Synopses & Reviews
How can early childhood professionals make informed decisions while selecting assessment materials that meet recommended practices? Use the NEW edition of this essential reference, the only book with professional ratings and reviews of 80 authentic, widely used assessment tools for children birth–8.
Completely revamped and even more user-friendly than its popular first edition, this must-have guide provides ratings of the qualities of assessment materials based on:
- "consumer reports" and ratings from a survey of more than 1,000 professionals
- detailed reviews from a panel of assessment experts
- ratings drawn from the authors' own extensive expertise
Now with NEW features that make the ratings and reviews even more specific and useful, this book helps early childhood professionals
- evaluate how each assessment tool measures up to 8 critical standards: acceptability, authenticity, collaboration, evidence, multifactors, sensitivity, universality, and utility
- easily compare assessment tools, with At a Glance snapshots of good-quality measures and more in-depth Close-Ups of the top-rated assessments
- determine which assessments best meet specific needs of both program and child
- select tools compatible with the ones a program is already using
- link realistic, authentic assessments with effective interventions
- meet professional standards for recommended assessment practice
- deepen their knowledge and use of assessment standards for personally rating assessment tools
A key text for courses on assessment and the go-to assessment guide for every early childhood program, this invaluable book will help professionals ensure high-quality services for children with and without disabilities. Professionals will have the clear and concise guidance they need to choose appropriate assessment tools that link to their programs, help design interventions that meet children's individual needs, and give all young children the start in life they deserve.
What's New?
Review
"The traditional focus of assessment is on identification of within-child deficits, dysfuntions, disorders, or disabilities. This practice of "dising" children has led to much mismeasurement and to inappropriate assignment of children to non-evidence-based treatments or interventions that far too frequently have not worked. This book is a refreshing move away from such mismeasurement. It provides clear, coherent, practical, usable, and data-based best practices in matching early childhood assessments to instructional and behavioral interventions." Jim Ysseldyke, Ph.D.
Review
"A clear strength of the book is the wealth of information provided in a concise format about each of the 87 assessment tools reviewed and available for use by early childhood intervention professionals. The information in this book will help all professionals engaged in psychoeducational assessment to make better judgments about children’s competencies and practical recommendations about intervention strategies."
Synopsis
The only book with professional ratings and reviews of 80 widely used assessment measures for children birth-8, the new edition of this popular reference helps you select high-quality assessment materials for your early childhood program.
About the Author
Stephen J. Bagnato, Ed.D., NCSP, is a developmental school psychologist and professor of pediatrics and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine and Education. Dr. Bagnato holds joint appointments in psychology in education/applied developmental psychology and clinical/developmental psychology at the university. He is Director of the Early Childhood Partnerships Program at the university and Core Interdisciplinary Leadership Team Faculty Member for The University, Community, Leaders, and Individuals with Disabilities (UCLID) Center at the University of Pittsburgh.
In 1986, Dr. Bagnato received the Braintree Hospital National Brain Injury Research Award for his research on the impact of interdisciplinary intervention for young children with acquired and congenital brain injuries. In 2001, he was recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Public Service Award for the innovation and community impact of his consultation and research programs in early childhood partnerships, and in 2008, Dr. Bagnato received The Pennsylvania State University Excellence in Education Alumni Award for his career of innovative national and international service and research in education and psychology. Dr. Bagnato was recently appointed to Governor Rendell's Pennsylvania Early Learning Council, a task force to influence early childhood intervention policy and practices through systems integration efforts among education, public welfare, and health.
Dr. Bagnato specializes in authentic curriculum-based assessment and applied program evaluation research for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers at developmental risk and with neurodevelopmental disabilities and neurobehavioral disorders and their families. He has published more than 120 applied research studies and professional articles in early childhood care and education, early intervention, early childhood special education, school psychology, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and developmental neuropsychology.
Dr. Bagnato is Director of Early Childhood Partnerships (ECP; http://www.earlychildhoodpartnerships.com), a community-based consultation, training, technical assistance, and research collaborative between Children's Hospital and The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh with community partners. For more than 10 years, Dr. Bagnato and his ECP program have been funded by the Heinz Endowments to conduct longitudinal research on the impact and outcomes of high-quality early childhood intervention programs on nearly 15,000 high-risk children in 30 school districts and regions across Pennsylvania (e.g., Early Childhood Initiative, Pre-K Counts).
Dr. Bagnato is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) in Division 16 and he received the 1995 Best Research Article Award from Division 16 of APA (with John T. Neisworth) for his "national study on the social and treatment invalidity of intelligence testing in early childhood intervention." He is coauthor of the professional "best practice" policy statements and standards on early childhood assessment, evaluation, and early intervention for The National Association of School Psychologists and the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Dr. Bricker is the former director of the Early Intervention Program at the University of Oregon and a key developer of the ASQ and AEPS® systems. She has focused her professional career on the development and study of assessment systems and intervention approaches for young children with disabilities and those at risk for developing disabilities.
Dr. Bricker has been instrumental in the development of graduate-level personnel preparation programs that have produced professionals who are delivering quality services to thousands of young children and their families. She has published extensively in the field of early intervention.
John T. Neisworth, Ph.D., is Profe
Table of Contents
About the Authors
Foreword
Diane Bricker
Preface
Acknowledgments
I. Authentic Assessment and Early Intervention in Context
- Why Are Changes Needed in Early Childhood Measurement?
- What Is Authentic Assessment?
- What Are the Professional Standards for Developmentally Appropriate Assessment in Early Childhood Intervention?
- How Can Professionals Apply the Best Measures for Best Practices?
- What Are "Forecasts" of Promising Practices in Authentic Assessment?
II. Professional Standards and the Link Social Validity Study with Sophia Hubbell and Eileen McKeating
Appendix II.1. Alphabetical Listing of 87 Assessment Measures Included in the Initial Review
Appendix II.2. Combined LINK Indexes
Appendix II.3. Other Features
References
Appendixes
A. NAEYC Position Statement
B. DEC Positive Outcomes Position Statement
C. LINK Consumer Social Validity Survey Form
D. Where We Stand on Curriculum Assessment, and Program Evaluation: NAEYC and NAECS/SDE
Author Index
Subject Index