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Challenges in Assessing Young Children
July 2, 2007
We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something.
-Sandra Day O'Connor
-Sandra Day O'Connor
"Early childhood programs are increasingly being asked to adopt accountability approaches that stress results, particularly child outcomes. For example, children in Head Start programs are now being tested for school readiness in early literacy, language, and math skills using the National Reporting System on Child Outcomes, a battery of standardized assessment instruments. It is important that programs carefully consider what methods and tools are most appropriate for young preschool-age children who may not have yet acquired the skills necessary for taking tests (e.g., following directions, answering questions).
"The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recommends assessment systems that include multiple assessment methods, measures, and sources of information. A single test administered at one point in time is not likely to yield accurate information about a child’s knowledge and skills. Young children can be easily distracted and may have difficulty controlling their behavior during testing situations. Standardized measures used with preschool children have poorer reliability and validity than when used with school-age children. It is important to remember that young children develop at variable rates, not in the linear incremental process assumed by norm-referenced tests."
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 CommentsASCA Early Head Start
Akron, Ohio, United States
The majority of pre-school teachers I'm sure are well aware of assessments. As far as Head Start and the NRS goes, maybe someone from NAEYC should let President Bush know that Pre-Schoolers should not be assessed the same way as shool-agers because their not developmentally ready for standardized testing. There are several other good tools out there, but most Head Start have to use NRS.
Dearborn Heights Montessori Center
Dearborn Heights, Michigan, United States
NAEYC may pay lip service to the compromised validity of standardized testing for preschool children, but an emerging practice in their new accreditation standards requires that a nationally normed developmental screening tool (i.e., a standardized test) be administered to every child within three months of entering the program. We have always used non-threatening informal assessments to evaluate children, but are now being forced to use--and pay for--a commercial product.
WVUH Child Development Center
Morgantown, WV, United States
I took part in the first and second rounds of testing Head Start children using the NRS system in our state. I really feel that it is not an appropriate test of a child's school readiness. It depends a lot on individual experiences of children that not every child has been exposed to by that age. I believe a movement more towards providing high quality care is much more important. If children are receiving that, they rest will follow. As I have heard best..."Children learn best by reinventing what they have seen," Unknown.
I would be interested, however, in seeing how the schools of Reggio Emilia measure for school readiness. ;)
Acre Family Child Care
Lowell, MA, United States
Assessment is playing a bigger and bigger role in early childhood today and it seems to be a bit of the cart following the horse. What is a quality early childhood experience? Is preparing children for school the goal of early care? With that as the valued outcome, it devalues the present moment as it is only a preparation for the next. If chldren had fun, were nurtured and well fed, if someone read them a story and took them for a walk, would their time had been wasted if they didn't get "ready for school?" I know that all of these are pre-literacy activities, however I hold onto the dream that these activities could be valued for just being fun. I would hate to think that my work was simply "pre-retirement," or worse yet, "pre-death."
woodbridge children's center
martinez, california, United States
We are a school-age program with a child dev. program. we find the sacers assessment difficult to use because of the irregular and short periods of time that the children are with us, as well as the ratio of 1-14. Any suggestions/help for us?
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