This technical assistance paper presents information designed to assist school personnel in assessing the strengths and needs of children and planning developmentally appropriate curriculum strategies. The first topic addressed is assessment strategies, which include developmental screening, diagnostic instruments, teacher observation, parent observation and interviews, reports from medical personnel, and reports from early intervention services. The second section suggests guidelines for assessing behaviors of young children. The next topic is observation and recordkeeping strategies, such as developing each child's portfolio and using checklists. A sample learning prescription is provided, illustrating how to summarize the information acquired through observation procedures. The final section of the paper presents assessment information to families and suggests strategies for acquiring additional information from parents through conferences. Contains 7 additional resources and 12 references. (BAC)