Resources
Longitudinal Evaluation of a Collaborative Public School and Day Care Intervention Program in Pre-school and Kindergarten

In this study of an intervention program for children from public housing projects in Boston, the children in the comparison group had more economic advantages than those in the intervention group. The results demonstrated a progressive catch-up effect in most observed behavior categories for the intervention group. 1991. Document #329-366. Available from:
Boston College
School of Education
Campion Hall
Chestnut Hill, MA 02167


Testing in American Schools: Issues for Research and Policy
by Patricia Morison


In 1990 Congress requested that its Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) conduct an analysis of educational testing technologies and policies with a particular focus on the role of the Federal Government in testing policy. This Social Policy Report describes OTA, summarizes the current status of proposals, reviews major research and policy issues, and summarizes OTA's policy options for Congress. (Social Policy Report, Society For Research In Child Development, Vol., VI, No.2.) Available from:

SRCD Executive Office
University of Michigan
300 N. Ingalls, 10th Floor
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0406
From the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC)



Developmental Screening in Early Childhood: A Guide,by Samuel J. Meisels.. This guide describes how to organize and conduct an early childhood screening program. This third edition includes advice on selecting an appropriate screening instruments, sample forms, and NAEYC's position statement on standardized testing. 1989.

Guidlines for Appropriate Curriculum Content and Assessment in Programs Serving Children Ages 3 Through 8.
NAEYC's position on standardized testing in early childhood programs restricts the use of tests to situations in which testing provides information that will clearly contribute to improved outcomes for children. The guidelines in NAEYC's position statement apply to all forms of standardized testing, but primarily address the uses and abuses of achievment, readiness, and developmental screening tests. NAEYC determined its position on the standardized testing of children ages 3 through 8 in November 1987. A review of the NAEYC's position can be found Young Children, March 1988.

Testing of Young Children: Concerns and Cautions. This informative pamphlet addresses a number of issues related to the testing of young children, types of standardized tests, and appropriate uses of standardized tests. 1988. Document #582

Available from:

NAEYC
1509 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1426
(202) 232-8777
(800) 424-2460
High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR) for Ages 2 1/2-6


This instrument for the alternative standardized testing of preschool and kindergarten children focuses on children's active learning rather than the passive learning measured by standardized school readiness and achievement tests. A recenlty completed High/Scope study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found the meausre to be sufficiently reliable when employed by early childhood teachers trained in its use. Available from:

High/Scope Educational
Research Foundation
600 N. River Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48198-2898
(313)485-2000
(313) 485-0704 FAX


Standardized Tests and Our Children: A Guide to Testing Reform
This guide supports the growing national movement to replace standardized, multiple-choice tests with performance-based assessments. The Natoinal Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest) offers this guide to help parents, educators, and policy makers understand the need to change the way we assess students. The 32-page pamphlet, which addresses grades K-12, is available in English and Spanish. 1990. Available from:

FairTest
342 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 864-4810

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