With ongoing concerns about environments that push teachers toward increasingly structured assessments, thus reducing opportunities to observe young learners' mathematical capabilities, the publication of this special issue on formative assessment is especially significant and timely. The articles illustrate how we cannot rely solely on…

This paper is a reflection on practice. It begins by briefly describing an evaluation of an externally-funded education programme in Kosovo (a new country in south-east Europe). The programme was managed by Save the Children in Kosovo and aimed to develop and promote models of inclusive education through three strands of activity. The first of…

The special section articles demonstrate the importance of informant discrepancies. They also illustrate challenges posed by discrepancies, plus opportunities for advancing research and practice. This commentary addresses these cross-cutting issues: (a) Discrepancies affect many kinds of assessment besides ratings of children's problems. (b)…

The authors take the opportunity to respond to the commentaries that were written regarding their article (in the March 2009 issue of "Educational Researcher") summarizing the conceptual and empirical basis for using standardized approaches to observing teachers' practices in classrooms and the potential that such approaches have for addressing…

Describes the concept of school readiness and considers the purpose, content, and process of assessing children's school readiness. Notes that early childhood assessment is undertaken for numerous purposes but that these purposes are not always clear. Delineates different purposes for collecting data and discusses critical principles that could…

Interest in assessment of young children increased after readiness testing abuses in the 1980s. The pressure of demonstrating educational accountability through children's standardized test performance increased the use of skills-driven curricula. It also created an inappropriate learning environment in which readiness tests were used to remove…

Describes the goals of assessment in early childhood education programs, suggesting that assessment plans should focus on knowledge, skills, dispositions, and feelings. Argues that the younger children are, the more errors are made in assessment, and that efforts should therefore balance global and specific assessments. Suggests assessment…

Learning to work and play well with others truly is a lifelong goal with a foundation in the early childhood years. Effective early childhood educators recognize that supporting children's social competence and teaching them academic skills are compatible rather than competing goals; each grows and benefits from advances in the other. Together,…

This article presents a response to the paper by Li, D'ngiulli and Kendall (2007). The authors address two key aspects of this paper. The first concerns a number of errors and misconceptions in the paper that the authors think are important to clarify and correct. The second issue relates to the significant amount of research and effort that has…

Working out assessment philosophy and practices takes time, as the team members working on the "Competent Children" research project in New Zealand have found out during the first 18 months of the project. It is imperative that those with expertise in early childhood care and education insist on developmentally appropriate assessment…

The articles in this engaging volume, mostly from Young Children, address the purposes of and uses for assessment. Expert commentary from Marian Marion, Gayle Mindes, Richard Clifford, Diane Trister Dodge and others offers an overview of the topic and specific examples to show how assessment informs and improves practice in early childhood…

Examines how Montessori early childhood programs can use new student assessment strategies, exploring how student assessment fits in the teaching-learning cycle of Montessori schools. Describes characteristics of excellent student assessment systems. Asserts that although performance-based assessments require time to develop and administer, the…

Discusses two philosophical concepts regarding what constitutes proper and suitable curricula for prekindergarten children: highly structured academic curricula and child-centered curricula. Compares their methods of assessment. (PRA)

Discusses four approaches to assessing the quality of early childhood program: top-down, which focuses on the adult's view of setting, equipment, and the program; bottom-up, focusing on children's experience; outside-inside, emphasizing the family's view; and societal, in which agencies and communities assess programs. (LB)

Refutes Gilliam et al.'s critique regarding the Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP) evaluation, including issues related to randomization, dropout rates, timing of evaluation, and services for control families. Discusses the broader issues regarding the appropriate interpretation of results of large-scale randomized trials of complex…