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

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.