Early Childhood Assessments: Problems & Possibilities

With increased support for and public investment in early childhood education programs, federal, state, and local authorities have begun to grapple with the need to assess student outcomes, for diagnostic, accountability and program improvement purposes. At the same time, critics continue to raise questions about the appropriateness, validity, and utility of assessments with very young children: How accurate is the data that’s being gathered through various methods and for what purposes can it legitimately be used? What can research tell us about how to design assessments for preschool children that are reasonable, reliable, valid, and useful for teachers and policymakers alike?

Speakers

Jacqueline Jones, Director of Initiatives in Early Childhood and Literacy Education, Educational Testing Service.

Nat LaCour, Secretary-Treasurer, American Federation of Teachers.

Fred Morrison, Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan.

Barbara Bowman, President Emeritus, Erikson Institute. (Moderator)