Marysol Ortiz
Assignment #5: Purposes/Functions of Assessment
TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN
(SPED-43955-001)
4.3.24
Introduction:
The process of continuously monitoring, obtaining, documenting, and evaluating information in
order to offer solutions to concerns and make decisions regarding children's instruction and
development is known as assessment (“Early Childhood Developmental Screening: A
Compendium of Measures for Children Ages Birth to Five,” n.d.). The early childhood
assessment system and the three types of assessment are screening tool, Norm-referenced
diagnostic assessment, and Curriculum-based assessment. (Early Childhood Assessment:
Resources for Early Learning, n.d.)
Screening tool: Screening gives a brief overview of a child's health and developmental stage and
determines whether additional assessment is required to identify any issues that could indicate a
need for special education or intervention services. It is typically completed within thirty minutes
or less.
• When: A screening can be completed at any time to check a child’s development. It can
be used to monitor development and/or determine whether additional assessment is
required to identify any issues that might call for special education or intervention
services.
• Whom: A screening tool can be completed on any child.
• Why: The function/purpose of a screening tool is to identify risk or probable
developmental concerns.
• 5 examples of screening tools:
Ages and Stages Questionnaire—3rd Edition
Ages and Stages Questionnaire—Social-Emotional
Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Early Learning—4th Edition
Early Screening Inventory
Early Screening Profiles
1. Norm-referenced diagnostic assessment:
• When: When determining a child's eligibility for early intervention or preschool special
education, it is necessary to consult a number of sources of information, according to the
DEC (Division for Early Childhood) Recommended Practices and IDEA (The Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act) (Norm-Referenced Assessment Tools for Children Birth
to Age Five Years With Potential for Remote Administration for Eligibility Determination
, n.d.). A norm-referenced assessment may be required as a part of an Early childhood
system, depending on the child's age, the type of special needs, and state regulation,
which will yield a score that offers information such as a standard deviation below the
mean or a percentage of the child's delay (Norm-Referenced Assessment Tools for
Children Birth to Age Five Years With Potential for Remote Administration for Eligibility
Determination , n.d.). Certain norm-referenced instruments necessitate that a skilled
practitioner/educator follow precise protocols and follow a predetermined script in order
to give structured items to the child directly (Norm-Referenced Assessment Tools for
Children Birth to Age Five Years With Potential for Remote Administration for Eligibility
Determination , n.d.). Scores obtained from these instruments should be regarded with
apprehension when they are not used in accordance with the necessary protocols.
• Who: Norm-referenced diagnostic assessment can be completed on any child suspected
of a developmental delay/disability.
• Why: The function/purpose of a Norm-referenced diagnostic assessment is to eligibility
for early intervention or preschool special education
• 5 examples of screening tools:
Battelle Developmental Inventory, 3rd Edition (BDI-3)
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 4th Edition (Bayley-4)
Developmental Assessment of Young Children, Second Edition (DAYC-2)
Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS) (2009)
Developmental Profile 4 (DP-4)
2. Curriculum-based assessment:
• When: Curriculum-based assessments offer a clear evaluation of a child's abilities at the
time of enrollment in a program, drive the creation of personalized objectives,
interventions, and accommodations, and enable tracking of progress (Curriculum-Based
Assessment Rating Rubric , n.d.). In order to prepare teaching, curriculum-based
assessments should be carried out continuously to learn about children's interests,
strengths, and developing abilities connected to critical skills across all subject areas and
developmental stages(Curriculum-Based Assessment Rating Rubric , n.d.) .
• Who: A child entering a curriculum program
• Why: ongoing tracking of a child's developmental progress.
• 5 examples of curriculum-based assessments:
The Assessment, Evaluation and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS)
Early Learning Assessment
Behavior Assessment System for Children, (BASC-3)
Differential Ability Scale-II (DAS-II) Early Years
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SB-5)
Conclusion: Services for young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays or
impairments, as well as their families, must include assessment since it guides intervention.
Assessment is done for screening, deciding who is eligible for assistance, tailored planning,
tracking child progress, and measuring child outcomes in early intervention and early childhood
special education (Early Childhood Assessment: Resources for Early Learning, n.d.) There are
two types of child assessment methods: informal, which is using educator and teacher judgments,
natural observations, data collection, and children's work for portfolios, and formal which is
using standardized tests and questionnaires (Early Childhood Assessment: Resources for Early
Learning, n.d.). Both approaches work well and can provide parents and teachers with
information regarding a child's development.
References
Catalog of Screening and Assessment Instruments for Young Children Birth Through Age 5.
(2010). https://www.escneo.org/Downloads/Catalog_Screen_assessment2.pdf.
Curriculum-Based Assessment Rating Rubric . (n.d.).
https://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/eco/final_assessment_rubric_fall05.pdf.
Early Intervention Program List of Developmental Assessment Instruments. (n.d.).
https://www.health.ny.gov/community/infants_children/early_intervention/docs/2023-
05_list_developmental_assessment_instruments.pdf.
Early Childhood Assessment: Resources for Early Learning. (n.d.). Resources for Early
Learning. http://resourcesforearlylearning.org/fm/early-childhood-assessment/
Early Childhood Developmental Screening: A Compendium of Measures for Children Ages Birth
to Five. (n.d.)
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/compendium_2013_508_compliant_f
inal_2_5_2014.pdf.
Norm-Referenced Assessment Tools for Children Birth to Age Five Years with Potential for
Remote Administration for Eligibility Determination . (n.d.).
https://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/topics/earlyid/assessment-tools-norm-referenced.pdf.
