on core values, thereby achieving sustained responsiveness to the multidimensional needs of families, society, and the nation. Declarations Competing Interests: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethics Approval: This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors. Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Consent for Publication: Not applicable. Availability of Data and Materials: The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. This includes: (1) the complete list of the 355 policy documents; (2) the cleaned and coded dataset used for the PMC index calculation (in .xlsx format); (3) the variable definition and coding scheme table; (4) the raw co-occurrence matrix used for social network analysis. The policy texts themselves are publicly available from the official websites of the respective local governments in China, as noted in the manuscript. Authors’ Contributions: All authors contributed to the study conception and design. 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Caring and learning together: A case study of Ghent/Belgium (UNESCO Early Childhood and Family Policy Series No. 18). United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.24700.16006 Peters, B. G. (2015). Advanced introduction to public policy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Peters, B. G. (2018). Policy problems and policy design. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Rayner, J., & Howlett, M. (2009). “Conclusion: Governance arrangements and policy capacity.” Policy and Society, 28(2), 165–172. Ru, Y. (2024). The Supply and Demand Forecast of Inclusive Childcare and the Discussion on Guarantee Path under the Background of Integrating Childcare with Kindergarten: Based on the Study in Beijing. Population & Economics, 1, 41–53 Ruiz Estrada, M. A. (2010). The policy modeling consistency (PMC) index: A new measurement of public policy (MPRA Paper No. 22412). University Library of Munich. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/22412/ Ruiz Estrada, M. A. (2011). Policy modeling: Definition, classification, and evaluation. Journal of Policy Modeling, 33(4), 523–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2011.02.003 Ruiz Estrada, M. A., Yap, S. F., & Nagaraj, S. (2008). Beyond the ceteris paribus assumption: Modeling demand and supply assuming omnia mobilis. International Journal of Economics Research, 5(2), 185–194. State Council of the People's Republic of China. (2019). Guiding opinions on promoting the development of infant care services for children under three. Retrieved May 9, 2025, from http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2019-05/09/content_5389983.htm State Council of the People's Republic of China. (2016). National population development plan (2016–2030). Retrieved January 20, 2025, from http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2017-01/25/content_5163309.htm Tang, H. (2018).Transformation of the Principal Contradiction Facing Chinese Society and Strategies for the Modernization of National Governance in the New Era. Journal of Xinjiang Normal University(Edition of Philosophy and Social Sciences)), 39(1), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.14100/j.cnki.65-1039/g4.20171109.001 Urban, M., Vandenbroeck, M., Van Laere, K., Lazzari, A., & Peeters, J. (2012). Towards competent systems in early childhood education and care: Implications for policy and practice. European Journal of Education, 47(4), 508–526. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12010 Weber, M. (1978). Economy and society: An outline of interpretive sociology. University of California Press. Yang, J. (2018). Supply-side Reform and Childcare Service for Children Under Age Three. Journal of Social Sciences, 1, 89–100. https://doi.org/10.13644/j.cnki.cn31-1112.2018.09.010 Yuan, J., Zhang, Y., & Yu, Y. (2024). The High Quality Development of Preschool Education Necessitates a Significant Enhancement in the Quality of Curricula: Empirical Study on the Relationship Between Curriculum Quality Categories and Early Childhood Development. Journal of the Chinese Society of Education, 1, 7–13. Zhao, L., Tang, J. (2018).The Quantitative Evaluation of China's Carbon Reduction Policies Based on the Index of PMC Model. Forum on Science and Technology in China, 1, 116–122. https://doi.org/10.13580/j.cnki.fstc.2018.01.016 Zhang, J., Hou, Y., Liu, P., et al. (2019). The Goals and Strategy Path of High-quality Development. Journal of Management World, 35(1), 1–7.https://doi.org/10.19744/j.cnki.11-1235/f.20190711.001. Zhang, Y., Liu, H. Q., & Shi, Z. Y. (2022). The Humanistic Attributes of Educational Inputs and Outputs. Educational Research, 43(8), 121–140. Zhou, L. (2023). Structural Contradictions and Policy Suggestions on Generally Beneficial Childcare Service for 0ཞ3-Year-Old Infants and Young Children in China—Based on Statistical Data and Survey Analysis in Hunan Province. Studies in Early Childhood Education, 1, 51–60. https://doi.org/10.13861/j.cnki.sece.2023.12.004 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplementarymaterial.zip Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 28 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 24 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 21 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 06 Feb, 2026 Editor invited by journal 03 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 27 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 27 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8514412","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":588848475,"identity":"c0ce5dc3-1a50-4628-a14a-176a2e09c1d3","order_by":0,"name":"Shaoyuan Zhou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Capital Normal University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shaoyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhou","suffix":""},{"id":588848476,"identity":"2332696e-5c27-43f0-9b46-04ac9b76408a","order_by":1,"name":"Wenwen 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1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":197198,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSocial Network Knowledge Graph of the Integration of ECEC\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.1SocialNetworkKnowledgeGraphoftheIntegrationofECEC.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/8832d2a732c419126981a57d.png"},{"id":102440799,"identity":"997abaa5-ef0d-4247-897b-abd75b8d4f6c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-11 16:52:04","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":219035,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThree Policy Dimensions: Coverage Rates and Reference Points\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.2ThreePolicyDimensionsCoverageRatesandReferencePoints.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/43c584652bff0501bc5505f3.png"},{"id":102745497,"identity":"f120cc55-a1a4-4419-a7ef-c43ab1b538a4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-16 08:51:14","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":314210,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTwo-Dimensional Cross-Overlapping Coding Coverage Statistics Chart\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.3TwoDimensionalCrossOverlappingCodingCoverageStatisticsChart.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/892188e764bfd45606d44d92.png"},{"id":102745746,"identity":"6da91a26-92ea-487e-873d-329612281fcd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-16 08:53:43","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":98262,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePMC Surface of P4\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.4PMCSurfaceofP4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/4d6cc079679c4a6f8a6a479b.png"},{"id":102746296,"identity":"7b363db8-21c2-4c88-b3c5-e0f743c599b7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-16 08:56:33","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":97758,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePMC Surface of P22\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.5PMCSurfaceofP22.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/089da1a38e05b26ebc7f28b2.png"},{"id":102440797,"identity":"f45f9fd1-6503-49ca-9c08-bd602b526743","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-11 16:52:03","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":99209,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePMC Surface of P13\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.6PMCSurfaceofP13.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/8bd0bae95d0ea70de5003b1b.png"},{"id":102440794,"identity":"a8e58420-5349-434b-ac47-0e6466a45ea2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-11 16:52:03","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":97833,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePMC Surface of P9\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig.7PMCSurfaceofP9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/3bd07b336af7aa69b500ae6f.png"},{"id":102962439,"identity":"7a38c273-5e86-4cdd-9013-6cafdee5127e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-19 04:08:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2863333,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/6f953880-2708-4478-96ee-24c513b93233.pdf"},{"id":102440800,"identity":"59f36beb-9b5b-42a0-a5b4-d078d2c963f1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-11 16:52:04","extension":"zip","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":21680097,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Supplementarymaterial.zip","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8514412/v1/759c04bb62c4638d0b402daf.zip"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Time to turn: Evaluation of Local Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Based on the PMC Index Model","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe integration of early childhood education and care (ECEC) serves as a pivotal mechanism linking care and education for children aged 0\u0026ndash;5. It is widely acknowledged that by integrating childcare services and preschool education resources, core issues such as resource inequality, service discontinuity, and low-quality standards\u0026mdash;persistent challenges in many countries, including China\u0026mdash;can be effectively addressed, leading to a comprehensive optimization of the child-rearing support system (Kaga, Bennett, \u0026amp; Moss, 2010). Its value extends beyond enhancing family fertility intentions and child development quality to driving the efficient allocation of social resources and balanced demographic development (OECD, 2018). Scholars have interpreted its value primarily from three perspectives: child welfare (Kamerman \u0026amp; Waldfogel, 2005), family policy (Esping-Andersen, 2009), and social care (Mahon, 2010). Together, these perspectives reveal the multifaceted value of integrated ECEC, forming the theoretical foundation for its gradual elevation as a vital instrument of national governance.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlthough significant research has explored the value and implementation pathways of ECEC integration, a critical question remains underexamined: the realization of these values is not automatic upon policy adoption but is contingent on the design and execution of the policies themselves. This concernthat caution against equating policy presence or formal coherence with effective value realization in complex governance environments (Bammer et al., 2020). To understand whether the integrated childcare and kindergarten policy can achieve its value, it is necessary to conduct a systematic analysis of its internal consistency in design, thereby analyzing the structure of the integrated ECEC policy and what this structure means for the realization of value.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChina presents a typical field for investigating these questions. On one hand, the central government places high expectations on ECEC integration to promote child development, optimize societal resource allocation, and support high-quality population development. Consequently, it has successively introduced multiple supportive policies (State Council, 2019; Central Committee of the Communist Party of China \u0026amp; State Council, 2021; Standing Committee of the National People\u0026rsquo;s Congress, 2023; National Health Commission et al., 2023), promoting integration rapidly and on a vast scale. On the other hand, China has long maintained separate systems for the 0\u0026ndash;3 and 3\u0026ndash;6 age groups. Unlike some countries with a long history of integration, China is undergoing a challenging transition from scale expansion to quality enhancement. Declining fertility rates, uneven distribution of childcare resources, and the predicament of achieving high-quality population development are intertwined, intensifying collective anxiety during this transition. This has created an urgent and heightened demand for realizing multiple values\u0026mdash;child development, optimized resource allocation, etc.\u0026mdash;propelling ECEC integration swiftly to the forefront as a pressing governance issue.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgainst the backdrop of \u0026ldquo;urgent demands for multiple values\u0026rdquo; intersecting with \u0026ldquo;rapid policy rollout,\u0026rdquo; local governments in China have produced a multitude of diverse and heterogeneous policy texts. This makes China an exemplary case for exploring \u0026ldquo;how ECEC integration policies are designed\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;whether such designs can effectively lead to value realization.\u0026rdquo; However, most existing research focuses on implementation pathways, international comparisons, or idealized models, lacking a systematic evaluation of how local Chinese policies respond to practical needs. Current evaluations also tend to examine only one or two dimensions, limiting insights into the overall function and design logic of policies. Therefore, a comprehensive model is urgently needed to systematically assess local integration policies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) Index Model, as a multidimensional quantitative tool, enables the objective assessment of policy comprehensiveness and systematicity through consistency analysis (Ruiz Estrada, 2010). However, the pursuit of perfect policy coherence is not advisable, as it may suppress local innovation, overlook diverse interests and contextual variations, and ultimately undermine policy adaptability (Cairney, 2025). This study conceptualizes the PMC index as an indicator of the structural alignment between policy design and the evolving governance demands within integrated ECEC systems, moving beyond a fragmented and isolated analysis of consistency scores to thereby interpret policy quality. Following a \u0026ldquo;data collection\u0026mdash;model construction\u0026mdash;quantitative evaluation\u0026rdquo; approach, this study collects local ECEC integration policy texts, extracts their core dimensions, constructs a PMC index evaluation system, and employs this framework to analyze relevant local policies\u0026mdash;particularly those specifically tailored for integration. The aim is to identify their internal structures, quantitatively evaluate their responsiveness to demands, and formulate recommendations based on the findings.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Theoretical Foundations","content":"\u003cp\u003eIntegrated early childhood education and care (ECEC) constitutes a public policy arrangement grounded in children\u0026rsquo;s rights and early childhood development as its core value base (Kamerman \u0026amp; Waldfogel, 2005). Its intrinsic value should therefore be defined as a policy goal in its own right, rather than as a subsidiary outcome of fertility support or governance efficiency. From this perspective, child welfare provides a central lens for evaluating the quality of integrated ECEC policies. However, child welfare as a public value does not materialize automatically; it must be realized through institutional design and governmental intervention, formalized in ECEC policies. The effectiveness of such policies depends on how governments select, configure, and combine different types of policy instruments across various themes. Cairney (2025) notes that \u0026ldquo;perfect policy coherence\u0026rdquo; is an ideal type that is not attainable in practice and may not even be desirable. The complexity of policy systems, bureaucratic divisions, and the necessary specialization among different policy subsystems inevitably result in a certain degree of incoherence, which in turn allows for attention to contextual differences, encourages local innovation, and accommodates diverse interests. Therefore, instead of pursuing \u0026ldquo;perfect coherence\u0026rdquo; in integrated ECEC policies, this study uses the PMC index to assess the structural characteristics of policies and analyze whether they can respond to the complex demands of the current governance stage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccordingly, this study adopts child welfare theory and policy instrument theory as its core analytical perspectives: the former is used to conceptualize the normative value orientation of integrated ECEC policies, while the latter is employed to examine the administrative means through which these values are pursued in practice.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis approach allows for an assessment of whether policy instruments genuinely operationalize normative goals\u0026mdash;namely, whether governmental actions effectively respond to children\u0026rsquo;s developmental needs\u0026mdash;and thus enables a systematic evaluation of the quality of local integrated ECEC policies against their normative benchmarks.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Policy Instrument Theory\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy instrument theory posits that the realization of policy objectives depends on governments\u0026rsquo; choices regarding, and combinations of, different policy instruments (Howlett \u0026amp; Ramesh, 2003). Policy instruments function not only as tools of governmental intervention but also as manifestations of underlying governance philosophies, problem framings, and assumptions about relevant actors (Linder \u0026amp; Peters, 1989). This theoretical approach commonly classifies policy instruments into supply-side, environmental, and demand-side categories, a typology that is well suited to evaluating integrated ECEC policies in terms of whether their design is capable of translating policy values into responses to emerging social needs. Within this framework, the evaluation of integrated ECEC policies is grounded in an analysis of how policy instruments are deployed and combined, with particular attention to the driving strategies they embody and the extent to which these strategies align with evolving policy demands.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Child Welfare Theory\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eChild welfare theory conceptualizes children as rights-bearing and developing subjects, and holds that both the state and society bear responsibility for safeguarding children\u0026rsquo;s rights to survival, development, protection, and participation through institutional design and resource allocation, with the ultimate aim of maximizing children\u0026rsquo;s best interests. From this perspective, integrated ECEC is understood as a child-centered approach that prioritizes children\u0026rsquo;s developmental needs through the systematic integration of care and education via institutional restructuring and resource coordination. At its core, integrated ECEC seeks to transcend the traditional separation between care and education by means of institutional reform, resource integration, and inter-actor coordination, thereby constructing a continuous support system covering the full developmental cycle from birth to age six. The ultimate objective is to create a seamless early learning and care environment that supports children\u0026rsquo;s holistic development (OECD, 2017; Bennett, 2003).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccordingly, this study employs child welfare theory to guide the problem definition, value assessment, and content analysis of integrated ECEC policies. First, while administrative or organizational integration constitutes a necessary foundation, the fundamental value of integrated ECEC\u0026mdash;and the ultimate goal of related policies\u0026mdash;lies in supporting the continuity and coherence of early childhood development. Therefore, policy evaluation must focus on the extent to which policies explicitly and substantively promote children\u0026rsquo;s development. Second, in constructing the policy evaluation index system, it is essential to move beyond an exclusive focus on \u0026ldquo;hard\u0026rdquo; indicators such as management arrangements and implementation mechanisms, and to incorporate \u0026ldquo;soft\u0026rdquo; dimensions that directly shape children\u0026rsquo;s daily experiences and developmental quality, including curriculum continuity, care\u0026ndash;education quality, and staff integration (Liu et al., 2022).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Construction of the Evaluation Index System for Local Integration of ECEC Policies","content":"\u003cp\u003ePolicy instrument theory emphasizes that the selection, combination, and coordination of policy instruments reflect a government\u0026rsquo;s underlying governance logic and institutional capacity (Howlett, 2019; Peters, 2018). Accordingly, when examining governance logic and institutional capacity, policy consistency constitutes one of the core criteria for evaluation (Rayner \u0026amp; Howlett, 2009; OECD, 2013). On this basis, this study adopts the PMC index model to analyze policy design.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eProposed by Ruiz Estrada, the PMC Index Model is a relatively objective quantitative evaluation method internationally that is exclusively used for policy text analysis and has been widely applied. Based on the \u0026ldquo;Omnia Mobilis\u0026rdquo; hypothesis, the model holds that when constructing an evaluation index system, any variables related to the research object should be considered. All variables are assigned equal weights through binary (0/1) coding, and the internal structure of the policy is taken into account as extensively as possible (Ruiz Estrada, Yap, \u0026amp; Nagaraj, 2008). The entire evaluation process mainly includes the following four steps: identifying variables and setting parameters, establishing a multi-input-output table, calculating the PMC Index, and drawing the PMC surface.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Identification of Variables and Parameter Setting\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.1 Data Collection and Sample Selection\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFollowing the principles of relevance, validity, and timeliness, policy texts related to keywords such as ECEC integration, ECEC, and childcare were collected from 2018 to October 1, 2025. A total of 355 policy documents were obtained, including 333 local-level policies. Among these, 28 policies explicitly focusing on the integration of ECEC were selected for in-depth analysis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.2 Text Preprocessing\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-relevant content was first removed from the policy texts. Then, the ROST CM6 software was employed for tokenization based on a customized lexicon of terms related to ECEC integration. Mainstream stopword lists were cross-referenced and adjusted according to the thematic scope to ensure precision. Finally, synonymous keywords and institutional labels were standardized to avoid ambiguity in text representation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1.3 Extraction of Key Policy Content\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eUsing ROST CM6, high-frequency words were extracted to conduct co-word analysis, generating a co-occurrence matrix. The top 50 high-frequency words were then imported into Gephi for clustering at standard resolution, resulting in a social network map of ECEC policy keywords. Distinct colors represent clusters, node sizes indicate degree centrality, and the intensity of edge color denotes the frequency of co-occurrence, reflecting the closeness of interconnections. (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e Social Network Knowledge Graph of the Integration of ECEC)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, the graph comprises four modules. The first module includes nodes such as \u0026ldquo;Kindergarten,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Nursery Class,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Guidance,\u0026rdquo; covering target planning, safeguard measures, and quality expansion, and mainly represents enabling policy instruments. It is closely linked to the second module, which contains nodes like \u0026ldquo;the Integration of ECEC,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Child,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Resource,\u0026rdquo; relating to resource, service, and financial supply, and reflects supply-based policy instruments. The third module, with nodes such as \u0026ldquo;Infant and Toddler,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Service,\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Care,\u0026rdquo; addresses infant development and care system enrichment, and is closely connected to the first two modules, representing demand-based policy instruments. The fourth module includes \u0026ldquo;People\u0026rsquo;s Government,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Department,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Sub-district,\u0026rdquo; etc., and are closely linked to the first three modules. This indicates organizational coordination, such as departmental division of labor and vertical coordination.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubsequently, combining the social network knowledge graph, the policy texts involved in this study were conceptualized and categorized, coding them into secondary variables and primary variables. Among these, the connotation of \u0026ldquo;Safeguard Measures\u0026rdquo; was particularly rich, so tertiary variables were added to explore its internal structure.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, based on the coding results, and supplemented by the integration of early childhood education and care policy texts and existing literature, the PMC index system for the integration of early childhood education and care policies was constructed, comprising 3 dimensions, 9 primary variables, 34 secondary variables, and 5 tertiary variables (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e PMC Index Model Variable Settings of Local the Integration of ECEC Policy\u003cb\u003e)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePMC Index Model Variable Settings of Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst-order variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCode\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecond-order variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCode\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTertiary variables/identification basis/high frequency words\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReference source\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"11\" rowspan=\"12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy Instruments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSupply-Based\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinancial Supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e1\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves financial supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrimary variables derived from policy instrument theory(Howlett, M. 2011).; secondary variables derived from the knowledge graph.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eService Supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e1\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves service supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResource Supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e1\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves resource supply\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnabling\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTarget Planning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves target planning\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDerived from policy instrument theory and social network mapping; tertiary variables adapted from Penn (2011)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSafeguard Measures\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003eInstitutional Management Safeguards\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003eEstablishing Service Systems\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003eImproving Kindergarten-Nursery Mechanisms\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003eGuaranteeing Teacher Qualification Levels\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;2\u0026minus;5\u003c/sub\u003eConforming to Standards/Norms\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuality Improvement \u0026amp; Capacity Expansion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProvides a favorable environment for quality improvement and scale expansion\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResource Agglomeration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUtilizes resource agglomeration advantages or coordinates resources\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemand-Based\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDemand Response\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves response to demand\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrimary variables derived from policy instrument theory; secondary variables derived from the knowledge graph.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCost Burden Control\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReleases demand by controlling costs/burdens\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrust Building\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReleases demand by gaining public trust\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccessibility Improvement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReleases demand by improving accessibility\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublicity and Guidance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u0026minus;5\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReleases demand through publicity and guidance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"9\" rowspan=\"10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy Attributes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational Coordination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInter-departmental Coordination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e4\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInter-departmental Coordination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDerived from the knowledge graph.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eUpward Coordination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e4\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves coordination with superior levels\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDownward Coordination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e4\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves coordination with subordinate levels\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoverage Scope\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChildren\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCovers children\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on Zhao \u0026amp; Tang (2018) on inclusiveness in ECEC policies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamilies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCovers families\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGovernment\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCovers government\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInstitutions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCovers institutions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLegal Force\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal Regulations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e6\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIs a local regulation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdapted from Li, Rao\u0026amp;Shen (2023) on local policy hierarchy and governance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal Normative Documents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e6\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIs a local normative document\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal Working Documents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e6\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIs a local working document\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"12\" rowspan=\"13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy Themes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy Nature\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEncouragement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves encouraging and promoting kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdapted from Lloyd \u0026amp; Penn (2012), consistent with policy typology under PMC index analysis\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrediction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves predicting the development of kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegulation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves regulating kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRequirement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves mandatory requirements for kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u0026minus;5\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves describing the current state of kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy Content\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrated Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves integrated management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDerived from Liu, Zhan, \u0026amp;Ma(2022), Kaga, Bennett, \u0026amp; Moss (2010) on integrated ECEC systems, and Urban et al. (2012) on multi-level governance in early childhood education.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrated Curriculum\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves an integrated curriculum\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrated Cooperation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves integrated cooperation among families, communities, institutions, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrated Training\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves training integrated kindergarten-nursery teaching staff\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolved Sectors\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreschool Education\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u0026minus;1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves kindergartens, educational care, and measures taken for them\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\" morerows=\"3\" rowspan=\"4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on Urban et al. (2012) on early childhood systems; modified according to the ECEC integration context in China\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublic Services\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u0026minus;2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves services provided for kindergarten-nursery integration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublic Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u0026minus;3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves measures for managing kindergarten nursery classes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHealth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u0026minus;4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInvolves child health and measures taken for it\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the dimension of Policy Instruments, there are three types of policy instruments, reflecting the three methods and means for promoting the integration of early childhood education and care. Supply-based policy instruments refer to the government directly acting on factors of production to expand effective supply. Enabling policy instruments refer to the government creating a favorable environment for the development of the integration of early childhood education and care, providing various environmental safeguards, thus forming an indirect influence. Demand-based policy instruments are used to stimulate and release public demand for the integration of early childhood education and care.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the dimension of Policy Attributes, including organizational coordination, coverage scope, and policy legal force, reflecting structural differences in inter-governmental relationships, key target populations, and policy implementation effectiveness and influence, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the dimension of Policy Themes, including policy nature, policy content, and involved sectors, reflecting the key content and focus of the policies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Establishing the Multi-Input-Output Table and Calculating the PMC Index\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFollowing the four core steps of the PMC index model and combining existing indicator parameter models, a multi-input-output table was established for each of the 28 policy files, and the PMC index was calculated.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2.1 Establishing the Multi-Input-Output Table\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on Eq.\u0026nbsp;(1), values were assigned to secondary indicators following the approach proposed by Ruiz Estrada (2011) in the Journal of Policy Modeling. Eq.\u0026nbsp;(2) was applied to tertiary indicators. Based on this, the value of each secondary indicator is calculated according to Formula (3).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:X～N=\\left[\\text{0,1}\\right]\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula(1)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:X=\\{XR:[\\text{0,1}\\left]\\right\\}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula(2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{X}_{ij}=\\sum\\:_{k=1}{X}_{ijk\\:}\\times\\:\\frac{1}{S}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula(3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubstitute each secondary variable indicator into Formula (4) to calculate the value of the primary indicators, thereby establishing the multi-input-output table for the Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Care and Education.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:{X}_{i}=\\sum\\:_{j=1}^{n}{X}_{ij}\\times\\:\\frac{1}{n}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2.2 Calculating the PMC Index\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe PMC index is calculated by summation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:PMC=\\sum\\:{X}_{i}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (5)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhere: \u003cem\u003ei\u003c/em\u003e represents the primary indicator; \u003cem\u003ej\u003c/em\u003e represents the secondary indicator; \u003cem\u003ek\u003c/em\u003e represents the tertiary indicator; \u003cem\u003eij\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1,2,3, ..., \u003cem\u003es\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003es\u003c/em\u003e represents the number of tertiary indicators under the secondary indicator; X\u003csub\u003ei\u003c/sub\u003e is the value of the primary indicator; X\u003csub\u003eij\u003c/sub\u003e is the value of the secondary indicator; X\u003csub\u003eijk\u003c/sub\u003e is the value of the tertiary indicator.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo further examine the three dimensions of policy instruments, attributes, and themes to explore the structural preferences within the policies, the Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T) are calculated.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\text{I}={\\text{X}}_{1}+{\\text{X}}_{2}+{\\text{X}}_{3}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (6)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\text{A}={\\text{X}}_{4}+{\\text{X}}_{5}+{\\text{X}}_{6}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\text{T}={\\text{X}}_{7}+{\\text{X}}_{8}+{\\text{X}}_{9}\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Drawing the PMC Surface\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo visually display the PMC index calculation results, the scores of the nine primary indicators are transformed into a third-level matrix to construct a surface, intuitively showing the internal structure, strengths, and weaknesses of the policy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\text{P}\\text{M}\\text{C}-\\text{s}\\text{u}\\text{r}\\text{f}\\text{a}\\text{c}\\text{e}=\\left[\\begin{array}{ccc}{\\text{X}}_{1}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{2}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{3}\\\\\\:{\\text{X}}_{4}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{5}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{6}\\\\\\:{\\text{X}}_{7}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{8}\u0026amp;\\:{\\text{X}}_{9}\\end{array}\\right]\\)\u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e Formula (9)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Grade Assessment\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the calculations using the above formulas, and according to the PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T), the policy consistency level is classified. The PMC index model in this study contains 9 primary variables, so the PMC index value should range between 0\u0026ndash;9, and I, A, and T should range between 0\u0026ndash;3, respectively. All are divided into four grades (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e Policy evaluation grade classification criteria).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy evaluation grade classification criteria\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation index\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation scores and grades\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePMC Index\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eScore Range\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00-3.99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.00-5.99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.00-7.99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.00\u0026ndash;9.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerfect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eScore Range\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00-0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.76\u0026ndash;1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.51\u0026ndash;2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.26-3.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerfect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eScore Range\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00-0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.76\u0026ndash;1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.51\u0026ndash;2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.26-3.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerfect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eScore Range\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00-0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.76\u0026ndash;1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.51\u0026ndash;2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.26-3.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluation Grade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerfect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Empirical Analysis of the Policies on the Integration of ECEC Evaluation","content":"\u003cp\u003eAn empirical analysis was conducted on 333 local the integration of ECEC-related policies using one-dimensional and two-dimensional cross-analysis. A three-dimensional evaluation was performed on 28 tailored policies, which involved calculating the PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T), and drawing PMC surface to quantify the local integration of ECEC policies from a multi-dimensional perspective.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Individual Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe frequency of policy instrument use and the design of policy attributes were counted based on coding reference points, while the proportion of text dedicated to policy instruments and the breadth of policy themes were measured using coverage rates (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e Three Policy Dimensions: Coverage Rates and Reference Points).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results revealed that within the policy instrument dimension, enabling instruments had the highest coverage rate, indicating they received the most textual emphasis, with a particular preference for \u0026ldquo;Safeguard Measures.\u0026rdquo; Supply-type instruments ranked next, while demand-type instruments were relatively low. In the policy attribute dimension, most policies involved not only \u0026ldquo;top-down\u0026rdquo; directives but also \u0026ldquo;bottom-up\u0026rdquo; implementation, achieved through inter-departmental coordination, primarily covering the government and kindergartens. The legal force/hierarchy was predominantly composed of local normative documents and working documents. In the policy theme dimension, the focus was primarily on management, often implemented with mandatory characteristics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 Two-Dimensional Cross-Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy querying the matrix coding, overlapping coding reference points and their coverage rates between two dimensions were obtained to analyze the policy structure at the two-dimensional cross-level. The \u0026ldquo;Legal Force/Hierarchy\u0026rdquo; indicator was not explicitly reflected in the tailored policy texts and therefore did not appear in cross-analyses.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe interaction between policy instruments and themes indicates that enabling instruments are embedded in the public management sector (e.g., institutional standardization, target planning), and their influence is significantly higher than that of supply-based and demand-type instruments, strengthening indirect environmental shaping (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e Two-Dimensional Cross Overlapping Coding Coverage Statistics Chart). This preference further acts on the policy attribute dimension: the overlapping coverage rates of enabling instruments and coverage scope show that administrative entities (government, kindergartens) receive stronger environmental safeguards, whereas demand-based instruments have lower coverage of families and children, resulting in insufficient stimulation of demand.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3 Three-Dimensional Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3.1 Data Sources\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicies specifically issued for the integration of ECEC were selected from the valid integration of ECEC policy text database, totaling 28 policies, for three-dimensional analysis (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e Sample Database for Evaluating Typical Local Integration of ECEC Policies).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample Database for Evaluating Typical Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIssue Date\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIssuing Agency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy title\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLegal Force\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2021.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eZhejiang Provincial Department of Education\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Zhejiang Province Kindergarten Nursery Class Management Guide (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\" morerows=\"11\" rowspan=\"12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal Normative Document\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2024.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShenzhen Municipal Education Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Shenzhen Municipality Kindergarten Nursery Class Establishment and Management Measures\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFoshan Municipal Education Bureau, Foshan Municipal Health Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Interim Measures for the Establishment and Management of Kindergarten Nursery Classes in Foshan City\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Office of Ningbo Jiangbei District People's Government\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Construction of the Jiangbei District Kindergarten-Nursery Integrated Service System (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2023.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHangzhou Municipal Education Bureau, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eImplementation Opinions on Promoting the \"Kindergarten-Nursery Integration\" Work in Hangzhou Kindergartens\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2023.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNingbo Jiangbei District People's Congress Standing Committee\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDecision on Accelerating the Construction of Kindergarten-Nursery Integrated Service Infrastructure in Our District\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2023.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChongqing Municipal Health Commission, Chongqing Municipal Education Commission\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChongqing Kindergarten-Nursery Integration Management Measures (Trial)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2024.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHainan Provincial Health Commission, Hainan Provincial Department of Education\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Hainan Province Kindergarten Nursery Class Establishment and Registration Management Measures (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2024.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHuizhou Municipal Health Bureau, Huizhou Municipal Education Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Interim Measures for the Establishment and Management of Kindergarten Nursery Classes by the Huizhou Municipal Health Bureau and Huizhou Municipal Education Bureau\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Office of Shandong Provincial People's Government\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJuly 14, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShaanxi Provincial Department of Education and Seven Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Implementation Opinions on Shaanxi Province Kindergartens Carrying Out Childcare Services\" by the Department of Education and Seven Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAugust 28, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eXiamen Municipal Health Commission and Seven Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Xiamen in Carrying Out Childcare Services (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2018.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJinan Municipal Health Commission\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResponse to Proposal No. 1510623 of the First Session of the 15th Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on \"Promoting Kindergarten-Nursery Integration to Realize 'Kindergarten within Kindergarten'\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\" morerows=\"15\" rowspan=\"16\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal Working Document\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2020.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChengdu Municipal Education Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResponse Letter Regarding the \"Proposal on Advancing Citywide 0\u0026ndash;6 Year Old Kindergarten-Nursery Integration Based on Local Conditions\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2021.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnshan Municipal Health Commission, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing Specific Measures to Encourage and Support the Integrated Development of the \"Kindergarten-Nursery Integration\" Model and Promote the Quality Improvement of Childcare Services\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2021.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDalian Municipal Health Commission, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing Specific Measures to Encourage and Support the \"Kindergarten-Nursery Integration\" Model to Promote the Development of Childcare Services\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2021.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Office of Yancheng Tinghu District People's Government\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Integrated Development of Early Childhood Education and Childcare in the Whole District\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShantou Municipal Health Bureau, Shantou Municipal Education Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Doing a Good Job in the Registration of Kindergartens Opening Nursery Classes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnhui Provincial Department of Education, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Doing a Good Job in Kindergartens Opening 2\u0026ndash;3 Year Old Nursery Classes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChuzhou Municipal Education and Sports Bureau, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Issuing the \"Work Plan for Chuzhou City Kindergartens Opening 2\u0026ndash;3 Year Old Nursery Classes\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2022.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eZhejiang Provincial Department of Education Office, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on Doing a Good Job in the Registration of Kindergartens Offering Nursery Classes in Zhejiang Province\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2023.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChuzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission, etc.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice on the Tuition Fee Standards for 2\u0026ndash;3 Year Old Nursery Classes in Public and Non-Profit Private Kindergartens in Chuzhou City\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLinyi Municipal People's Government Office\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of the Linyi Municipal People's Government Office on Issuing the \"Implementation Plan for Supporting Kindergartens to Open Nursery Classes\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eWenzhou Municipal Education Bureau and Six Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of Wenzhou Municipal Education Bureau and Six Other Departments on Issuing the \"Implementation Opinions on Promoting the 'Kindergarten-Nursery Integration' Work in Wenzhou Kindergartens\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNanchang Municipal Health Commission, Nanchang Municipal Education Bureau, Nanchang Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Nanchang Municipal Finance Bureau\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of Nanchang Municipal Health Commission, Nanchang Municipal Education Bureau, Nanchang Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Nanchang Municipal Finance Bureau on Issuing the \"Implementation Opinions on Promoting the 'Kindergarten-Nursery Integration' Work in Nanchang Kindergartens\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOffice of the Jinan Municipal Committee Institutional Organization Commission, Jinan Municipal Education Bureau, Jinan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and 8 Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of the Office of the Jinan Municipal Committee Institutional Organization Commission, Jinan Municipal Education Bureau, Jinan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, and 8 Other Departments on Supporting Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Ji Jiao Fa [2025] No. 4)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eQingdao Municipal Education Bureau and 12 Other Departments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau and 12 Other Departments on Implementing Issues Related to the \"Several Measures to Support Kindergartens in Opening Nursery Classes (Trial)\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2025.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eZhoushan Municipal People's Government Office\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotice of the Zhoushan Municipal People's Government Office on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Integration of Childcare and Education in Zhoushan City\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3.2 Calculation Results of Quantitative Evaluation Indicators\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the four core steps of the PMC index model and incorporating existing indicator parameter models, multiple input-output tables were established for each of the 28 policies. The PMC index, Policy Instrument index (I), Policy Attribute index (A), and Policy Theme index (T) were calculated, along with their mean values, and rated. The means of indicators for highly consistent policies and acceptable policies were calculated and designated as \u0026ldquo;P\u003csub\u003eHigh\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;P\u003csub\u003eAcceptable\u003c/sub\u003e,\u0026rdquo; respectively, and the difference between these two values was then computed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results indicate that 11 policies, including P2, P3, and P5, exhibit high consistency levels, while 16 policies, such as P1, P4, and P6, demonstrate acceptable levels. P22 shows a low consistency level (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, The results of PMC Index for 28 Local Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies\u003cb\u003e)\u003c/b\u003e. It forms a spindle-shaped structure with a thicker middle and thinner ends. The mean PMC index was at an acceptable level, while the mean values for the policy instrument index (I), policy attribute index (A), and policy theme index (T) all reached high consistency levels. Among these, there were certain differences in the PMC index, I, A, and T between policies with higher and lower consistency levels.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of PMC Index for 28 Local the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Policies\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"15\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c12\" colnum=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c13\" colnum=\"13\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c14\" colnum=\"14\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c15\" colnum=\"15\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEncoding\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e5\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e7\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e8\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eX\u003csub\u003e9\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePMC Score\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.97\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.72\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Consistency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.32\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcceptable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP\u003csub\u003eHigh\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP\u003csub\u003eAcceptable\u003c/sub\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDifference\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.31\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c14\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c15\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.3.3 Visualization analysis of representative results\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRepresentative policies at three consistency levels were selected, and the surfaces were plotted and analyzed with reference to the PMC index. The solid colored surface indicates the performance level of each policy, while the dashed gray surface denotes the average value of each indicator across the 28 policies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eExtracting exemplars from high consistency level policies reveals that their indicators show \u0026ldquo;individual strengths and no weaknesses across the three dimensions,\u0026rdquo; meaning they have high-scoring items and perform well across policy instruments, attributes, and themes. This causes the surface to exhibit a \u0026ldquo;balanced bulge\u0026rdquo; morphology, floating entirely above the average level. For example, P4 has multiple indicators reaching the full score, with I, A, and T dimensions all close to perfect and a PMC index exceeding 7. This indicates that this policy employs a relatively rich set of policy instruments, has strong policy effectiveness, covers themes comprehensively, and demonstrates strong comprehensiveness (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e PMC Surface of P4).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiagnosis of low-consistency policy reveals a pattern of \u0026ldquo;no standout strengths in any single dimension, and significant but not comprehensive across all three dimensions.\u0026rdquo; In other words, these policies show no high scores in their primary indicators\u0026mdash;some even score quite low\u0026mdash;and exhibit clear deficiencies across the three dimensions. The surface for Policy P22(Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e PMC Surface of P22), for instance, lies entirely below the average level. As a policy specifically addressing childcare fee standards for kindergarten nursery classes, it has a relatively narrow focus within the policy theme dimension, making this a distinct \u0026ldquo;weakness.\u0026rdquo; In terms of policy instruments and attributes, it mainly involves government-provided services aimed at stimulating household demand. Although rated as \u0026ldquo;acceptable\u0026rdquo; or even \u0026ldquo;highly consistent\u0026rdquo; in these aspects, they are not sufficient to constitute \u0026ldquo;strengths.\u0026rdquo; As a result, the overall consistency of this policy remains low. Its score does not inherently imply poor quality in its intended, narrow function. Rather, it exemplifies a policy with a highly specialized focus.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacteristic analysis of acceptable-level policies reveals deficiencies in their policy instruments index, attribute index, or theme index. Based on the three-dimensional index, these policies fall into two categories: one exhibits \u0026ldquo;balanced but mediocre\u0026rdquo; performance, meaning balanced across all dimensions without notably high scores; the other shows \u0026ldquo;strengths and weaknesses coexisting\u0026rdquo;, with significant disparities among indicators but an acceptable PMC index. For the former category, P21 is a typical example (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e PMC Surface of P13). All three-dimensional indices demonstrate high consistency, and no primary indicators fall significantly below average levels, though they remain balanced at a low level. For the latter, P8 is a representative example (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e PMC Surface of P9). While some indicators exceed the average\u0026mdash;such as A at an excellent level (2.67) and T at a high consistency level (2.10)\u0026mdash;I exhibits low consistency (0.73), significantly below average. Thus, despite strengths in attribute and thematic dimensions, the overall PMC index remains acceptable due to the scarcity of policy instruments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThrough empirical refinement of high-consistency policies, problem diagnosis of low-consistency policies, and identification of acceptable-level policy characteristics, it is evident that local integrated childcare policies exhibit a tension between \u0026ldquo;specialization\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;balance\u0026rdquo; under the PMC index evaluation: Highly consistent policies typically achieve high scores across all three dimensions, while acceptable-level and low-consistency policies are constrained by collapses in key dimensions or indicators, or become trapped in low-level equilibrium. This occurs because the PMC Index assigns equal weight to each indicator, making policy consistency a result of \u0026ldquo;multidimensional co-construction\u0026rdquo; and placing higher demands on policy comprehensiveness. Therefore, regarding policy consistency, a balance must be sought between \u0026ldquo;specialization\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;balance\u0026rdquo;: policies must guard against both obvious weaknesses and low-level equilibrium, focusing not only on developing strengths but also on the overall picture to pursue high-level equilibrium, where scores across all three dimensions are relatively high. For the policies themselves, this translates to pursuing greater comprehensiveness.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther comparison of differences between policy tiers reveals that the core gaps between acceptable-level policies and high-consistency policies, as well as between high-consistency policies and perfect-consistency policies, primarily manifest in the breadth of policy tool application and the depth of policy theme coverage. Focusing on first-level indicators, differences concentrate on the relative weakening of demand-based policy tools and childcare themes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, one-dimensional analysis reveals imbalances within specific dimensions, two-dimensional analysis demonstrates the interplay mechanisms between these imbalances, while the three-dimensional PMC index model holistically reveals the spindle-shaped distribution structure of policy consistency levels. This structure reflects that local childcare integration policies have yet to achieve a widespread \u0026ldquo;high-level equilibrium\u0026rdquo; between \u0026ldquo;specialization\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;balance.\u0026rdquo; Ultimately, this stems from variations in policy comprehensiveness, which is generally low. However, whether policy coherence reaches a \u0026ldquo;high-level equilibrium\u0026rdquo; or policies are comprehensive is not the endpoint of evaluation. Rather, the focus should be on determining whether the functions embedded within the policy structure can effectively address current practical needs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusions and Discussions","content":"\u003cp\u003eBefore delving into the structural findings, a crucial clarification is warranted: the \u0026ldquo;low consistency\u0026rdquo; identified by the PMC index is primarily a measure of a policy\u0026rsquo;s structural comprehensiveness, not an absolute verdict on its quality or effectiveness (Estrada, 2011). A highly specialized policy might score low on consistency while being effective within its limited scope (Lloyd \u0026amp; Penn, 2012). A policy with multiple tools and a comprehensive structure is not necessarily better, but rather related to the adaptability of the instruments (Linder \u0026amp;Peters, 1989; Howlett \u0026amp;Ramesh, 2021). The central argument of this discussion, however, is that with the shift in the primary social contradiction, the development logic of the new era has transitioned from \u0026ldquo;quantity\u0026rdquo; to \u0026ldquo;quality\u0026rdquo; to better meet the needs of the people (Zhang, Hou, \u0026amp; Liu, 2019). What functions does the three-dimensional structure of local integrated childcare policies serve, and what are the specific manifestations of these demands? Can the former adapt to the latter? Or does the imperfect consistency of policies lead to the difficulty in meeting demands?\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1 Structural Imbalances in the Three Dimensions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1.1 Policy instruments Exhibiting \u0026ldquo;Enabling-Dominant, Supply-relatively comprehensive, Demand-Absent\u0026rdquo; Characteristics\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe policy instrument dimension reflects which instruments governments employ to advance integrated childcare and early education development, revealing a pattern of \u0026ldquo;Enabling instruments as dominant, supply-based instruments as relatively comprehensive, and demand-based instruments as absent\u0026rdquo;: policies extensively utilize enabling instruments, apply multiple supply-based instruments in a relatively comprehensive manner, but lack demand-based instruments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe application of policy instruments is the fundamental pathway to achieving policy objectives and the core of policy implementation (Linder \u0026amp; Peters, 1989). Therefore, selecting effective policy instruments is particularly crucial. Both the nature of the problem (Kingdon, 1984) and the characteristics of the instruments themselves constrain their effectiveness. Dominant enabling instruments can effectively regulate the orderly expansion of the industry, aligning with China's tradition of \u0026ldquo;strong-state\u0026rdquo; and being suitable for promoting the orderly expansion of early childhood care and education integration in its nascent stage. Supply-based instruments directly promote policy objectives. However, supply must match demand, and the lack of demand-based instruments can easily lead to a mismatch between supply and demand. This instrument type stimulates policy objectives by directly encouraging service utilization. Currently, a demand-supply mismatch exists where \u0026ldquo;families struggle to find care while institutions offer limited slots,\u0026rdquo; partly because household demand remains unrealized (Zhou, 2023). Therefore, such \u0026ldquo;coherence\u0026rdquo; reflects more of a vertical consistency within the administrative system, rather than a horizontal alignment between policies and the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, supply-based and enabling policy instruments have positively contributed to the early, orderly expansion of integrated early education and care. However, without demand-based policy instruments to regulate, supply has failed to precisely match demand.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1.2 Policy Attributes Exhibiting \u0026ldquo;Strong Enforcement - Narrow Coverage - Low Rigidity\u0026rdquo;\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe policy attributes of integrated childcare and early education display characteristics of \u0026ldquo;strong enforcement, narrow coverage, and low rigidity.\u0026rdquo; Specifically, organizational coordination yields high enforcement efficacy, yet coverage remains relatively limited. Furthermore, the overall policy effectiveness is not highly prioritized, thereby constraining its impact breadth and institutional binding force.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy attributes refer to the essential characteristics and nature of policies. The policy attribute dimension reflects the fundamental properties of government policies enacted to promote childcare integration, which influence policy effectiveness. Organizational coordination is a critical component of institutional operations, categorized into vertical and horizontal coordination (Kauerz et al., 2018). Governments rely on bureaucratic authority to ensure policy transmission efficiency (Weber, 1978), yet issues like overlapping institutions and unclear responsibilities within bureaucracies manifest in early childhood education integration policy implementation. Moreover, the diverse stakeholders involved in early childhood education integration create a situation often described as \u0026ldquo;multiple dragons governing the same river.\u0026rdquo; Horizontal coordination can address this challenge by facilitating inter-agency communication and reducing resistance. Coverage scope determines which groups are affected by the policy, reflecting the breadth of its impact. Local integrated childcare policies generally exhibit administrative characteristics, primarily operating at the government and kindergarten levels. They influence individuals through an indirect chain of \u0026ldquo;government-institution-family,\u0026rdquo; causing policy effects to diminish progressively during transmission. Policy effectiveness correlates with institutional rigidity. Local integrated childcare policies mainly consist of normative documents and working papers at the prefectural or county level, exhibiting relatively weak rigidity. On one hand, this results in relatively weaker overall policy authority and stability, making it difficult to establish long-term, stable institutional expectations. On the other hand, it also allows for greater policy flexibility and efficiency, enabling more localized targeting. These policies supplement and refine higher-level directives, ensuring their smooth implementation down to the \u0026ldquo;last mile.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, while strong organizational coordination leads to better implementation effectiveness, the weaker rigidity and narrower scope limit the policies\u0026rsquo; long-term impact on the system. From a governance perspective, successful ECEC integration depends on coherent multi-level policy instruments and adequate institutional capacity (Howlett \u0026amp; Ramesh, 2021). This kind of \"fragmented coherence\" from a sectoral perspective may benefit departmental execution, yet it struggles to support the continuity of child development, which is the core value of ECEC integration.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1.3 The \u0026ldquo;Emphasis on Management - Neglect of Care and Education.\u0026rdquo; Characteristic of Policy Themes\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLocal integrated childcare and education policies exhibit an \u0026ldquo;external-focused, content-light\u0026rdquo; characteristic, meaning they prioritize external management over substantive themes like health, education, and teacher training.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePolicy themes concretely express and directly reflect policy functions, with thematic dimensions revealing variations in policy focus. The core value of ECEC integration lies in realizing the holistic development of children. This requires policy not only to focus on administrative integration but also on the integration of educational attributes like curriculum and teacher training (OECD, 2019; OECD, 2020). The former serves as the foundation, while the latter represents a crucial breakthrough for successful integration (Peeters \u0026amp; Vandenbroeck, 2020; Bennett, J, 2022). In terms of policy nature, current regulations predominantly consist of oversight documents, reflecting the emphasis on management across relevant domains and policy content. Standardized management frameworks (e.g., institutional access standards, facility construction specifications) ensure the supply of integrated childcare services, rapidly filling service gaps and providing a safety net for the sector\u0026rsquo;s development. However, institutional designs for measures promoting continuous development from ages 0\u0026ndash;6\u0026mdash;such as curriculum continuity and teacher integration\u0026mdash;remain lacking. This ultimately manifests as a thematic emphasis on \u0026ldquo;external structures over substantive content.\u0026rdquo; While this approach ensures orderly expansion, it hinders quality improvement, reflecting a dissonance in policy design between the effectiveness of \u0026ldquo;governance efficiency\u0026rdquo; and the suitability for \u0026ldquo;child well-being.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.2 Systematic Misalignment in the Overall Policy Framework\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere is a quality-oriented transformation in the international education system (OECD, 2020). China is currently at a critical stage of high-quality transformation. The demand side of the primary social contradiction has shifted from \u0026ldquo;the people\u0026rsquo;s ever-growing material and cultural needs\u0026rdquo; to \u0026ldquo;the people's ever-growing needs for a better life.\u0026rdquo; This marks a fundamental shift in the core mission and focus of national governance\u0026mdash;from \u0026ldquo;quantitative expansion\u0026rdquo; to \u0026ldquo;qualitative enhancement\u0026rdquo; (Tang, 2018). The 2025 Government Work Report further emphasizes that \u0026ldquo;we must advance education reform and development closely aligned with national needs and public concerns, accelerating our progress from a major education nation to an education powerhouse,\u0026rdquo; shifting the education development model from scale-driven to quality-driven. Article 1 of the Preschool Education Law explicitly requires promoting high-quality development in preschool education.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a family perspective, in China, parents generally expect access to low-cost, high-quality childcare services and prefer a public-led, inclusive supply system centered on public kindergartens, placing higher demands on educational functions and childcare quality (Li, Ma, \u0026amp; Wang, 2019; Yang, 2019; Hong, Zhu \u0026amp; Tao, 2019; Yuan, Zhang \u0026amp; Yu, 2024). This strong preference for inclusive and high-quality services is related to the \u0026ldquo;sense of gain\u0026rdquo; of young Chinese families in parenting, which requires urgent policy responses (Hong et al, 2019). From a societal perspective, fully unleashing family-end demand, integrated childcare and preschool services can effectively optimize resource allocation from 2024 to 2050 in China by connecting resources for ages 0\u0026ndash;6(Ru, 2024), resolving the dilemma of \u0026ldquo;shortage of childcare spots with high demand\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;surplus of school seats with low demand.\u0026rdquo; At the national level, balanced population development requires a policy system that strengthens childcare support functions. Research indicates that selective familyism is the most effective family welfare policy for boosting fertility intentions in China (Jiang, Song, \u0026amp; Wan, 2025). As a key component, integrated ECEC\u0026mdash;incorporated into the national fertility support system\u0026mdash;can mitigate fertility constraints through socialized childcare services, thereby achieving comprehensive goals of regulating total population, optimizing demographic structure, and enhancing population quality (the State Council, 2016).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvidently, under high-quality transformation, the new demand for integrated childcare and early education points not only to total volume regulation but also emphasizes quality enhancement. It focuses not merely on administrative system integration but on the alignment of educational elements such as curriculum objectives, content, teacher qualifications, educational philosophies, and evaluation methods. The latter aspect particularly supports children\u0026rsquo;s continuous development (OECD, 2019). However, the three-dimensional analysis reveals that local childcare-preschool integration policies exhibit a certain degree of neglect toward early childhood development, with policies of lower consistency demonstrating more severe shortcomings than those of higher consistency. Consequently, the structural imbalances within the current policy framework are gradually evolving into systemic misalignment under the backdrop of high-quality development: it struggles to fully address emerging needs. Thus, in the transition toward \u0026ldquo;high-quality early childhood education,\u0026rdquo; deficiencies in precision are becoming increasingly apparent.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.3 Time to Turn: Beyond Ordered Expansion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe structural imbalances identified across the three dimensions in this study should not be interpreted as policy failures. Rather, they reflect a deliberate and, in many contexts, typical developmental trajectory adopted by governments\u0026mdash;namely, prioritizing scale expansion in the initial stage. This approach enables the rapid establishment of a service framework and the administrative infrastructure necessary for large-scale rollout, thereby responding to urgent service shortages. In the early stages of policy development, high uncertainty, limited institutional capacity, and a high reliance on operability and controllability are common (Hogwood \u0026amp; Peters, 1983; Howlett \u0026amp; Ramesh, 2003). At this stage, many governments prioritize \u0026ldquo;scale expansion\u0026rdquo; to quickly establish a basic service supply framework and the administrative infrastructure required for large-scale implementation, thereby addressing prominent availability gaps. This represents a stage-appropriate policy choice (Hemerijck, 2017; Morel, Palier, \u0026amp; Palme, 2012). This is because the outcomes of scale expansion possess higher political visibility and quantifiability, making them more readily rewarded within performance evaluation and accountability systems (Pollitt \u0026amp; Bouckaert, 2017). In such an environment, governments tend to prioritize regulatory tools and standardized procedures that facilitate rapid progress and hierarchical accountability. This consolidates a problem definition dominated by administrative management and population targets, reduces the uncertainty and institutional costs associated with undertaking quality reforms, and temporarily postpones complex reforms involving educational quality, professional integration, and service substance (Peters, 2015; Howlett, 2019). Therefore, enabling and supply-based instruments are often prioritized; in this context, even if the internal consistency of the policy instrument mix is relatively limited, it can still effectively support the orderly expansion of the service system in practice (Rayner \u0026amp; Howlett, 2009).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWithin this context dominated by a social investment orientation and an expansion logic, the formation of policy mixes is continuously shaped by the dominant problem framing, existing institutional capacity, and historical institutional legacies, leading to distinct characteristics of path dependence (Peters, 2018; Howlett, Mukherjee, \u0026amp; Rayner, 2015), which in turn reduces the institutional costs of policy design and implementation. However, as service coverage expands and societal demands shift from \"expanding supply\" to \"improving quality,\" the limitations of this governance logic oriented towards regulated expansion become apparent. Its path dependence instead weakens the policy system's adaptive capacity to new demands (Hemerijck, 2017; OECD, 2019). The research results indicate that the existing system has successfully constructed a foundational policy framework supporting scale expansion. Yet, when faced with stage-specific transformation needs, only a limited number of local governments have truly begun to systematically rebalance their policy mixes to stimulate demand, deepen educational substance, and strengthen service quality guarantees. These elements are precisely the key conditions for propelling ECEC integration from the expansion phase towards a sustainable, child-centered development stage (Bennett, 2003; OECD, 2017).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe distribution of the PMC index for policies in this study challenges an implicit assumption found in some policy literature, particularly in analyses employing the PMC index model\u0026mdash;that greater policy coherence inevitably implies superior policy quality. The Chinese case demonstrates that the value of internal coherence depends on the governance objectives and institutional capacities at specific stages of development. During policy transitions, this implicit assumption faces even greater scrutiny. Therefore, the findings emphasize that the evaluation and theoretical construction of policy consistency must be contextualized within governance stages in further research to allow for meaningful value assessment. This study acknowledges the contemporary governance characteristic of high-quality development, adopts child welfare theory as the \u0026ldquo;ultimate goal\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;destination,\u0026rdquo; and employs policy instrument theory to evaluate whether policies can effectively bridge the gap from the \u0026ldquo;starting point\u0026rdquo; to this destination, thereby deriving policy insights.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee emphasized that \u0026ldquo;further comprehensive deepening of reforms must adhere to institutional development as the main thread\u0026rdquo; (The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, 2024). The structure of the integrated ECEC policy PMC index reflects both transitional characteristics in the process of institutional system construction and future optimization targets. Optimizing integrated ECEC policies requires a shift from scale-oriented expansion to quality-oriented, demand-responsive governance. Policy optimization should align with the governance objectives and institutional capacities at specific stages of development. First, policy design should increasingly adopt a child-centered approach. This implies a gradual rebalancing of policy priorities, shifting from external regulation to substantive quality dimensions such as curriculum development. Second, greater emphasis should be placed on the configuration of policy instrument mixes. Strengthening the role of demand-based instruments can help activate latent demand and guide more effective resource allocation, while supply-based instruments should prioritize investment in human capital, including teacher training and curriculum development, thereby supporting quality assurance and service innovation. Finally, the effective implementation of integrated ECEC policies is constrained by institutionalized coordination across sectors and governance levels. As the policy framework matures, effective practices should be gradually incorporated into higher-level institutional arrangements to enhance long-term governance capacity and policy stability. Overall, these insights indicate that the high-quality development of ECEC integration requires a balance of instruments, coordination of institutions, and a thematic focus on core values, thereby achieving sustained responsiveness to the multidimensional needs of families, society, and the nation.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for Publication:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of Data and Materials:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. This includes: (1) the complete list of the 355 policy documents; (2) the cleaned and coded dataset used for the PMC index calculation (in .xlsx format); (3) the variable definition and coding scheme table; (4) the raw co-occurrence matrix used for social network analysis. The policy texts themselves are publicly available from the official websites of the respective local governments in China, as noted in the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; Contributions:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Z.S. and T.W. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Z.S. and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBammer, G., O\u0026rsquo;Rourke, M., O\u0026rsquo;Connell, D., Neuhauser, L., Midgley, G., Klein, J. T., Grigg, N. J., Gadlin, H., Elsum, I. R., Bursztyn, M., Fulton, E. A., Pohl, C., Smithson, M., Vilsmaier, U., Bergmann, M., Jaeger, J., Merkx, F., Vienni Baptista, B., Burgman, M. A., Walker, D. H., Young, J., Bradbury, H., Crawford, L., Haryanto, B., Pachanee, C.-a., Polk, M., \u0026amp; Richardson, G. P. (2020). Expertise in research integration and implementation for tackling complex problems: When is it needed, where can it be found and how can it be strengthened? Palgrave Communications, 6, Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0380-0\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBennett, J. (2022). The integration of early childhood systems within education[M]. Paris: UNESCO, 2022. Bennett, J. (2003). Starting strong: The persistent division between care and education. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 1(1), 21\u0026ndash;48.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCairney, P. (2025). Why perfect policy coherence is unattainable (and may be ill-advised). \u003cem\u003ePolicy Sciences, 58\u003c/em\u003e(3), 619\u0026ndash;642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-025-09582-9 Chen, Z. (2017). Public administration (2nd ed.). China Renmin University Press. Communist Party of China. (2024). Communiqu\u0026eacute; of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202407/content_6963409.htm Eadie, P., Page, J., Levickis, P., Elek, C., Murray, L., Wang, L., \u0026amp; Lloyd-Johnsen, C. (2024). Domains of quality in early childhood education and care: A scoping review of the extent and consistency of the literature. 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Structural Contradictions and Policy Suggestions on Generally Beneficial Childcare Service for 0ཞ3-Year-Old Infants and Young Children in China\u0026mdash;Based on Statistical Data and Survey Analysis in Hunan Province. Studies in Early Childhood Education, 1, 51\u0026ndash;60. https://doi.org/10.13861/j.cnki.sece.2023.12.004\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"humanities-and-social-sciences-communications","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"palcomms","sideBox":"Learn more about [Humanities \u0026 Social Sciences Communications](http://www.nature.com/palcomms/)","snPcode":"41599","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/41599/3","title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Nature AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"PMC Index, the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care, Policy Evaluation, Policy Instrument","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514412/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514412/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe full realization of the value of integrated childcare and early childhood education depends on high-quality policy guidance and support. In the development logic, which shifts from the expansion of \u0026ldquo;quantity\u0026rdquo; to the improvement of \u0026ldquo;quality\u0026rdquo;, it has become crucial to assess policies systematically. Therefore, based on the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model, a policy evaluation index system is constructed from three dimensions: policy instruments, policy attributes, and policy themes. It assesses 333 local policies issued between 2018 and October 2025 through individual and Two-Dimensional Cross-Analysis, and calculates the PMC Index for 28 tailored policies to conduct three-dimensional comprehensive evaluation. The findings indicate that: (1) The PMC Index scores of specialized policies exhibit a spindle-shaped distribution: 11 policies are highly consistent, 16 are acceptable, and 1 shows low consistency; (2) This pattern reflects the challenge for local policies to balance \u0026ldquo;specialization\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;balance.\u0026rdquo; The current policy emphasizes management and implementation to support orderly expansion and applies to the early development of integrated childcare and early childhood education. However, this does not attach sufficient importance to cultivating meaningful connections that meet children\u0026rsquo;s developmental needs. As national, societal, and family expectations shift from expanding scale to promoting children\u0026rsquo;s continuous development, existing policies are gradually becoming difficult to accurately meet. Based on the assessment of policies during the transformation period, transformation suggestions were put forward.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Time to turn: Evaluation of Local Policies on the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care Based on the PMC Index Model","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-11 16:51:58","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8514412/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-03-28T14:39:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-05T09:13:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-05T05:39:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"173931117968342908011301043299660042213","date":"2026-02-24T08:59:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"236166627591288485203254397753834326087","date":"2026-02-23T02:47:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-21T17:52:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"89893652695861810660575388852484400266","date":"2026-02-11T00:48:06+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-09T07:33:14+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-06T07:52:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-03T05:58:20+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-01-27T14:42:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","date":"2026-01-27T14:22:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"humanities-and-social-sciences-communications","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"palcomms","sideBox":"Learn more about [Humanities \u0026 Social Sciences Communications](http://www.nature.com/palcomms/)","snPcode":"41599","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/41599/3","title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Nature AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a6f9e444-dd6e-4a14-8cd9-eeaee30ffa18","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 11th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"in-revision","subjectAreas":[{"id":62646179,"name":"Social science/Education"},{"id":62646180,"name":"Social science/Politics and international relations"},{"id":62646181,"name":"Social science/Social policy"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-11T10:26:25+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-11 16:51:58","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8514412","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8514412","identity":"rs-8514412","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}