Assessment Services

Assessment Services

Program Assessment

Research from many corners of study -- from education to economics -- shows that when children are enrolled in high-quality, developmentally appropriate programs, the returns are significant for children and society alike. Children in these programs are prepared for kindergarten and are more successful in school beyond the kindergarten years. They are also more likely to become steady, active members of the workforce. Overall, the financial burden on society decreases because these children require less spending on special education services and grade retention, and are less dependent on welfare assistance later in life.

Program assessments, which are required in most levels of the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), are tools for measuring the quality of early education and care programs. Resulting data can help guide program decision-making, curriculum planning, goal setting, and evaluation of progress toward achieving those goals. Program assessments can also inform decisions for public and private funders who may be more likely to support programs that have demonstrated quality through assessment data.

While the importance of quality care is finally becoming widely recognized, resources for building that quality are scarce. How can a program evaluate its strengths and address areas that need improvement in a time of tight budgets and staffing?

The Collaborative's Early Childhood staff provides program assessment services using a range of tools such as

• Environmental Rating Scale
• Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale
• CLASS
• preLAS
• Program Administration Scale
• Business Administration Scale

We offer on-site training and technical assistance in guiding professionals through the processes of observation and information gathering. Through data analysis, our team of experts can help determine what areas of a program could be strengthened and develop a plan for implementing change.

Child Assessment

In order for teachers and care providers to be most effective, they need to understand the unique strengths and weaknesses of the children they work with. Child assessments shed light on the learning, developmental, and social-emotional needs of each child. Required of EEC-licensed programs, child assessments enable teachers to meausre and track children's development in all areas: fine and gross motor, social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive. The resulting data help to identify children's strengths, highlight areas that need further enhancement, and inform curriculum development and changes in program practice that offer children learning opportunities that are both challenging and achievable.

There are three child assessment systems approved for use in Massachusetts: Teaching Strategies Gold, Work Sampling, and High Scope COR. We help programs select the assessment tool that's most appropriate for their purposes, and provide guidance and insight around

• strategies for completing and recording observations
• ensuring that observations are objective
• determining which data are needed
• using the data to plan learning experiences that meet children's developmental needs.

Funding for assessment services may be available through the Department of Early Education and Care's Educator and Provider Support grant.

For more information, contact:

Barbara Finlayson, Director of Early Childhood Programs
413-586-4998 ext. 101 or 800-519-1882 ext. 101
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