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.C.
Identifying Children's Interests and Needs and Describing Children's Progress

4.C.01
All children receive developmental screening that includes

• the timely screening of all children within three months of program entry;
• screening instruments that meet professional standards for standardization, reliability, and validity;
• screening instruments that have normative scores available on a population relevant for the child being screened;
• screening of children's health status and their sensory, language, cognitive, gross-motor, fine-motor, and social-emotional development;
• a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the screening program; and
• using the results to make referrals to appropriate professionals, when needed, and ensuring that the referrals are followed up.

4.C.02
U   I   T   P   K
Teachers assess the developmental progress of each child across all developmental areas, using a variety of instruments and multiple data sources that address the program's curriculum areas. Staff with diverse expertise and skills collect information across the full range of children's experiences.

4.C.03
U   I   T   P   K
Teachers refer to curriculum goals and developmental expectations when interpreting assessment data.