EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT: IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE PRACTICE A research-based guide to inform assessment planning in the early grades Cindy Jiban, Ph.D. MARCH 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Reviewed Guidelines 1 Big Ideas Shared Across Documents 2 Challenges in Early Childhood Assessment 2 The Case for Evidence-Based Early Intervention: Prevention as Better Leverage 4 Pursuing Assessments for Early Learning and Intervention 6 Building an Early Childhood Assessment Plan 9 Putting It All Together 13 References 14 Appendix 16 About the Author Cindy Jiban, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, is a Senior Content Specialist for Early Learning at NWEA. Her primary interests are in intervention and assessment for students acquiring foundational academic skills. Copyright Info © 2013 by Northwest Evaluation Association NWEA expressly grants permission or license to use provided (1) the use is for non-commercial, personal, or educational purposes only, (2) you do not modify any information, and (3) you include any copyright notice originally provided in the materials. Early Childhood Assessment: Implementing Effective Practice 2 Research and professional best practices show us that early childhood is a place of tremendous leverage, but it is also a place for tremendous care and consideration. Given the potentially massive impact of appropriate, quality educational programs and interventions for children at these tender ages, relying on the best sources of data to inform decisions is critical. █ [ ] INTRODUCTION In preparing this paper, we reviewed and summarized key ideas from professional Even for professionals who make decisions guidelines on early childhood assessment. about student assessment on a regular basis, To frame our analysis of these guidelines, the arena of early childhood assessment can we also addressed two topics: 1) background be difficult to navigate. It is not enough to on assessment-related concerns in the early simply assess earlier content using the same childhood field and 2) evidence of the leverage approaches as those used in older grades, or that early education and intervention provide to take decisions about tools and purposes on later outcomes. In this context, we closely that were made with older students in examined professional recommendations mind and extend them to younger children. relating to assessment purpose and assessment Instead, professional standards and guidelines method. Finally, taking all of these important for early childhood assessment must begin considerations into account, we compiled a set with attention to the important reality that of questions to inform the assessment planning young children are continuously and rapidly process in the early grades. developing, both academically and across a wide range of other domains. The context that informs assessment decisions for early learners REVIEWED GUIDELINES is qualitatively different from the context for older students. Four seminal reports comprised the professional guidelines reviewed. These focus, The goal of this white paper is to support together, on children in pre-kindergarten assessment and instructional leaders in through age 8. Key points from each document planning or reviewing their assessment are included in the Appendix. implementations in the early grades. This paper will help readers: 1. National Education Goals Panel (NEGP), 1998. In 1998, the NEGP convened a working • understand the ‘big ideas’ early childhood group related to the following goal: “By the thought leaders believe should guide year 2000, all children in America will start assessment decisions for the youngest school ready to learn.” This working group school-aged students (pre-kindergarten – produced a document entitled Principles 3rd Grade) and Recommendations for Early Childhood • discover what the research shows to be Assessment. These principles are included in Appendix A. effective in terms of assessment in the early grades 2. National Association for the Education • come away with a clear sense of next steps of Young Children (NAEYC) and National you can take to apply the research and best Association of Early Childhood Specialists practices to your own assessment planning in State Departments of Education (NAECS/ process SDE), 2003. In 2003, after the establishment of the No Child Left Behind law changed the Early Childhood Assessment: Implementing Effective Practice 1 landscape for educational assessment, NAEYC data must be determined in the context of each and the NAECS/SDE jointly drafted a position specific purpose. statement entitled Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation. Key 2. Instructionally Aligned Assessment. assessment recommendations and indicators of Assessments must be clearly and explicitly effectiveness from this document are included integrated into the overall system, including in Appendix B. curriculum and instruction; material assessed must represent the valued outcomes on which 3. Division for Early Childhood (DEC), instruction is focused. This includes reaching 2007. In 2007, the DEC of the Council for toward alignment to standards or curriculum, Exceptional Children developed a response where these exist. For classroom-based to the 2003 position statement from NAEYC assessments designed to inform instruction, and NAECS/SDE. The DEC document highlights this also encompasses alignment to the considerations for children with disabilities, but instructional calendar. encompasses recommendations applicable to the broader community of which these children 3. Beneficial Assessment. Assessments of are members. The paper is called Promoting children must serve to optimize learning. Positive Outcomes for Children with Disabilities: Time and resources are taken away from Recommendations for Curriculum, Assessment, instruction in order to assess—and historically, and Program Evaluation. Key recommendation there has been some justification for the fear and critical attributes from this document are that assessment data may offer unintended included in Appendix C. negative consequences for some children (NRC, 2008). Assessments must demonstrate solid 4. National Research Council (NRC), consequential validity: the consequence of the 2008. The National Research Council (NRC) time and resources invested in the assessment was commissioned to study important should be demonstrably positive for the developmental outcomes for children through children assessed. age 5 and to guide the appropriate assessment of these outcomes. In their 2008 book, Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What and How, the CHALLENGES IN EARLY NRC committee emphasized several essential CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT principles. The NRC Guidelines on Purposes of Assessment, Instrument Selection and While these big ideas represent significant Implementation, and Systems are included in consensus, there is also a vein of debate Appendix D. running through the early childhood field. Some professionals voice concerns over the increasing emphasis on assessment of young BIG IDEAS SHARED children, often particularly focusing on ACROSS DOCUMENTS standardized tests. In order to navigate these concerns with integrity, it is important to From these guiding documents, three big ideas understand some of what is at root. emerged as central concerns for all of the authoring groups. HOW DO WE ACCOUNT FOR DEVELOPMENTAL VARIABILITY? 1. Purposeful Assessment. The design, use, and interpretation of assessments must be purpose- Professionals in early childhood education driven. Too many negative outcomes derive recognize very deeply that typical, healthy from assessments of young children used for children develop at different rates in different purposes for which they were not designed; the domains. It is the unusual child who is not type of inferences made from assessment early in developing in some domain and late Early Childhood Assessment: Implementing Effective Practice 2 in another—perhaps fine motor skills are never had adults read books with them in developing more slowly, while language and interactive ways have not yet had a chance to social skills are zooming ahead. For some early develop concepts about books and print. Good childhood professionals, concerns arise about assessment practice needs to carefully attend assigning younger children to static assessments to inferences made about children in cases designed to compare students to a proficiency when they are assessed on concepts they have norm, as has been common among state not had the opportunity to learn (NRC, 2008, p. assessments for older children. Typically the 357). information produced by a static proficiency- based test is weaker at greater distances from WHAT GETS MEASURED? the proficiency mark. Given the greater intra- and inter-individual variability that younger Another concern in early childhood assessment children exhibit, some professionals are stems from the possibility of mismatch between concerned that assessments may be used that the narrow range of proficiencies that get offer low precision or information for children measured and the breadth of proficiencies that at lower and higher levels of achievement. children must develop—and programs must support—in early childhood. What is measured As the Division for Early Childhood (2007) becomes what is taught, some fear; this might notes, “Very young children learn and grow at leave domains such as social and emotional remarkable and unpredictable rates that are development and creativity underemphasized unmatched during other age periods.