A technical research note/abstract combining research from several regulatory compliance metrics over the past decade into one abstract emphasizing the public policy implications of this research.

From the introduction to the abstract “This technical research note/abstract provides a data matrix depicting the relationship between regulatory compliance and program quality. The data clearly demonstrate the regulatory compliance theory of diminishing returns which depicts the ceiling or plateau effect in this relationship between regulatory compliance data and program quality data. It also shows the difficulty one will have in distinguishing program quality differences at the full and high regulatory compliance levels but the ease in distinguishing program quality between low regulatory compliance and high regulatory compliance levels.”

“The importance of these studies and the summary matrix is to provide a context in how
licensing and regulatory compliance data should be used in making public policy decisions, for example: is it more effective and efficient to require high or substantial regulatory compliance than full regulatory compliance with all rules and regulations to be granted a full license to operate? It appears prudent to continue with the US emphasis on QRIS as an add on quality initiative, especially in states where rules/regulations are at a minimal level. In Canada their emphasis has been more in line with an integrative monitoring approach in which quality elements are built in or infused within the rules and
regulations themselves. This approach appears to work in a similar fashion and is an effective public policy initiative. Either approach appears to be an effective modality to increasing program quality; but are both equally efficient.”