Screening & Child Assessment
Screening, observation, and assessment are tools providers can use to better understand individual children’s development and ensure that their developmental needs are being met.
Parents are experts when it comes to their kids.
It’s important for them to know they play a vital role in the developmental screening process, from voicing concerns about potential delays to supporting learning at home.
Before completing the screening, learn the three things parents should know about screening —and get supporting tips, and resources to help you better communicate these important points.
Screening
Screening children receiving School Readiness (SR) services with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a contractual requirement of all SR providers. Providers will be notified 30 days before screenings are due. Orientation for SR providers and staff on the ASQ will be available soon.
ASQ screenings must now be completed through the Provider Portal!
The best way to stay current is to check the portal daily. To avoid any non-compliance being issued, be sure to terminate the enrollment of any child no longer attending your program.
Observation
Child observation helps providers get to know each child better so they can adjust their instruction and child care environments to facilitate each child’s learning and promote positive behavior. Observations should be documented and shared with parents.
Child Assessment
Assessment is a more in-depth look at a child’s development. Assessments help teachers monitor children’s progress in the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards and inform their classroom practice so each child gets the best possible opportunity to be ready for kindergarten.
One of the ways Florida helps ensure quality early learning is by considering how well children do before and after receiving school readiness services. State law requires the Division of Early Learning to review and select child assessment instruments that are valid, reliable and developmentally appropriate. While the statewide assessment system is voluntary, it can help improve school readiness, benefiting more than 135,000 children, 10,000 providers and 15,000 teachers.
Child assessments are used to measure growth across the core domains of early childhood development. It provides teachers, child care providers and parents a tool to guide instruction, document learning and development over time. The Division of Early Learning has contracted with the following three companies for child assessments: Assessment Technology, HighScope, and Teaching Strategies.
School Readiness child care providers who meet eligibility requirements and implement using one of the three child assessment tools with fidelity may receive a differential for conducting child assessments during the child assessment periods. The three assessment periods through the SR program year:
Assessment Period 1 – August, September, October
Assessment Period 2 – November, December, January
Assessment Period 3 – February, March, April