This document discusses the importance of assessment in kindergarten and engaging families in the assessment process. It outlines how assessment establishes appropriate placement, aids in curriculum selection, and allows for referrals. The document also discusses how teachers can involve families by having them take notes at home, work on areas of weakness, and provide activities over breaks. It emphasizes communicating results to families and the importance of culturally responsive teaching that incorporates student diversity.

1. Serving as Advocates for Kindergarten
Families/Engaging Families in the
Assessment Process
Temeka Thatch
Walden University

2. The importance of assessment in
Kindergarten
 Assessment is imperative because of all the decisions
educators must make about their students when
teaching them (Allen, 2007).
 Conducting an assessment can establish suitable
placement and aid in selecting appropriate curriculum
to meet student's individual needs.
 Results from the assessment can allow one to refer
students and, as the case may be appropriate, their
families for additional resources to agencies and
programs (Gorski, 2017).

3. According to NAEYC (2003),
“assessment helps early childhood
professionals understand the learning
of a specific child or group of children;
enhance overall knowledge of child
development; improve educational
programs for young children while
supporting continuity across grades
and settings; and access resources
and supports for children with specific
needs.” (p.3)
Importance continued

4. According to The Access Center:
Improving Outcomes for All Students
K-8 (2005), assessments demonstrate
the effectiveness of instruction and
provide teachers with information on
how instruction can be.
Importance continued

5. How teachers can involve families in the assessment
process
For the maximum learning
opportunity to take place
families and teachers must
work as a team.
 Families can be a part of
some assessments by taking
notes or recordings of their
children at home. For
example, a parent may record
their child counting with
manipulatives and send it to
the teacher.
 Families can also work with
their child in their area of
weakness. For example, if
the child has difficulty taking
turns the family could play
games that require taking
turns.

6. How teachers can involve families in the
assessment process
 Families can also work with their child in their area of
weakness. For example, when kindergarteners go on
winter break teacher can put together activities for
them to do in preparation for the DiBels and TRC test
which would begin as soon as students return from
break.

7. Communicating results to families
Teachers should share the following information when meeting with
families:
 Developmental and educational information about the child based
on observation and assessment (OHS National Center on Parent,
Family and Community Engagement, 2011).
 Information about the child’s performance in the class.
 Information about the curriculum and learning goals for the
child(OHS National Center on Parent, Family and Community
Engagement, 2011).
 Knowledge about the child’s next educational environment.
Respectfully sharing these different perspectives is an essential step
toward healthy learning environments for children.

8. STRATEGIES FOR INFORMATION
SHARING
 Start with parents’
perspectives: Before sharing
data about a child, consider
why this information is
important to you(OHS
National Center on Parent,
Family and Community
Engagement, 2011).
 Be descriptive and share
interpretations: Simple, clear
descriptions of a child’s
behavior without
interpretations or judgments
help identify common ground
and differences.
 Be positive and specific:
Positive comments about
specific behaviors or
characteristics ones the
parents are bound to see too
make these conversations
real

9. Supporting diversity and
multiculturalism
 According to Long (2014), culturally responsive
teaching directly fosters cultural affirmation, academic
achievement, competence social consciousness, as
well as community building and personal connections.
 Kindergarteners can make strong correlations to a
curriculum when teachers employ the multicultural
experiences of all the students in the classroom. As a
result, culturally responsive teaching has numerous
advantages.

10. Supporting diversity and
multiculturalism
 Culturally responsive practices also drive students to
work collaboratively as experts while teaching one
another and developing a community of students who
are willing to learn (Long, 2014).

11. References
 Allen, S. F. (2007). Assessing the Development of Young Children in Child Care: A Survey of Formal
Assessment Practices in One State. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(6), 455-465. doi:10.1007/s10643-
007-0153-z
 Gorski, D. (2017). Assessment in Early Childhood. Getreadytoread.org. Retrieved from
http://www.getreadytoread.org/screening-tools/supportive-materials-for-elors/assessment-in-early-
childhood
 Long, P. A. (2014). The effects of teachers' attitudes, behaviors, and skills on culturally responsive teaching
and the multicultural curriculum: An action research study of a culturally responsive teaching professional
development guide in an elementary classroom (Order No. 3636143). Available from ProQuest Dissertations
& Theses Global. (1614209120). Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/1614209120?accountid=14872
 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
 OHS National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement. (2011). Family Engagement and
Ongoing Child Assessment series. Retrieved from the Office of Head Start Early Childhood Learning
Knowledge Center.
 The Access Center: Improving Outcomes for All Students K-8. (2005). Early Reading Assessment: A Guiding
Tool for Instruction. The Access Center: Washington DC.