Introduction
This compendium provides profiles of common assessment and developmental screening tools for children aged 3-5. It also includes summary tables intended to provide an overview of the different tools.
Purpose
This compendium was designed primarily to support programs that are in the process of selecting or changing their assessment or screening tools. It aims to:
- help program administrators review information about common assessment and developmental screening tools to make informed decisions;
- provide information about the reliability and validity of these tools in order to help program administrators better select appropriate tools for the populations they serve;
- highlight areas where information is lacking on the reliability and validity of these tools, especially for specific populations like dual language learners, American Indian / Alaska Natives, and children with special needs.
Methods
In order to identify instruments, we reviewed reports from the 2008 Program Information Report (PIR) and the 2006 Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 2006) teacher survey regarding which assessments and developmental screening tools were being used by Head Start programs. We looked for information about each tool’s reliability and validity, as well as its availability for use by Head Start and other early childhood programs.
Citation
Halle, T., Zaslow, M., Wessel, J., Moodie, S., Darling-Churchill, K. (2011). Understanding and Choosing Assessments and Developmental Screeners for Young Children Ages 3-5: Profiles of Selected Measures Final Report, OPRE Report # 2011-23. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.