Understanding and Choosing Assessments and Developmental Screeners for Young Children Ages 3-5: Profiles of Selected Measures

2009-2011

This compendium was created in response to the 2007 Head Start reauthorization requirement that programs use reliable and valid early childhood assessments and developmental screeners that are appropriate for the populations they serve. The compendium reviews technical information provided by instrument developers regarding the reliability and validity of 8 commonly used child assessments and 10 developmental screening tools and translates this information into user-friendly language. The compendium also aims, more generally, to increase awareness about reliability and validity and how to evaluate whether an instrument is reliable and valid for the population and purpose for which it will be used. Finally, the compendium aims to highlight areas in which the early childhood field is lacking information on the reliability and validity of early childhood assessments and developmental screeners. While originally developed in response to Head Start's reauthorization, the compendium is designed to be useful to managers and staff who work in different types of early childhood education programs and who are responsible for selecting and evaluating assessment or screening instruments.

Related Resources

The 2007 reauthorization of Head Start requires Head Start programs to use child assessments and developmental…