Review

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Professional Handbook describes how teachers can use informal observations, portfolios, anecdotal observation records, and checklists to understand children's developmental progress over time. To support this process, all Teaching Guides include weekly reminders for which assessment tools should be used, as well as specific prompts embedded throughout learning activities for teachers to observe children. Finally, the online Teacher Space offers downloadable forms such as observation guides and anecdotal records.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Big Day for PreK™ encourages programs to use the publisher's standardized and structured assessment instrument, the Scholastic Early Childhood Inventory. The curriculum describes how assessment tools should be age and linguistically appropriate, but the curriculum does not discuss the importance of assessment instruments that are valid, reliable, and individually or culturally appropriate.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Teacher's Handbook and Formative Assessment book describe a process for observing, documenting, and reflecting on children's development, and using this information to monitor children's development and learning. For example, each Small Group lesson offers a checkpoint that describes what teachers should observe and document using the Formative Assessment book or online portal. In addition, these lessons provide specific guidance on how to use assessment to modify instruction. "More Support" and "More Challenge" prompts offer ideas on how to modify instruction based on teachers' observations of individual children's strengths and needs.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The Formative Assessment book and the online portal provide structured assessment tools that align with the curriculum's learning goals. They are organized in chronological order by unit, week, and day. The curriculum encourages teachers to complete each day's formative assessment pages during Small Group lessons as they move through the curriculum. However, C4L does not describe the importance of using standardized assessments or address the importance of selecting instruments that are valid, reliable, or individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the children who are to be assessed.
 

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Handbook provides general guidance about how teachers can observe children's development and learning across the daily routine. The curriculum explains that teachers can use observations, collections of children's work samples, and activity probes (performance-based assessments) to understand children's developmental progress over time. While it offers specific information in sections called "What to Look For" and "When to Look," the curriculum lacks guidance on how to document observations. Moreover, little information is provided on how to use assessment information to plan instruction.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The Handbook describes the importance of valid, reliable assessment. The Core Knowledge® Preschool Assessment Kit and Core Knowledge® Preschool Assessment Tool are available for purchase at an additional cost. The curriculum does not address the importance of using individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate assessment instruments.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The curriculum provides a four-step process for ongoing observation and documentation: 1) Observing and Collecting Facts, 2) Analyzing and Responding, 3) Evaluating, and 4) Summarizing, Planning, and Communicating. To support this process, the Intentional Teaching Cards include "Questions to Guide Observations." There are also specific prompts for observation and documentation throughout the Teaching Guides.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The curriculum encourages programs to use the publisher's Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment System (TS GOLD), which is aligned with The Creative Curriculum^® objectives. The online platform, MyTeachingStrategies™, features resources related to TS GOLD that describe how assessment instruments should be valid, reliable, as well as individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate. The curriculum also stresses the importance of regularly assessing children's development and using this information to plan instruction.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Teacher's Manual describes a process for observing, documenting, and reflecting on children's development, and using this information to monitor children's development and learning. For example, the curriculum suggests teachers use periodic comprehensive evaluation of children's progress in various developmental domains as well as ongoing observation and documentation. The curriculum provides general guidance on how to assess children's progress (e.g., use the provided Unit Record Form throughout the day to note children's demonstration of expressive vocabulary, oral expression, and Getting Along Together behaviors; collect a variety of work samples and photos of construction). However, guidance is not provided on how to use observation and documentation to inform curriculum planning.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The Teacher's Manual provides guidance on using the curriculum's structured assessment instrument (Curiosity Corner, 2^nd Edition Online Data Tools) to regularly assess children's developmental progress and inform planning. It explains that teachers should use hard copies of the Unit Record Forms to record children's progress in expressive vocabulary and Getting Along Together behaviors and then enter the data into the online system. The online data tools "provide standardized and easily interpreted reports on child, class, and school progress." Additionally, the curriculum recommends that teachers use a comprehensive assessment tool at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the year. For programs that do not already use a comprehensive assessment tool, Curiosity Corner includes the Child Assessment Tool in the Teacher's Manual. A limitation is that the curriculum does not address the importance of selecting assessment instruments that are valid and reliable or individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the children who are to be assessed.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: Learn Every Day™ provides some general guidance about how teachers can observe children's development and learning. For example, Foundations for Learning suggests using informal assessment (e.g., anecdotal records, individual child portfolios, small group observation) to record specific events that indicate growth and development, record a child's development over time, and demonstrate progress toward meeting state standards and outcomes. However, related guidance is not specific, nor is it embedded throughout curriculum materials. While Foundations for Learning states that ongoing observation allows teachers to introduce appropriate activities to support acquired and emerging skills, the curriculum lacks further details on how to use assessment information to plan instruction.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Foundations for Learning defines different types of assessment, including formal assessment. It explains that programs can purchase a criterion-referenced (structured) assessment instrument (Learning Accomplishment Profile, 3rd Edition) from the publisher. However, the curriculum does not describe the importance of using standardized or structured assessments, nor does it address the importance of selecting instruments that are valid and reliable or individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the children who are to be assessed.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Curriculum Guidebook and free archived webinar, "Using Galileo G3 Assessment Scales," describe how teachers can use observation, anecdotal records, and representative work (e.g., writing, art, block construction) to document children's developmental progress over time. The curriculum provides guidance on how to enter child observations into the online G3 Assessment Scales and how to use the generated reports to inform weekly lesson plans for individual children and the class as a whole. This guidance is embedded in both online and printable resources (e.g., Curriculum Guidebook, "Using Galileo G3 Assessment Scales" webinar, Guide for Galileo Pre-K Online Observations by Child).

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Galileo® Pre-K describes and provides a structured assessment tool, G3 Assessment Scales, that aligns with the curriculum's learning goals. The curriculum encourages teachers to complete baseline assessments for each child and regular, ongoing observation and documentation of progress using the structured assessments provided. The Curriculum Guidebook and Galileo Technical Manual describe Galileo's assessment tools as valid, reliable, and individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate. For example, the Curriculum Guidebook discusses how grounding assessment in observations accommodates the ways children from diverse backgrounds express and demonstrate their competencies.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The HighScope Preschool Curriculum emphasizes the role of the teacher as an observer throughout all of its materials. It provides guidance on how to observe children as well as strategies for taking anecdotal notes, discussing observations with others, and using the information to plan for and scaffold children's learning.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The HighScope Preschool Curriculum discusses the importance of authentic assessments being valid and reliable as well as individually, culturally, and linguistically appropriate. The HighScope Preschool Curriculum encourages programs to use the publisher's Child Observation Record (COR) Advantage.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The appendix of each Teacher's Edition describes how teachers can use observations, portfolios, anecdotal observation records, and checklists to understand children's developmental progress over time. While some of the lesson plans include prompts for teachers to observe for specific skills or behaviors, the curriculum lacks guidance on how to document observations and use them in curriculum planning. The curriculum publisher previously included tools to track children's developmental progress (e.g., "Anecdotal Observation Record," "Weekly Performance Checklist"), but these tools are no longer available.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The DLM Early Childhood Express® previously provided structured assessment tools, like the "Performance Assessment Checklists," to assess children's developmental progress three times throughout the year. However, the tools are not standardized assessment instruments and are no longer available. Additionally, the appendix of each Teacher's Edition provides minimal guidance on formal assessment (e.g., diagnostic tests, achievement tests).

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: Assessment: A Portfolio Approach describes how teachers can develop a portfolio of work samples, photographs, voice-recorded interviews, checklists, and anecdotal records to document children's developmental progress over time. To support this process, this resource guide and the Assessment CD offer several specific suggestions, examples, and tools (e.g., weekly assessment checklists). However, there are minimal supports for teachers to use these strategies and tools embedded throughout the Teacher Guides and no guidance on how to use information from ongoing assessment to inform curriculum planning.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Frog Street Pre-K describes and provides a structured assessment tool, Prekindergarten Skills Assessment Summary, that aligns with the curriculum's learning goals. The curriculum encourages programs to use their portfolios to complete this assessment tool four times per year, but there is no evidence that establishes the validity and reliability of the tool.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: Welcome to Frog Street Threes describes how ongoing assessment is a process used to understand children's current abilities. It helps staff plan individualized activities, note developmental progress or concerns, and guide instruction. It also discusses the process of documenting observations in individual portfolios (e.g., work samples, photographs, information from families, videos). The Assessment and Planning CD includes two anecdotal observation records tools to support teachers in this process. Finally, the curriculum embeds specific guidance on ongoing assessment throughout the Teaching Guides. At the end of each week, there is an "Assessment" section that prompts teachers to assess children on specific skills and concepts related to the week's learning experiences and goals.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Frog Street Threes describes and provides a structured assessment tool. Frog Street Threes Developmental Checklist aligns with the curriculum's learning goals. The curriculum encourages programs to complete this assessment tool many times throughout the year, but there is no evidence that establishes the validity and reliability of the tool.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The curriculum describes a process for observing and documenting children's development in the Assessment Handbook. To support this process, the curriculum includes weekly reminders to use Observation Checklists and Daily Observation Forms to monitor children's progress. The curriculum also promotes the use of varied tools to record and observe children's learning, such as photos, notes, and work samples in a portfolio.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: World of Wonders provides guidance on using structured assessment instruments to regularly assess children's developmental progress. In the Assessment Flip Book, some measures include counting, comparing and ordering numbers, walking in a straight line, and phonological awareness. The curriculum does not discuss reliability and validity information for the assessments presented. The curriculum suggests that assessment should "take into account the diversity of children's experiences, language, and cultural backgrounds." However, although some of the assessments are translated into Spanish, there does not appear to be other information on how the included assessments are culturally, linguistically, and individually appropriate.
 

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The curriculum provides specific guidance embedded throughout the materials for teachers to monitor, document, and reflect on children's development. The Annotated Lesson includes "Review and Check: Monitor Progress in OWL." It guides teachers to use progress-monitoring assessment tools, observation checklists, and prompts that monitor children's oral vocabulary development. For each week, the Teacher Guides provide an overview of which "success predictors for kindergarten" (e.g., letter sounds, recognize and compare lengths, vocabulary words) will be monitored. Lesson plans for small group, literacy circle, and story time have "Monitor Progress" prompts that guide teachers around what language, literacy, and math skills to assess and how. For example, after introducing a concept word (e.g., "hospital") during literacy circle, the curriculum provides questions to assess children's understanding of the word (e.g., "Why do people go to a hospital?"). In addition, the curriculum gives specific guidance on how to use assessment information for curriculum planning. While the curriculum provides structured tools and checklists for monitoring children's progress, it lacks guidance on how to observe and document children's development and learning as part of everyday interactions and routines (e.g., anecdotal records, work samples).

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: OWL describes and provides a handful of structured assessment tools, such as a screening, observation checklists for each domain, progress monitoring assessment tools, and an end-of-the-year assessment. The curriculum encourages programs to use these assessment tools. However, the tools are not standardized (e.g., valid or reliable), and there is no guidance in the curriculum on how to select and use standardized and structured assessment instruments.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Guiding Documents describe how teachers can use documentation tools to record dialogue, observations of children's work, learning strategies, and social interactions. The curriculum describes the importance of observation for children who may be struggling or children who have made a discovery that should be acknowledged. In addition, the documentation prompts provide specific and embedded guidance on how to collect and use children's work samples (e.g., Take photos of the color combinations that children create. Show photos during lunch or center time and discuss with children.). 

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The curriculum does not address the use of standardized or structured assessments to assess children's developmental progress. 

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The curriculum provides specific guidance embedded throughout the materials for teachers to observe, document, and reflect on children's development. Each of the Teacher Guides provides suggestions for observing, recording anecdotal notes, and collecting representations of children's learning in small-group, whole-group, and individual settings. The PreKindergarten Assessment and Intervention System includes authentic and performance assessment tools, such as Assessment Cards, Anecdotal Notes Forms, and Narrative Progress Forms. In addition, the Teacher Guides offer some guidance on when to use the Assessment Cards. For example, "Do children attempt to use new vocabulary and grammar in speech, or do they need prompting? Use Assessment Card 6 to assess this skill and to implement intervention strategies." The curriculum provides some general support in the form of reflective questions that assist teachers in using assessment to inform planning (e.g., What can I do each day to reinforce these skills? How can I meet with these few children on a regular basis to reinforce these skills?). Even so, there is no specific guidance on how to use this information to inform curriculum planning.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: InvestiGator PreK 2018 encourages programs to use the publisher's structured assessment instrument (Assessment Cards) included in the PreKindergarten Assessment and Intervention System. The curriculum describes how assessment tools should be age-appropriate but does not discuss the importance of assessment instruments that are valid, reliable, or individually, linguistically, or culturally appropriate.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: The Let's Investigate Teacher Guide includes specific guidance for teachers to observe, document, and reflect on children's development. It provides suggestions for observing, recording anecdotal notes, and collecting representations of children's learning in small-group, whole-group, and individual settings. The PreKindergarten Assessment and Intervention System includes authentic assessment tools (e.g., Anecdotal Notes and Narrative Progress forms) and performance assessment tools, such as Assessment Cards. In addition, the Let's Investigate Teacher Guide gives some direction on when to use the Assessment Cards. For example, "Do children attempt to use new vocabulary and grammar in speech, or do they need prompting? Use Assessment Card 6 to assess this skill and to implement intervention strategies." The curriculum provides some guidance in the form of reflective questions that assists teachers in using assessment to inform planning (e.g., What can I do each day to reinforce these skills? How can I meet with these few children on a regular basis to reinforce these skills?) However, this guidance is not embedded throughout all curriculum materials. The Just for Threes 2018 Teacher Guide and Social and Emotional Development Kit lack direction on how to observe, document, and reflect on children's development. An additional limitation is that there is no specific guidance on how to use assessment information to inform curriculum planning.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: Just for Threes 2018 encourages programs to use the publisher's structured assessment instrument (Assessment Cards) included in the PreKindergarten Assessment and Intervention System. The curriculum describes how assessment tools should be age-appropriate but does not discuss the importance of assessment instruments that are valid, reliable, or individually, linguistically, or culturally appropriate.

Ongoing Observation and Documentation: Tools of the Mind^® describes and promotes "dynamic assessment" with specific guidance embedded throughout the curriculum materials for teachers to engage in this process. Through observations, the teacher identifies the child's independent level of performance (ZPD) and how the child responds to scaffolds and instruction. For example, the section "Scaffolding Make-Believe Play" suggests the teacher observe the child's current stage of play, identify a scaffolding goal, provide supports according to the child's ZPD, and observe again to assess the need for further support. Additionally, Pre-K Assessment offers specific assessment resources for observing and documenting children's progress across domains within daily routines and learning experiences (e.g., Scaffolded Writing, Story Lab Listening Comprehension, Math, Social and Emotional Development), as well as guidance for developing and using portfolios that illustrate children's growth over time.

Standardized and Structured Assessment Instruments: The curriculum provides structured assessments but does not provide information about selecting and using standardized assessment instruments. Pre-K Assessment describes and provides some structured assessment tools, such as Listening Comprehension Formative and Summative Assessments and Letter Sound and Name Dynamic Assessments. The curriculum encourages programs to use these assessment tools at regular intervals to track children's progress and adjust learning experiences. However, the tools are not standardized (valid or reliable), and there is no guidance on how to select standardized assessment instruments.