Comprehensive Assessment System

1. Comprehensive Assessment System June 13, 2012 Early Childhood Assessment

2. Session Objectives • Explain the importance of assessment in early childhood education • Identify best practices for early childhood assessment • Preview RTTT Early Learning Challenge • Answer your questions

3. It is not only possible but critical for early childhood educators to assess their students • It looks different in early childhood classrooms than it does in K-12

4. What makes it different? • Young children come with a variety of experiences. • Early childhood learning is rapid and episodic. • Performance is highly influenced by the emotional state of the child and the conditions of the assessment. • Young children don’t always understand the need to perform well during assessments.

5. Best Practices Assessment of young children should: • Rely on instruments selected for reliability, validity, and appropriateness • Be aligned with learning standards • Address all domains of learning, not just literacy and mathematics. • Be administered in a familiar environment, by familiar adults

6. Best Practices in Formative Assessment Assessment of young children should: • Be administered over time, using repeated and multiple measures • Rely on demonstrated performance during real (not contrived) activities • Be planned – know what you’re looking for • Be sensitive to children’s motivation, interest, and attention span.

7. 8 Domains

8. What does it look like? • Point-in-time • Standardized Assessments (Peabody Picture Vocab) • On-demand tasks • Authentic Assessment • Observation • Structured Tasks • Child Work Samples • Parent Information

9. Questions?

10. VIDEO EXAMPLE • As you’re watching, think about the 8 domains • What might an early childhood educator see in the following clips?

11. Jenna (See recorded webinar for video)

12. VIDEO EXAMPLE Morning Routine Working on a Puzzle Pumping the Ball

13. Training & Planning • Teachers need to be trained in how to assess • Assessment must be part of the planning process • Teachers need to be intentional about what they are looking for

14. In Rhode Island… • Assessment is an expected component of our early childhood programs • Young children are taught in many different environments • The goal is to create a comprehensive assessment system in public pre-K programs

15. RTTT Early Learning Challenge • Competitive federal grant • RI one of 9 recipients • $50 million • How will it be used?

16. Kindergarten Entry Assessment • RI will develop, pilot, train, & implement a K Entry Assessment • It will be administered by K teachers • It will provide a baseline/status at entry • It will NOT be used for K admission

17. Questions?

18. Resources RIDE’s Early Childhood webpage: http://www.ride.ri.gov/OSCAS/earlychild/ RTTT Early Learning Challenge: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html

19. Contact Us Michele Palermo Michele.palermo@ride.ri.gov 222-8941 Ruth Gallucci Ruth.gallucci@ride.ri.gov 222-8947

20. Upcoming Webinars Fall 2012 -Formative Assessment PD -Data Use PD -Interim Assessment System