Preschool Teachers' Use of Assessments and Curricula: A Statewide Examination

Abstract

Preschool teachers in Ohio, representing Head Start, Preschool Special Education, and Public School Preschool programs, completed a survey designed to examine their use of assessments and curricula. The 586 preschool teachers provided a range of responses, including reported use of 21 commercial assessments and self-developed and program-developed checklists. A majority of teachers listed curriculum-based measures acceptable in linking assessment and intervention. Teachers also provided a range of curricular responses, including six that met our definition of an actual curriculum. Differences were found between the three types of teachers with respect to their level of education and the total number of assessments and curricula responses, and the number of assessments (including self-developed checklists) and actual curricula used, but not years of experience.

A Linked System Approach to Early Childhood Special Education Eligibility Assessment

“…Benefits to Professionals. Professionals benefit from a linked eligibility assessment approach because from the time a student enters their classroom/ program, they will have information needed for (a) developing meaningful goals/objectives, (b) creating effective interventions, and (c) evaluating program efficacy (Pretti-Frontczak, Kowalski, & Brown, 2002). Professionals can save time by not having to administer additional assessments once a student starts their program.…”

Screening Measures Used in Child Daycare Centers: A 15-Years Systematic Review

“…Whereas the other two are based on teacher's or parent's observations. DIAL is used by several daycare centers and schools in the Head-Start program (Pretti-Frontczak, Kowalski, & Brown, 2002), which is evidence of its reliability as a screening measure, however it is not clear its psychometric properties in this type of sample. The absence of studies regarding psychometric properties of the DIAL in child daycare centers poses as a challenge to its use in assessment policies.…”

Appendix B Sustaining Black Caucus Members, 1973-1997

“…Test developers and researchers can benefit greatly by becoming familiar with the sets of rules that developmental theorists and practitioner organizations have outlined to guide both the development and use of measurement tools. For example, high‐quality assessment has historically been a critical aspect of early childhood research and education (ECE) (Greenspan, Meisels, Barnard, Barrera, Berman, & Bricker, 1994; Pretti‐Frontczak, Kowalksi, & Brown, 2002). ECE experts define assessment as the process of gathering information to make decisions about children (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997; McLean, Wolery, & Bailey, 2004; NAEYC, 2003).…”