Assessing Young Children’s Development and Learning

Julie A. Ray - Southeast Missouri State University, USA

Courses:
Assessment in Early Childhood | Assessment in Early Childhood

January 2026 | SAGE Publications, Inc

Assessing Young Children’s Development and Learning: Birth to Age Eight by Julie A. Ray helps early childhood educators understand both the need for assessment as well as the process of assessment for infants, toddlers, and children up to age eight. This comprehensive text covers a wide range of assessment strategies, from observation to formalized assessments, and further, shows students how to adapt these assessments for a wide variety of students and incorporate feedback from families. Built around the latest National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards from 2020, this text offers clear guidance to future educators for licensing requirements and to instructors for program accreditation. Each chapter opens with a vignette to demonstrate the importance of assessment for real classrooms. The chapters conclude with three case studies that apply the chapter's contents to each group of students: one for infants and toddlers, one for preschoolers, and one for primary-grade students. These case studies showcase each group's unique challenges and settings, providing additional instruction and assessment activities. The Appendix includes a final project and scoring rubric that could be used in course grading or to provide data for accreditation standards. Exercises and activities throughout help readers apply their knowledge, enabling them to confidently and competently assess students in a wide variety of early childhood educational settings.

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Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Chapter 1: Introduction to Developmentally Appropriate Assessment Practices

What is Assessment in Early Childhood Education?

Purposes of Assessment in Early Childhood Education

Essentials of Developmentally Appropriate Assessment

Legal Rights in Assessment of Young Children

Federal and State Assessment Requirements in Early Childhood

Ethical Practices in the Assessment of Young Children

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 2: Observation and Documentation: The Foundation of Assessment of Young Children

Observation + Documentation = Assessment

Developing Close Observation Skills

Errors in Observation

Documenting Individual Children vs. Groups

Evaluating Learning Environments

Observation, Documentation, and the Instructional Cycle

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 3: Observation-Based Descriptive Assessment Methods

Observation-Based Assessment Methods that Describe

The Significance of Descriptive Assessment Methods for Planning Instruction and the Learning Environment

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 4: Observation-Based Assessment Methods That Count or Rate

Observation-Based Assessment Methods That Count

Observation-Based Rating Assessment Methods

The Significance of Assessment Methods that Count or Rate for Planning Instruction and the Learning Environment

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 5: Performance-Based Assessment Methods

Performance-Based Assessment

Assessing Performance-Based Tasks: Rubrics

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 6: Informal Paper / Pencil Assessments for the Primary Grades

Feedback and Informal Paper / Pencil Assessment Methods

Worksheets as Assessment Tools

Quizzes and Tests

Strengths and Limitations of Informal Paper / Pencil Assessment Methods

Student Self-Assessment

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 7: Formal Standardized Assessments

Brief History of Standardized Tests in the U.S.

Types of Standardized Assessments

Validity and Reliability of Standardized Assessments

Interpreting and Explaining Standardized Assessment Results

Communicating Standardized Assessment Results

Strengths and Limitations of Standardized Assessments

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 8: Using Portfolio Data to Plan Instruction

Types of Portfolios

Implicit Bias in Artifact Collection

Involving Children in the Portfolio Process

Using Portfolio Documents to Plan Instruction and Set Goals

Electronic Portfolio Systems

Benefits and Challenges of Portfolios

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 9: Using Assessment Data to Support Development, Learning, and Program Improvement

Choosing the Correct Assessment Method

Documentation in Early Childhood Education Models

Data-Based Decision Making

Using Data to Improve Programs and the Environmental Setting

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 10: Using Assessments in Tiered Systems of Support

The Response to Intervention (RTI) Approach

The RTI Approach to Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Response to Intervention (RTI) Leadership Teams

RTI and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 11: Assessing Children with Developmental Delays or Disabilities

Accommodations and Modifications in Assessments

Referral Process

IFSP / IEP Process: General Education Teacher’s Role

Equity in Accessing Special Services

The Educational Team as Assessment Partners

Monitoring the Progress Towards the IFSP Outcomes or IEP Goals

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 12: Assessing Linguistically Diverse Children

Linguistic Diversity and Assessment

Stages of Second Language Acquisition

Best Practices in Assessing Children who are Multilingual Learners (MLLs)

Identifying Children who are Multilingual Learners for Special Services

Collaborating with Professional Colleagues and Assessment Partners

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Chapter 13: Families as Assessment Partners

Family Partnerships in Assessment

Communication Methods for Assessment Information

Informal Communication Methods

Formal Communication Methods

Cross-Cultural Communication Considerations

Families as a Source of Assessment Information

Summary

Key Terms

Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments

Appendix A: Developmental Milestones

Appendix B

References

Key features

Opening Vignettes: Realistic scenarios feature assessment examples for all three age levels: infant/toddler, preschool, and primary grades.
Chapter Learning Objectives: These objectives clearly describe what the learner should be able to do after reading, discussing, and doing assignments provided for each chapter. They are written using behavioral terms that can be measured and are helpful in writing course syllabi.
NAEYC and DEC/CEC Professional Preparation Standards at the beginning of each chapter align with chapter learning objectives, which are useful for course syllabi and accreditation purposes.
Key Terms: Important vocabulary terms which may be unfamiliar to the reader are bolded in the chapter, defined in the glossary and listed at the end of each chapter help students prepare for quizzes or exams.
Figures and graphics for user readability: Each chapter includes several figures or graphics that provide additional information, break up text sections, and increase reader interest.
Realistic Examples: The chapters also include realistic examples of topics in the chapter. These examples are based upon the author’s observations of teachers and young children in early childhood settings.
Connections Activities: These activities, which are placed after each major section, may be done in class or in an online discussion board and are designed to help students fully grasp the content of the topic or apply it to their own experiences.
“Applying Your Knowledge” Case Studies: Each chapter ends with case studies and reflection questions that may be used for course assignments or exams. These case studies present challenges that early childhood educators face in assessing young children in the infant/toddler, preschool, and primary grades settings and require students to apply the information from the chapter.
Chapter Learning Objectives Assessments: In addition to case studies, the chapters end with suggestions for assessments for each learning objective. These assessments can provide student learner outcome data for the course.
Child Case Study: Appendix B provides a major course assignment that can be used for a final project. This assignment includes a scoring rubric that is aligned with the NAEYC and DEC/CEC standards and may provide student data for accreditation reports. The activities done for this assignment may also provide evidence for the edTPA Early Childhood Assessment Task 3.

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Assessing Young Children’s Development and Learning
Birth to Age Eight

Sage College Publishing

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