Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach

1. Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach Implications for Administrators Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Ed.D University of Kentucky jgleat00@uky.edu

2. Professional Development Leadership Plan Data-Driven Decision Making Progress Monitoring Activities & Instruction Assessment Scope & Sequence A Curriculum Framework – Linking assessment and intervention Collaborative Partnerships

3. Assessment Issues • Many purposes for assessment – emphasis should be on program planning assessment • Recommended Practices • Importance of using high quality CBA that is appropriate for use in blended classrooms • Using assessment information

4. Issue 1: Many Purposes of Assessment • Identifying concerns that may require focused intervention for individual children • Screening – chapter 6 • Diagnostic – chapter 6 • Making decisions about teaching and learning • Program planning – chapter 7 • Performance monitoring – chapter 8 • Helping programs improve their education and developmental interventions • Program evaluation – chapter 9

5. Professional Development Leadership Plan Data-Driven Decision Making Progress Monitoring Activities & Instruction Assessment Scope & Sequence Collaborative Partnerships

6. Alike and Different

7. Assessment Guide Family Resources, Priorities, Concerns Authentic Baseline Interests and Preferences Developmental and Content Areas Comprehensive Chapter 2

8. Performance Monitoring Performance monitoring practices vary in frequency, intensity, and intent REVISE INSTRUCTION

9. Performance Monitoring practices vary frequency, intensity, and intent matched to the tier of instruction Tier 1: Universal Instruction Tier 3: Individualized, Intensive and Intentional Instruction Tier 2: Targeted and Temporary Instruction

10. Performance Monitoring

11. Within Tiers • Tier 1: Re-administration of authentic and comprehensive assessment originally conducted to obtain baseline • Tier 2: Repeated administration of targeted probes that emerge from the more comprehensive assessment • Tier 3: Counts and tallies, written narratives, and/or permanent products related to individualized skills/concepts

12. Issue 2: Recommended Practices National Association for the Education of Young Children • Assessment (46) • John Neisworth & Stephen Bagnato The Office of Head Start

13. DEC Assessment Practice Example A24. Professionals assess not only immediate mastery of a skill, but also whether the child can demonstrate the skill consistently across other settings and with other people. and on the grass….. The team assesses the child’s ability to walk in the classroom, on the playground, to and from the car…..

14. Summary of Recommended Practices • assessment should be ongoing and closely related to curriculum development and program planning; • assessment should cover all relevant domains, measure developmentally appropriate skills, learning strategies, and learning styles, and be conducted in natural, authentic situations; • assessment should result in information that is useful in planning children’s experiences and making decisions; and • assessment should use multiple approaches and should involve multiple informants.

15. Determine what to teach, how to teach, and how to evaluate instruction usingauthentic assessment strategies

16. What is Authentic Assessment? “Authentic assessment refers to the systematic recording of developmental observations overtime about the naturally occurring behaviors of young children in daily routines by familiar and knowledgeable caregivers in the child’s life.”(Bagnato & Yeh Ho, 2006)

17. Authentic Assessment in Plain English Familiar people…. In familiar settings… With familiar objects/toys…. Doing familiar things.

18. Authentic Assessment Practices • Interview • Structured • Unstructured • Observation • Anecdotal records • Running records • Category Sampling • Language Sample • Use of Curriculum-Based assessments tools • Work samples/artifacts

19. Involving Families in the Assessment Process • Roles • Consumer • Informant • Team member • Advocate • Unstructured • Example: Routines-based interview • Structured • Example: Reach for the Stars Chapter 3

20. Example of Unstructured Approaches • The Routines-Based Interview (RBI) • Prepare families to report on routines • Family reports on their routines • Interviewer reviews concerns and strength areas • Family selects outcomes • Family puts outcomes into priority order • McWilliam 2001

21. Reach for the Star’s Maps Assessment Images for the Future Gifts and Contributions What Works/What Doesn’t Work All About Me Scope and Sequence Skills I want to Learn My Education Plan Haynes and Grisham-Brown 2011 21

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24. Issue #3: Selecting and Using a High Quality Curriculum Based Assessment Designed to link assessment and instruction CBA items Should be functional Should be developmentally appropriate Should be relevant Should be essential Should be from all developmental and content areas Should be for all children

25. Examples Assessment and Evaluation Programming System Brigance Creative Curriculum Child Observation Record Hawaii Early Learning Profile Learning Accomplishment Profile 3 Transdisciplinary Play Based Assessment Work Sampling System 25

26. Content Coverage Assessment covers the major areas of development (i.e., motor, adaptive, cognitive, communication, social) AND major content areas (e.g., early math, readings). Assessment may combine content and developmental areas (e.g., literacy may be covered under the cognitive domain); however, most critical concepts and skills are included

27. Age Span Targets the chronological age of children who will be assessed Includes sufficient items to cover relevant developmental periods for those who may be functioning lower and higher than age expectations

28. Sensitivity of Items Sequential arrangement and density of items in the skill hierarchy and the graduated scoring of children's performance on those items Most assessment content is organized in developmental sequences and/or known instructional steps contains a sufficient number of items at low functional levels and enough items to detect the smallest increments of change Multi-point scoring and information regarding the extent and conditions under which the child's competence can be demonstrated

29. Administer following recommended practices(Bagnato, Neisworth, & Pretti-Frontczak, 2010) ACCEPTABILITY–Social worth & detection AUTHENTICITY–Natural methods & contexts COLLABORATION–Parent-professional teamwork EVIDENCE–Disability design/evidence-base MULTI-FACTORS–Synthesis of ecological data SENSITIVITY–Fine content/measurement gradations UNIVERSALITY–Equitable design/special accommodations UTILITY–Usefulness for instruction

30. What do you think? • Consider the CBA(s) your district/state uses • What are its strengths? • What are its weaknesses?

31. Issue #4 – Using Assessing Information • Summarize assessment information • Analyze data • Look for patterns • Sort and prioritize

32. Summarize • Numerically • Visually • Narratively

33. Analyze Analyzing is a process of inspecting data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and subsequently supporting decisions. Stated differently, analyzing is merely a process of looking at summarized data for patterns and trends

34. Patterns Patterns are recurring events...those that repeat in predictable manner (meaning each time certain conditions are present, you will see the same or a similar behavior). Patterns help to identify strengths, emerging skills, underlying issues, missing components that would lead to further development or acquisition, concurrent needs etc. Patterns are identified in part, through our knowledge of the sequences in which skills/concepts/dispositions are taught/learned.

35. Types of Patterns Patterns of Strength Unexpected Scoring Sequence Patterns of Lack of Quality Patterns of Assistance Patterns of Behavior Interfering Patterns of Direct Prompt

36. Pattern of Strength • Child’s development is "on target” • Independence (defined differently for each child) • Flexibility • Adaptability • Consistency • Generative (i.e., usable under changing conditions and demands)

37. Sort and Prioritize What skills can be addressed through development, play, maturation, and exposure/experience? Tier One What skills are emerging, need practice and repetition? Will these skills improve in independence or fluency with time and practice? Tier Two What skills and concepts are unlikely to emerge without intensive instruction? Tier Three

38. Tier 1 Needs • What common concepts and skills are to be covered/taught/addressed? • State standards • Federal outcomes • Big Ideas • Items from an assessment

39. Tier 2 Needs • Another related skill/concept is the need • Desired concepts and skills that are emerging(stalled but not missing) • Concurrent skill/concepts • Means of expression • Verbal • Non-verbal • Components or portions of the larger concept or skill are missing • Has some of the desired responses but is not as sophisticated as would expect for age and context

40. Tier 3 Needs • Concepts and skills that are keeping the child from accessing, participating, and making progress in the general curriculum/daily activities • Barriers/Underlying issues • Missing prerequisite or foundational skills • Examples • Barriers, underlying issues or concerns (e.g., challenging behavior, quality of movement, intensity of action, another language) • Foundational or prerequisite behaviors (e.g., joint attention, imitation, vocalizations, manipulation of objects, functional use of objects)

41. Sorting Example 3 different children same common outcome • Participation Defined: • Remains with group • Looks at person/object • Follows directions given • Interacts with objects/people

42. Sorting Example 3 different children, same activity and same standard