SRI worked with two research partners and a 10-state consortium to enhance and implement a developmentally appropriate K–3 formative assessment to fit within and inform everyday classroom instruction.
As part of the Department of Education’s Enhanced Assessment Grants program, SRI worked with research partners BUILD and Child Trends and a 10-state consortium to enhance and implement a developmentally appropriate K–3 formative assessment to fit within and inform everyday classroom instruction.
Understanding a child’s strengths and needs is particularly critical in the early years as children transition from a variety of early childhood settings into kindergarten. The assessment landscape in the older grades is currently dominated by summative tests, but young children need a different kind of assessment process. This project produced an assessment that helps to support each child’s growth and development through an observation-based evaluation of multiple domains. Along with the assessment tools, the project produced meaningful strategies for professional development and family engagement.
Starting with North Carolina’s assessment (developed through a Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant) as a foundation, SRI enhanced learning progressions and assessment materials across five domains: Language Development and Communication, Cognitive Development, Approaches to Learning, Health & Physical Development, and Social-Emotional Development, with the support of national subject experts. Assessment materials were strengthened through evidence-centered design (ECD) and the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ensuring a valid, reliable assessment that can support the learning of all children, including those with disabilities and dual language-learners.