EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT
CHAPTER 14
By: Robin, Tanalee, and Kalie
EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION
Birth to 5 years
 Done with children who are suspected of having a
disability
 Assessments done to derive information to
facilitate decision making with regards to the
individual.


Done to determine strengths and weaknesses so that
a specific program can be planned and implemented.
ISSUES WITH ASSESSMENT
Many special educators are not trained in
working with children aged birth to 5 years.
 The special educators are not well versed in
giving assessments designed for children of this
age.

A GOOD ASSESSMENT INCLUDES
Functioning
Physical
 Social
 Intellectual

Settings
Home
 School
 Community

*all of this is used to plan an intervention program
that will affect as much of the child’s life as
possible.
CONT.
Must be broad enough to include many of the
child’s abilities but specific enough to provide
useful information
 Should cover

Language
 Motor development
 Cognition

6 STANDARDS OF ASSESSMENT
Authenticity- does the assessment focus on actual
child behavior in real settings?
 Convergence- are more than one source of
information used?
 Collaboration- are multiple people participating
in assessment, especially the parents?

6 STANDARDS CONT.
Equity- Does the assessment incorporate
potential environmental factors?
 Sensitivity- does the assessment include
sufficient items for planning lessons and
detecting changes?
 Congruence- was the assessment developed and
tested with students similar to those being
tested?

IDEA 2004 (SEC. 636 (A)(1)(2))
a)
The state shall provide at a minimum for each
infant or toddler with a disability, and the
infant’s or toddler’s family, to receive:
(1) a multidisciplinary assessment of the
unique strengths and needs of the infant or
toddler and the identification of services
appropriate to meet such needs;
(2) a family-directed assessment of the
resources, priorities, and concerns of the family
and the identification of the supports and
services necessary to enhance the family’s
capacity to meet the developmental needs of the
infant or toddler.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL
INFLUENCES

There is much more variability in test score in
young children because of environmental and
cultural influences. These must be considered
during assessment.





Mother and/or father’s verbalization
Toys and/or activities available to the child
Restrictive discipline
Freedom from danger
Cultural politeness and mannerisms
5 STAGES OF THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Casefinding/child find
Screening
Assessment for diagnosis and determination of
eligibility
Program planning
Program evaluation
INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SERVICE PLAN
The student’s present level
 How the family will help the child
 Measurable goals
 Early intervention services
 Where early intervention will happen
 Dates
 Service coordinator identification
 Transitions

There are many different
assessments that can be done
with students this age.
There is no one best
assessment. You must
choose an assessment that
will fit yours and the child’s
needs.
BAYLEY SCALES OF INFANT
DEVELOPMENT 2ND EDITION (BSID-II)
Author: Nancy Bayley
Description of Test: Mental Scales, Motor Scales,
and Behavior Rating Scales
Age/ Grade Levels: ages 1 through 42 months
Subtest Information:
Mental Development Index
Psychomotor Development Index
Behavior Development Index
BAYLEY SCALES OF INFANT
DEVELOPMENT 2ND EDITION (BSID-II)
Strengths:
The scale’s norms are representative in terms of race,
ethnicity, geographic region, parent education, and sex.
 The BSID-II is a well standardized and very comprehensive
test of infant development.
 The BSID-II is a very popular test used by early
intervention clinicians.
 The test is good screening instrument for children with
disabilities.

METROPOLITAN READINESS TEST-6TH
EDITION (MRT-6)
Author: Joanne Ruth Nurss
Description of Test: assesses literacy
development in children
Age/ Grade Levels: Pre-K and kindergarten
Subtest Information:
Visual discrimination, beginning consonants,
sound-letter correspondence, story
comprehension, and quantitative concepts
and reasoning.
METROPOLITAN READINESS TEST-6TH
EDITION (MRT-6)
Strengths
-Comprehensive and diagnostic tool
- It includes a conference report that
explains the purpose and the results of the
MRT-6
- Colorful format that children enjoy
- provides excellent standardization
BOEHM TEST OF BASIC CONCEPTSREVISED (BTBS-R)
Author: Ann E. Boehm
Description of Test: consist of 50 concepts items
placed in two test booklets where the
administrator reads the question and the
students mark it in their booklet.
Age/ Grade Levels: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Subtest Information: none
BOEHM TEST OF BASIC CONCEPTSREVISED (BTBS-R)
Strengths
-Most young children find the test
interesting
-The test has two equivalent forms that
allow for the determination of the
progress with pre- and post testing
-Manual contains a score interpretation
and the results are practical
THE PRESCHOOL EVALUATION SCALES
(PES)
Author: Stephen B. McCartney
Description of Test: A rating scale completed by
the child’s parents or child-care provider
consisting of a technical manual, rating forms,
and computerized scoring system
Age/ Grade Levels: Birth to 72 months
Subtest Information: Large and small muscle
skill, cognitive thinking, expressive language,
social/ emotional behavior, and self-help skills
THE PRESCHOOL EVALUATION SCALES
(PES)
Strengths
-The test is a good screening device for
developmental delays in preschool-age
children
- The test has strong validity
- New norms are being developed for a
home version
BATTELLE DEVELOPMENT INVENTORY 2ND EDITION (BDI-2)
Author: Jean Newborg
Description of Test: Based on the concepts of
milestones
Age/ Grade Levels: Birth- age 7
Subtest Information: Personal-Social, Adaptive,
Motor, Communication, and Cognitive Domain
BATTELLE DEVELOPMENT INVENTORY 2ND
EDITION (BDI-2)
Strengths
-Identification of children with disabilities
- Child-Friendly manipulative at all ages
-Web-base scoring option for all reports
-Matches all areas required by IDEA
MCCARTHY SCALES OF CHILDREN’S
ABILITIES (MSCA)
Author: Dorothea McCarthy
Description of Test: 18 separate tests groups
into six scales: verbal, perceptual performance,
quantitative, composite, Memory, and motor
Age/ Grade Levels: 2-4 and 8-7
Subtest Information: see page 262 and 263
MCCARTHY SCALES OF CHILDREN’S
ABILITIES (MSCA)
Strengths
- Contains elaborate information about the
standardization process, norm tables, and
guidelines for administration and interpretation
- The test is like a game
-Reliability and validity are good determinants of
achievement for children in school