Examined the relationship between early school retention as a result of preschool and kindergarten developmental testing and children's later academic achievement (N=223). Results showed children who scored as immature on the Gesell Screening Test and who were retained a year had the lowest scores on all measures. (JAC)

Proposes criteria for defining and selecting preschool developmental screening instruments and describes the Early Screening Inventory (ESI), a developmental screening instrument designed to satisfy these criteria. Presents results of several studies demonstrating that the ESI predicts school performance with moderate to excellent accuracy through…

The concurrent validity and reliability of Kaufman's short-form version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were examined for a sample of 342 Mexican-American preschool and kindergarten age children. The results showed that generally the positive psychometric properties of the Kaufman short form were also noted for the children in this…

Investigated the extent to which the Wechsler and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) provides items of sufficient difficulty for gifted children (N=306) aged four to six. All subtests investigated were found to have an inadequate level of difficulty, and six were inadequate for half or more of the subjects. (JAC)

A comparison was made between the Slosson Intelligence Test and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for 44 minority preschoolers. The mean Slosson score was 13.8 points higher than the mean McCarthy score. The correlation between the scores was .81. Effects of inflated Slosson scores for screening purposes are considered. (Author/RD)

To help physicians select appropriate screening tests for early childhood identification of developmental disabilities, 19 screening tests were administered by a pediatrician and rated by a panel of pediatricians and a special educator. Five of the tests were identified that approached standards for educational and psychological tests. (TJH)

Extra-year programs for children in kindergarten and first grade are not cost effective and have a tendency to keep children out of school. What does work is a developmentally appropriate curriculum for the primary grades that emphasizes integrated learning across the curriculum, small group instruction, and mixed-age grouping. (MLF)

Data from three subtests (language, mathematics, and social) scales of the Head Start Measures Battery (HSMB) were analyzed using principal components analysis (PCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS). The HSMB measures preschool development in language, mathematics, nature and science, perception, reading, and social development. The…

Two studies investigated examiner scoring agreement on the Oral Vocabulary, Draw-A-Design, and Draw-A-Child subtests of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. In study one, ten examiners scored four randomly selected normal children's protocols. Unanimous agreement occurred on scores for 52% of the Oral Vocabulary responses, 39% of the…

The Starkweather Target Game is designed to measure preschool children's willingness to try difficult tasks independent of ability. The game consists of a box-shaped target which responds, when the target is hit by a rolled ball, somewhat like a jack-in-a-box. When the bull's eye is hit, the lid opens and a surprise picture appears. After being…

This research study, one in a series on day care, is based on the rationale that 2-year-old children, in play, are predominantly oriented toward solitary play and adults. Twelve subjects between 24 and 38 months of age, matched demographically on the Caldwell Pre-School Inventory and the Vineland Social Scales of Maturity were selected to test…

This objective referenced test for an early childhood education program was written after examination of approximately 20 tests designed for evaluation of preschoolers. The test measures the attainment of performance objectives in self-awareness, language skills, cognitive skills, career awareness, and determines whether youngsters are ready for…

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of significant influences on the cognitive readiness of a group of children, aged 60 to 66 months. All measures were obtained by prospective study, which began with Apgar scores calculated in the delivery room. Subsequent measures were gathered by individual case studies in homes, with children and…

Approximately 120 published pre-school and Kindergarten tests (including over 630 subtests with separately normed scores) were evaluated through the MEAN test evaluation procedure which reflects four main areas of concern: measurement validity, examinee appropriateness, administrative usability, and normed technical excellence. Evaluation results…

Hoffman won his case on the basis of being misclassified, placed in a school for the mentally retarded, and thus deprived of 12 years of learning opportunities. School officials are appealing on the grounds that damages are excessive and that the adminstration of an IQ test contraindicates malpractice. (WI)