Assessment for Individualization

POLICY:

NOCAC Head Start will provide ongoing information to evaluate the child’s developmental level and progress in outcomes aligned to the goals described in the Head Start Early Learning Child Outcomes Framework.

PROCEDURES:

CHILD OBSERVATIONS

1. A Child Observation Form will be completed on each child, each checkpoint season.
   1. All Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) Areas of Development and Learning (can be found in the CP DRDP Site) will be addressed each season.
   2. Observations for all program options will be entered on app.childplus.com and will be used to complete progress reports.
2. Home Based Teachers gather child observations during the weekly home visits and record them on the Home Base Lesson Plan.
   1. Home Based Teachers will use a tracking form to ensure that all observations are included.
3. Observations are entered weekly into teachingstrategies.com
4. Observations are used to plan future activities and individualization goals.
5. Observations will be kept in a closed notebook in the classroom.
   1. The Observation Notebook will be monitored by the Classroom Coach and Mentors as needed to ensure observations are being completed in a timely and organized manner.
6. Observations are recorded for planning purposes and goal setting and individualization
   1. DO INCLUDE: description of actions, quotations, description of gestures, description of facial expressions, description of creations, what the child CAN do, focus on the positive
   2. DO NOT INCLUDE: labels (shy, creative, mad), intentions (wants to), and judgments (sloppy, beautiful), negatives (can’t, didn’t, won’t)

PRESCHOOL SKILLS SHEET

1. To complete the Preschool Skill Sheet (example can be found in the Education Handbook), observe children individually during free play or other planned activities and document with the date that the skill was observed as mastered. This is not an assessment so the observations will be informal.
2. This form is for the families to see their child’s specific progress in common kindergarten readiness areas. Update the Preschool Skill Sheet (example can be found in the Education Handbook) before each home visit/parent teacher conference and review it with the family. Send it home with them at the last conference of the year.

Child Plus DRDP

1. Child Plus DRDP is an ongoing assessment tool, which can be implemented by teachers to measure the educational progress of children. From birth through kindergarten, this program can help teachers evaluate specific characteristics and strategize lessons for effective educational development.
2. The CP DRDP program emphasizes using everyday assessment in typical activities so that teachers can understand where each student’s development level is on an individual basis. It is intended to avoid standardized teaching methods, which neglect each child’s variations in educational progress.
3. Teachers utilize DRDP to enter documentation and observations on individual children.
4. Teachers utilize the Checkpoint Assessment Area three times per year to document individual children’s development level.
5. After documenting the children’s developmental level, the Education manager will print off a DRDP Parent Report Form (form 5024) for each child.
   1. Teachers will review this report with parents/guardians at the 1st & 2nd Parent/Teacher Conference and 2nd Home Visit.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Head Start Early Learning Child Outcomes Framework