Assessment and collaboration in school and child care settings

Abstract

Nonparental childcare settings encompass a wide spectrum of quality, ranging from publicly funded preschools with clearly defined standards and expected outcomes, to family day care providers who may not be subject to licensing standard. Within the array of early childhood settings, assessment is a core component of high-quality school and childcare programs. This chapter provides a broad overview of policy driving the assessment of children and of their care and educational settings. Both child-focused and setting-focused assessment practices are reviewed and described. Consultation and collaboration in early childcare settings are discussed as means of using assessment data to facilitate positive outcomes for children. Finally, a case study illustrates the use of assessment data to improve practice within a preschool classroom in order to bring about enhanced growth and development for young learners.