Standard 4: NAEYC Accreditation Criteria for Assessment of Child Progress

The following chart presents the accreditation criteria for this topic area. Each criterion provides specific details to guide program plans, policies and practices. The criteria are numbered (01, 02, 03, etc.) within their topic area. Each criterion within each program standard is identified by its relevant age group (or groups). Many criteria are identified as "universal" (U), meaning that all classrooms and programs pursuing NAEYC Accreditation must address these criteria. These aspects of quality should be seen in any programs or classrooms serving birth through kindergarten, though they may look somewhat different in practice depending on the children's age.

Age Groups:
U = universal
I = infant
T = toddlers/twos
P = preschool
K = kindergarten

4.B.
Using Appropriate Assessment Methods

4.B.01
U   I   T   P   K
Programs use a variety of assessment methods that are sensitive to and informed by family culture, experiences, children's abilities and disabilities, and home language; are meaningful and accurate; and are used in settings familiar to the children.

4.B.02
U   I   T   P   K
Assessments obtain information on all areas of children's development and learning, including cognitive skills, language, social-emotional development, approaches to learning, health, and physical development (including self-help skills).

4.B.03
U   I   T   P   K
Norm-referenced and standardized tests are used primarily when seeking information on eligibility for special services or when collecting information for overall program effectiveness. When formal assessments are used, they are combined with informal methods such as observation, checklists, rating scales, and work sampling.

4.B.04
U   I   T   P   K
If the program uses published instruments, it evaluates information from the publisher about the standardization sample, standardization procedures, scoring, reliability, and validity to ensure that the results obtained with the instruments are valid for the program's purposes.

4.B.05
U   I   T   P   K
Staff-developed assessment methods

• are aligned with curriculum goals.
• provide an accurate picture of all children's abilities and progress.
• are appropriate and valid for their stated purposes.
• provide meaningful and stable results for all learners, including English-language learners and children with special needs.
• provide teachers with clear ideas for curriculum development and daily planning.
• are regularly reviewed to be certain that they are providing the needed information.

4.B.06
U   I   T   P   K
Staff share an understanding of the purposes, values, and uses of assessment in their program and can explain these to others.