Family Engagement and Assessment Practices

1. Engaging
Families
in the
Assessment
Process
Leticia Yvette Hayes
Walden University
2/05/2020

2. Learning Objectives
• The importance of assessment at the primary level-Kindergarten
• How teachers can involve families in the assessment process.
• How to communicate results of assessments to families
• Supporting diversity and multiculturalism

3. Assessment
Assessments supports learning and instruction
and identifies children who many need additional
support (NAEYC, 2013) and is a collaboration that
is ongoing and an in-depth reflection on a child’s
learning and development (Ntuli, Nyarambi, &
Traore, 2014) in order to make decisions and
recommendations to further the development in all
domains.

4. The importance of
assessment at the
primary level-
Kindergarten
“There can be no learning without assessment and self-assessment.” (Panturu, 2014)

5. Purpose of
Assessing Kindergarten
• Standards based accountability.
• Facilitates the monitoring of children’s learning.
• Appropriate assessment identify students' strengths and
needs
• Informs curriculum, planning and instructional decisions
(Mertler, 2017)
• Families become part of their child’s learning
development.

6. How teachers can involve
families in the
assessment process.
“A child’s first assessors are her family,” (Caspe, Seltzer, Kennedy, Cappio, & DeLorenzo, 2013)

7. Why Involve Families?
According to the National Association for the Education of
Young Children (2003):
→Families have the right to be informed.
→Ethical obligation to involve families
→Families possess invaluable resources
(Caspe, Seltzer, Kennedy, Cappio, & DeLorenzo, 2013).

8. Practical Ways:
Creating formal and informal opportunities for families and educators
to communicate include, but no limited to:
1. Family-Teacher Conferences
2. Phone Calls
3. Written Notes
4. Home Visits
(Caspe, Seltzer, Kennedy, Cappio, and DeLorenzo, 2013)

9. How to communicate
results of
assessments to
families
Give Families opportunities to do something for their children base don the
information the assessment gives (Caspe, Seltzer, Kennedy, Cappio, and
DeLorenzo, 2013).

10. Communicating Results
Parents lack enough information about the purpose and
interpretation of assessment (NAEYC, 2003).
Educators can help by:
> Conversation about assessments
> Workshops before PTO/PTA nights
> Sharing useful website

11. Communicating Results
During workshops, communicate:
1. Education age-appropriate standards
2. Explain how standards relate to their child’s development
and learning (Caspe, Seltzer, Kennedy, Cappio, & DeLorenzo,
2013).
3. Provide parents the opportunities to have a mock
observation of the documentation process

12. Supporting diversity
and multiculturalism
“Teachers need to view families as capable and respect their cultural values
(Hammack, Foote, Garretson, & Thompson, 2012, p. 105)

13. Culture of the Family
• Get to know families.
• True collaboration is established with knowing families.
• Share results with families, language preferred.
• Know the preferred language to send communication notes home.
• Create activities for families to complete together (Hammack, Foote,
Garretson, & Thompson, 2012).

14. Literacy Packs for Kindergarten
(Hammack, Foote, Garretson, & Thompson, 2013)
• Designed by teachers.
• Resources include materials that support children’s
emergent literacy skills.
● Families read a book together.
● Families work on an activities a teacher included
in the pack.
● Materials help engaged and making reading the
book fun
● Build reading and listening comprehension.
● Incorporating stores families are encourage to
discuss.

15. Contact Information
• Leticia Hayes
Leticia.hayes@waldenu.edu

16. Reference
Caspe, M., Seltzer, A., Kennedy, J. L., Cappio, M., & DeLorenzo, C. (2013). Engaging Families in the Child
Assessment Process. YC: Young Children, 68(3), 8–14.
Gullo, D. (2013). Improving Instructional Practices, Policies, and Student Outcomes for Early Childhood Language
and Literacy Through Data-Driven Decision Making. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(6), 413.
Hammack, B. G., Foote, M. M., Garretson, S., & Thompson, J. (2012). Family Literacy Packs: Engaging Teachers,
Families, and Young Children in Quality Activities to Promote Partnerships for Learning. Young
Children, 67(3), 104–110.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2003). Early childhood curriculum,
assessment, and program evaluation. Retrieved from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/CAPEexpand.pdf
Mertler, C. A. (2017). Classroom assessment : a practical guide for educators. Routledge.
PANTURU, S. (2014). The Opportunity and Efficiency of Assessment within the Early Education Timeframe.
Journal Plus Education / Educatia Plus, 10(2), 276–282.